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How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA, MLA, Harvard and Chicago

How-toUpdated October 27, 20266 min read

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Video has become a normal part of how students learn, and increasingly it appears in reference lists too: lectures, interviews, documentaries, demonstrations and public talks. Citing a YouTube video follows the same logic as any other source, but the details that are easy to find on a book or article, such as a clear author and a date, can be less obvious on a video page.

This guide explains how to collect the details, format them in four common styles and cite a specific moment in a video. The examples use invented sources to show the format.

The steps

  1. Decide whether the video is a suitable source

    Check who made it, whether they are credible, and whether the claims are supported, and prefer official channels of institutions, experts and recognized organizations.

  2. Find the creator or uploader

    Look at the channel name beneath the video and the About tab, and use the person or organization responsible for the content.

  3. Find the date and title

    Copy the exact title and the upload date shown under the video, in the form your style requires.

  4. Copy the URL and note the length

    Use the clean address of the video, such as the short form, and note the duration if your style asks for it.

  5. Format the citation and add a timestamp

    Arrange the elements in your style, and add a time in the text citation if you refer to a specific moment.

The sections below take each step in turn.

Step 1: Choose your source carefully

Anyone can upload a video, so credibility matters more here than for most sources. A strong choice might be a lecture on a university's official channel, a talk by a recognized expert, a news organization's report or a government or health agency briefing. Be cautious with anonymous channels, videos that sell products and videos without references. If a better source, such as a paper or a transcript, exists, consider using that instead, or alongside it.

Step 2: Identify the creator

Look at the channel name beneath the video and the channel's About page. The channel is usually the author, particularly when an organization publishes the video. If the video is a lecture or interview given by a named person on someone else's channel, many styles allow you to name the speaker, with the channel as the container. Follow your style's guidance. In APA, the person or group who uploaded is normally the author, and a screen name is given in square brackets if it differs from the real name.

Step 3: Copy the title and date

Copy the exact title as it appears, including capitalization pattern, since you may need to change case later. Note the upload date shown beneath the video. If the page offers only a relative date, such as "2 years ago", open the description or the About information for the full date.

Step 4: Copy the URL

Use the address of the video's watch page. A short link is acceptable if it leads to the video. Leave off tracking parts after a question mark unless they identify the timestamp you want to cite. Record the duration if your style asks for it.

Step 5: Format it

APA 7

Format: Creator. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL

National Health Education. (2021, May 5). How to wash your hands properly [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example

In the text: (National Health Education, 2021). To cite a moment: (National Health Education, 2021, 2:15).

If a person uploaded the video under a screen name: Patel, R. [RinaTeaches]. (2021, May 5). Title [Video]. YouTube. URL

MLA 9

Format: "Title of Video." YouTube, uploaded by Username, Day Month Year, URL.

"How to Wash Your Hands Properly." YouTube, uploaded by National Health Education, 5 May 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

In the text: ("How to Wash"), or with a timestamp ("How to Wash" 00:02:15). If the video's creator or speaker is the focus of your point, MLA lets you begin the entry with that name.

Harvard (common pattern)

Format: Creator (Year) Title of video. [Video]. Available at: URL (Accessed: Day Month Year).

National Health Education (2021) How to wash your hands properly. [Video]. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example (Accessed: 12 March 2025).

In the text: (National Health Education 2021). Check whether your university wants a timestamp.

Chicago notes-bibliography

Note: 1. Creator, "Title of Video," YouTube video, duration, Month Day, Year, URL.

  1. National Health Education, "How to Wash Your Hands Properly," YouTube video, 6:42, May 5, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

Bibliography: Creator. "Title of Video." YouTube video, 6:42. May 5, 2021. URL.

National Health Education. "How to Wash Your Hands Properly." YouTube video, 6:42. May 5, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

Citing a specific moment

If you quote or paraphrase a particular part of a video, give a timestamp in the text citation so readers can find it. Use the hours, minutes and seconds format that your style prefers.

Style Timestamp format
APA (Creator, 2021, 2:15)
MLA (Title 00:02:15)
Harvard (Creator 2021, 2:15)
Chicago In the note, add the time after the title or as the pinpoint: 2:15

For long videos, a timestamp is the equivalent of a page number, and markers appreciate it.

Quoting from a video

If you quote a speaker, check the words against the video, since automatic captions are often inaccurate. If a transcript is provided by the creator, prefer it, and cite it clearly. Do not rely on auto-generated captions for a direct quotation unless you have verified them.

When details are missing

  • No clear creator: use the channel name.
  • No date: use n.d. or the style's no-date wording.
  • Reposted content: cite the original source if you can find it, not a copy on a random channel.
  • Livestreams: cite the recorded video if one exists, with the date of the broadcast.
  • Shorts and clips: cite as videos, and give the title or a short description.

Other video sources

The same logic applies to Vimeo, TED talks, news clips and course lecture recordings, with the platform in the place where "YouTube" appears. For a lecture on your own course platform, follow your style's pattern for lecture recordings or course materials, and check whether your instructor allows them to be cited. Our guide to how to cite a website covers pages that sit around a video, such as a transcript hosted on its own site.

Tools and checking

A citation generator can pull details from a video link, and our citation generator can give you a starting entry. Check the result: tools often use the channel name when the speaker should be named, or miss the exact date. Compare with the examples above and your course guide.

Common mistakes

  • Leaving out the platform name.
  • Using the title of the channel as the title of the video.
  • Not giving the upload date.
  • Citing without a timestamp when you refer to a specific passage.
  • Using auto-captions as a quotation without checking.
  • Citing low-quality videos where a better source exists.
  • Copying the whole address with tracking parts.

A quick checklist

  • Is the video credible and relevant?
  • Have I identified the creator or uploader?
  • Do I have the exact title and upload date?
  • Is the URL clean and correct?
  • Have I added a timestamp where needed?
  • Does the in-text citation match the list entry?

Final thoughts

A video citation is only a little more work than a webpage: creator, date, title, platform and URL, with a timestamp when you refer to a moment. The more important decision comes earlier, which is whether the video is a source your marker will respect. Choose carefully, verify quotations and give readers enough to find exactly what you used.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the author of a YouTube video?

Usually the person or organization that uploaded it, shown as the channel name. If the video is a lecture or talk by someone else, some styles let you name the speaker as the author, with the channel as the source.

Do I need the URL?

Yes. Include the web address of the video, since it is the location where readers can find it. Use the short or standard watch link without extra tracking parts.

How do I cite a specific part of a video?

Add a timestamp in the in-text citation, such as (Patel, 2021, 2:15) in APA or (00:02:15) in MLA, so readers can find the passage.

Can I cite a video that has been removed?

You can cite what you viewed, but readers cannot check it. If possible, find a stable source such as a transcript, a publication or an archived version, and consider whether the video is a good source in the first place.

Is a YouTube video a reliable source?

It depends on who made it. Lectures from universities and reports from recognized organizations can be good sources. Anonymous or commercial videos rarely are. Check credentials and evidence, as with any source.

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