How to Find a YouTube Video ID

Watch the step-by-step walkthrough below, then follow along to grab the unique video ID of any YouTube video straight from its URL.

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Step by Step

How to Find a YouTube Video ID

Follow these steps alongside the video to locate any YouTube video's unique ID.

1

Open any YouTube video

2

Look at the URL in your browser tab

3

Copy the YouTube video ID that appears after v=

  • For example, in https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7JSenLDgQ0&t=1s the video ID is K7JSenLDgQ0
  • The ID stops at the next & — don't include anything after it, such as &t=1s

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about finding a YouTube video ID.

What is a YouTube video ID?

A YouTube video ID is the unique 11-character code that identifies a specific video. It appears after v= in a standard YouTube URL, for example the K7JSenLDgQ0 in youtube.com/watch?v=K7JSenLDgQ0.

Where do I find the video ID in the URL?

Open the video and look at your browser's address bar. The ID is the string immediately after v= and before any & symbol. If there are extra parameters like &t=1s, the ID is only the part before that ampersand.

How do I get the video ID from a youtu.be short link?

On a shortened youtu.be link, the ID comes right after the slash — for example, in youtu.be/K7JSenLDgQ0 the ID is K7JSenLDgQ0. Again, ignore anything after a ? such as a timestamp.

How do I find the video ID on the mobile app?

Tap Share under the video and choose Copy link. Paste it anywhere and you'll get a youtu.be link — the characters after the slash are the video ID.

What do I use a YouTube video ID for?

The ID is used to embed videos on websites, pull a video's thumbnail (e.g. img.youtube.com/vi/ID/maxresdefault.jpg), reference videos in the YouTube API, and build clean links. It's the most reliable way to point to one exact video.

Is the video ID the same as the channel ID?

No. The video ID identifies a single video, while a channel ID identifies the creator's whole channel. They're different codes found in different parts of the URL — the video ID after v=, and the channel ID after /channel/.

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