YouTube channel link shortener
Turn youtube.com/@yourhandle into a short link that is easy to say, type and fit in a bio. Tapped inside Instagram or TikTok, it asks the phone to open your channel in the YouTube app, where fans are signed in and can subscribe.
How to shorten your YouTube channel link
Find your channel link
Open your channel page in the YouTube app, use Share and choose Copy link. On a computer, open the channel and copy the address bar.
Paste it above
An @handle link (youtube.com/@name), a channel ID link (youtube.com/channel/UC…) or a custom URL all work. Choose Shorten.
Copy the short link or QR code
The short link is ready straight away. The QR code is free too, for flyers, merch and slides.
Use it wherever you promote the channel
Instagram and TikTok bios, stream panels, e-mail signatures, and video outros where you say the link out loud.
Why your channel should open in the app
A channel link is where new subscribers come from. Inside the in-app browser of Instagram or TikTok, your channel opens as a web page and most visitors are not signed in there, so tapping Subscribe means logging in first. Many people stop at that point.
A Ytgo channel link asks the phone to open your channel in the YouTube app instead. There the viewer is usually signed in, Subscribe takes one tap, and your latest videos are a scroll away. If the phone keeps the link in the other app, the page offers an Open in YouTube button and the browser.
Handle, channel ID or subscribe link?
@handle links are the easiest to recognise, and Ytgo accepts them as they are. Channel ID links (youtube.com/channel/UC…) keep working even if you change your handle later, which makes them a safe choice for anything printed.
Want visitors to see a Subscribe prompt? Add ?sub_confirmation=1 to your channel URL before you shorten it; the subscribe link generator explains how. With Pro you can also give the link a custom short name, such as ytgo.me/yourname, and point it at a different URL later without reprinting anything.
Questions and answers
How do I shorten my YouTube channel link?
Copy your channel URL or @handle link, paste it into the box on this page and choose Shorten. The short link appears straight away with a copy button and a QR code. It is free, needs no account and does not expire.
Where do I find my YouTube channel link?
Open your channel in the YouTube app and use Share, then Copy link, or open the channel on a computer and copy the address. It looks like youtube.com/@yourhandle, or youtube.com/channel/ followed by an ID that starts with UC.
Can I shorten another creator’s channel link?
Yes, any public YouTube channel works. Every Ytgo link leads only to YouTube, and anyone can report a misused link on the Report a link page.
What happens to my short link if I change my handle?
A link to the old @handle may stop working once the handle changes, while a channel ID link keeps working. With Pro you can change the destination of your Ytgo link, so the short link you already shared points at the new handle.
Can I see how many people tap my channel link?
A free account shows total clicks and the last 7 days for every link. Pro, $1 a month, also shows how many taps opened the YouTube app instead of the browser, which app they came from and their country.
Guides on this topic
Step-by-step guides from our blog that go further.
- How to copy a YouTube link on iPhone, Android and desktopStep-by-step: copy links to videos, Shorts, channels, playlists and live streams, plus what youtu.be and ?si= mean. · 8 min read
- How to change your YouTube handle and channel name without breaking your linksStep-by-step for YouTube Studio and the app, the official limits, what happens to your old @handle URL, and a checklist so the links in your bios keep working. · 8 min read
- YouTube QR code: how to make one for a video, channel or playlistYouTube’s own channel QR code, a QR for any video or playlist, why a short-link QR is smaller and can be repointed later, and how big to print it. · 8 min read
- How to find and copy your YouTube channel link on phone and computerWhere your channel URL lives in the YouTube app, on youtube.com and in YouTube Studio, what the @handle and /channel/UC formats look like, and which one to share. · 6 min read
- YouTube handle vs custom URL vs channel ID: what each one is and which link to shareA YouTube handle is your unique @name. Here is how it compares with legacy custom URLs, usernames and the UC channel ID, in one table, and which format belongs where. · 7 min read
- How to add links to your YouTube channel (Instagram, TikTok, website)The YouTube Studio steps on a computer and in the Studio app, the 14-link limit, which link shows next to the Subscribe button, and how to point Instagram and TikTok back to your channel. · 9 min read