How to copy a YouTube link on iPhone, Android and desktop
Published: · 8 min read
To copy a YouTube link in the app on iPhone or Android, open the video, tap Share under the player, then tap Copy link. On a computer, click Share under the video and then Copy, or copy the address from your browser's address bar. The link is now on your clipboard, ready to paste into a message, a bio or a caption.
The steps are a little different for Shorts, channels and playlists, so each one is covered below, followed by what the youtu.be address and the ?si= part of a shared link mean.
Quick reference
| What you want to copy | YouTube app (iPhone, Android) | Computer |
|---|---|---|
| Video | Share under the player, then Copy link | Share under the video, then Copy, or the address bar |
| Short | Share on the right side of the Short, then Copy link | Share icon on the Shorts player, or the address bar |
| Channel | Open the channel, tap More, then Share, then Copy link | Address bar on the channel page |
| Playlist | Playlists tab, More next to the playlist, Share, Copy link | Address bar on the playlist page (the URL contains playlist) |
| Live stream | Same as a video | Same as a video |
Copy a video link on iPhone or Android
- Open the video in the YouTube app.
- Tap Share under the video player.
- Tap Copy link. The app may show a short confirmation that the link was copied.
Instead of Copy link you can pick an app from the same menu (WhatsApp, Messages, Instagram and so on) to send the link straight there. These steps match YouTube's help article on sharing videos and channels as of November 2026. The Share menu also has a toggle that adds the current time to the link; our guide to a YouTube link with a timestamp explains it.
If you watch YouTube in your phone's browser (m.youtube.com) rather than the app, you can tap Share in the same place, or press and hold the address bar and copy the URL.
Copy a Shorts link
- Open the Short in the YouTube app.
- Tap Share in the column of buttons on the right side of the video.
- Tap Copy link.
On a computer, Shorts play in their own vertical player. Use the Share icon next to it, or copy the address bar, which looks like youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO_ID. You can share that address as it is; there is no need to turn it into a watch link. If your Short is going to Instagram or TikTok, our YouTube Shorts link shortener page shows how to make the link ask for the YouTube app.
Copy a channel link
In the app:
- Open the channel page (tap the channel name or picture under any of its videos).
- Tap the More icon on the channel page, then tap Share.
- Tap Copy link. The same menu offers QR Code, which saves a code people can scan.
On a computer, YouTube's own instructions are simply to open the channel page and copy the URL from the address bar. A channel URL looks like youtube.com/@handle or, for the permanent form, youtube.com/channel/UC.... If you are looking for your own channel's address, see how to find your YouTube channel link.
Copy a playlist link
In the Android app, YouTube's help describes this route:
- Go to the channel that owns the playlist and tap Playlists at the top.
- Tap the More icon next to the playlist.
- Tap Share, then Copy link.
You can also open the playlist itself and use its Share button; the iPhone app works the same way, though the layout can differ slightly between app versions.
On a computer, open the playlist page and copy the URL from the address bar. YouTube recommends checking that the URL contains the word playlist (for example youtube.com/playlist?list=...), so you share the whole list rather than one video from it. A link like watch?v=...&list=... opens a single video with the playlist queued next to it.
YouTube's mobile website can only share videos, not playlists, so use the app or a computer for playlist links. If the playlist contains private videos, people can only watch those if you invite them.
Copy a live stream link
A live stream is shared exactly like a video: Share under the player, then Copy link in the app, or Share then Copy on a computer. The copied link may look like youtube.com/live/VIDEO_ID instead of a watch link; both work. For a stream that has not started yet, the link opens the waiting page, and once the stream ends it usually points at the saved recording, unless the channel removes it.
Copy a link to a comment
On a computer, click the time label next to the commenter's name (for example "2 days ago"). The page reloads with that comment pinned at the top as a highlighted comment, and the address bar now contains &lc= followed by the comment's ID. Copy that address. This is how YouTube's web page works as of November 2026; the option may look different in the app.
Share button or address bar: which link is better?
Both open the same video. The difference is the form of the link:
- Share, then Copy usually gives you a short
https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID?si=...link. - The address bar gives you the full
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_IDlink, sometimes with extra parts such as&list=(when you came from a playlist) or&index=. - Right-clicking the player on a computer offers options to copy the video URL, with or without the current time.
youtu.be is YouTube's own short domain. A youtu.be/VIDEO_ID link and a youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID link lead to the same video, and services that accept YouTube links generally accept both.
What is ?si= in a YouTube link?
Links copied with the Share button usually end with ?si= and a string of letters and numbers. YouTube does not explain this parameter in its help center. It is widely understood to be a share identifier: a code tied to that particular share, which lets YouTube connect the people who open the link with the share it came from.
You can remove it. The video ID is the part before ?si=, so https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID?si=AbC123 and https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID open the same video. Delete everything from ?si= up to the end of the link, or up to the next & if there is more after it. If a start time follows, keep it and turn its & into ?: youtu.be/VIDEO_ID?si=AbC123&t=90 becomes youtu.be/VIDEO_ID?t=90. Copying from the address bar on a computer gives you a link without si in the first place.
What to do with the link next
A raw YouTube link works fine in a text message. On Instagram, TikTok and Facebook it has two drawbacks: it is long, and a tap usually opens YouTube's website inside the app's built-in browser, where many viewers are not signed in, instead of the YouTube app.
A short link solves the first problem and can help with the second. Ytgo shortens YouTube links only (videos, Shorts, channels, playlists and live streams), for free and without an account, and the links never expire. When someone taps a Ytgo link inside Instagram, TikTok or Facebook, it asks the phone to open the YouTube app at the same video or channel, with a browser fallback if the app is not installed. Channel links have their own page, the YouTube channel link shortener, and every short link comes with a QR code you can download.
When you have your link, paste it into the YouTube link shortener to get a short one.
Frequently asked questions
How do I copy a YouTube link on my iPhone?
Open the video in the YouTube app, tap Share under the player and tap Copy link. The link is then on your clipboard and you can paste it anywhere by pressing and holding a text field and choosing Paste.
How do I copy a YouTube link on Android?
The steps are the same as on iPhone: open the video, tap Share under the player, then Copy link. For a Short, the Share button is in the column of buttons on the right side of the video.
Why does my copied YouTube link end with ?si=?
Links copied with the Share button get a si parameter, which is generally understood to identify that share. YouTube does not document it in its help center. Removing it does not change which video the link opens.
Is it safe to remove ?si= from a YouTube link?
Yes. The video is identified by the part before ?si=, so the link still works without it. If other parts follow, such as &t=90, keep them and replace the first & with ?.
What is the difference between youtu.be and youtube.com links?
None for the viewer. youtu.be is YouTube's own short domain, and youtu.be/VIDEO_ID opens the same video as youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID.
How do I copy the link of a YouTube playlist?
In the app, open the channel's Playlists tab, tap More next to the playlist, then Share and Copy link. On a computer, open the playlist page and copy the address bar; it should contain the word playlist.