What is a YouTube URL shortener?
A YouTube URL shortener turns a long YouTube link like https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4dMnAPZu70 into the short form https://youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70. Both open the same video. The short link is easier to share in bios, messages, ad copy, print and QR codes, and this tool also removes extra tracking parameters from share links.
How to shorten a YouTube link
- Paste your YouTube link. Copy the link from your browser or the YouTube Share button and paste it into the box. You can paste several links, one per line.
- Add a start time (optional). Enter a time such as 1:30 if you want the video to begin at that point.
- Copy the short URL. Press Copy next to the short youtu.be link, or the very short y2u.be link.
- Share it. Paste the short link into your bio, message, email, ad copy or QR code.
Supported YouTube link formats
Any link that contains a video ID can be shortened. Playlist and channel links do not point to one video, so they are not supported.
| Link type | You paste | You get |
|---|---|---|
| Standard watch link | youtube.com/watch?v=j4dMnAPZu70 | youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70 |
| Mobile link | m.youtube.com/watch?v=j4dMnAPZu70 | youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70 |
| YouTube Shorts | youtube.com/shorts/j4dMnAPZu70 | youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70 |
| Live stream | youtube.com/live/j4dMnAPZu70 | youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70 |
| Embed link | youtube.com/embed/j4dMnAPZu70 | youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70 |
| Share link with tracking | youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70?si=… | youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70 |
Why use a short YouTube link
Fit tight character limits
Ad copy, SMS, bios and captions have little room. A youtu.be link is much shorter than a standard watch link.
Cleaner print and QR codes
Shorter links usually produce simpler QR codes, which are easier to scan from a flyer, menu or shop window. Test the code before printing.
Easier to read and type
Short links look tidy in emails, WhatsApp messages, signatures and video descriptions, and are easier to read out or type by hand.
Good to know
A youtu.be link is YouTube's own short address, so it is not a branded link and gives no click analytics. The y2u.be option is run by a third party, so use the youtu.be link for anything important. For campaign tracking, link to a page you control and add UTM parameters there.
Frequently asked questions
What is a YouTube URL shortener?
A YouTube URL shortener turns a long YouTube link into a short one. For example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4dMnAPZu70 becomes https://youtu.be/j4dMnAPZu70, which opens the same video.
How do I shorten a YouTube link?
Paste the link into the tool and copy the result. You can also do it by hand: take the 11-character video ID after v= in the link and add it to the end of https://youtu.be/.
What is the difference between the short URL and the very short URL?
The short URL uses youtu.be, YouTube's own short domain. The very short URL uses y2u.be, a third-party redirect service that is not run by YouTube or MyMidlist. It is a few characters shorter and redirects to the same video.
Which YouTube link formats work?
Standard watch links, mobile links, youtu.be links, Shorts, live links and embed links all work, because each contains a video ID. Playlist and channel links have no single video ID, so they cannot be shortened this way.
Can I add a start time to a short YouTube link?
Yes. Enter a time like 1:30 or 90s and the youtu.be link will include a start-time parameter so the video begins at that point. If your pasted link already has a start time, it is kept.
Is this YouTube link shortener free and private?
Yes. It is free with no signup and no limit. Links are processed in your browser and are not stored. The video preview embeds YouTube's own player as soon as your link is detected, so YouTube may receive a request at that point.
Does a shortened YouTube link track clicks?
No. A youtu.be link goes straight to the video and gives you no click report. If you need click data, use a branded link shortener you control or add campaign parameters to a landing page.
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