To cite a YouTube video, you need the creator or channel, the upload date, the video title, the site (YouTube) and the URL. In APA 7, the uploader is the author and the title is followed by [Video]. In MLA 9, the creator comes first, the video title goes in quotation marks, YouTube is the container, and you add "uploaded by" when the uploader is someone else. Use timestamps instead of page numbers when quoting.
Every example here uses a fictional channel and video.
What to collect
- The creator's name or the channel name (and the person's real name if it's shown).
- The full video title, exactly as written.
- The upload date (shown under the video or in the description).
- The URL. Use the standard watch URL, not a shortened share link with tracking parameters.
- The timestamp of anything you quote or refer to specifically.
APA 7th edition
Author, A. A. [Channel Name]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL
The author is the person or organization that uploaded the video. If the channel name is different from the person's name and you know both, put the real name first and the channel name in square brackets. If you only know the channel name, use that alone.
Ramsey, T. [Ramsey Kitchen Lab]. (2024, March 5). Why bread goes stale faster in the fridge [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abc123example
In-text: (Ramsey, 2024) or Ramsey (2024)
In-text with a quotation: (Ramsey, 2024, 3:42)
Harbor Valley Science Center. (2023, November 18). How tides really work [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=def456example
In-text: (Harbor Valley Science Center, 2023)
A few APA details:
- The video title is in italics and sentence case: capitalize only the first word, the first word after a colon, and proper nouns.
- If the video features a person who didn't upload it, such as a guest in an interview, you still cite the uploader as the author and can name the guest in your sentence.
- Timestamps go where a page number would: (Ramsey, 2024, 3:42).
MLA 9th edition
Creator Last Name, First Name. "Title of Video." YouTube, uploaded by Uploader, Day Month Year, URL.
In MLA, YouTube is the container (in italics). If the creator and the uploader are the same, you don't need "uploaded by," since repeating the same name adds nothing.
Okonkwo, Ada. "Three Ways to Plan a Research Essay." YouTube, 12 Jan. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghi789example.
In-text: (Okonkwo)
In-text with a timestamp: (Okonkwo 00:03:42-00:03:58)
Okonkwo, Ada. "Three Ways to Plan a Research Essay." YouTube, uploaded by Brightwell College Writing Center, 12 Jan. 2024, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghi789example.
"How Tides Really Work." YouTube, uploaded by Harbor Valley Science Center, 18 Nov. 2023, www.youtube.com/watch?v=def456example.
In-text: ("How Tides")
When there's no named individual and the organization is also the uploader, MLA typically starts with the title rather than repeating the organization as both author and uploader. Notice that the in-text citation then uses a shortened title.
MLA timestamps are written as hours, minutes and seconds, showing the range you're citing. Many instructors also accept a single time for a short quotation.
Citation GeneratorAPA, MLA, Chicago and moreChicago style
Chicago's notes-and-bibliography system uses a footnote plus a bibliography entry. Chicago describes the source as a "YouTube video" and can include the running time.
Footnote:
- Ada Okonkwo, "Three Ways to Plan a Research Essay," YouTube video, 12:08, January 12, 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghi789example.
Shortened note:
- Okonkwo, "Three Ways to Plan."
Bibliography:
Okonkwo, Ada. "Three Ways to Plan a Research Essay." January 12, 2024. YouTube video, 12:08. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghi789example.
The "12:08" is the length of the video. If you're citing a specific moment, you can add the timestamp in the note ("at 3:42"). Chicago's handling of online media has shifted slightly between editions, so check which edition your instructor uses.
Side-by-side summary
| Element | APA 7 | MLA 9 | Chicago |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who goes first | Uploader (real name + [Channel] if known) | Creator; uploader added with "uploaded by" | Creator |
| Title | Italic, sentence case | "Quoted," title case | "Quoted," title case |
| Description | [Video] | none needed | YouTube video |
| Platform | YouTube. | YouTube, | YouTube video |
| Date format | (2024, March 5) | 5 Mar. 2024 | March 5, 2024 |
| Locator in text | 3:42 | 00:03:42-00:03:58 | at 3:42 in the note |
Citing a YouTube Short, livestream or comment
- Short: cite it like any other video. Use the Short's URL and its title, or a short description if it has no real title.
- Livestream: cite the archived recording, using the date it streamed.
- Comment: cite the commenter's username as author, quote the beginning of the comment as the title, and point to the video it appeared under. Formats differ by style, so follow your guide's rules for social media comments.
Is a YouTube video a credible source?
That depends on who made it and what you're using it for. A university lecture, a museum explainer or an interview with a researcher can be useful. A video that summarizes a study without naming it is weaker evidence; find the original study and cite that.
Ask:
- Who made this, and what's their expertise?
- Does the video cite its sources?
- Is the information current?
- Would your instructor accept this type of source for this assignment?
Common mistakes
- Citing YouTube as the author. YouTube is the platform, not the author.
- Using a shortened link. Use the full watch URL.
- Missing timestamps for quotations. Readers need to find the moment you quote.
- Copying the title's capitalization in APA. Convert it to sentence case.
Key takeaways
- APA: uploader as author, italic sentence-case title, [Video], YouTube, URL.
- MLA: creator first, "quoted" title, YouTube, "uploaded by" only when different, date, URL.
- Chicago: note plus bibliography, labeled as a YouTube video with its running time.
- Use timestamps the way you'd use page numbers.