OneTaskBy Tim King · Updated
YouTube Timestamp Link Maker
Link to a Moment in a Video
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How the YouTube Timestamp Link Maker works
This YouTube timestamp link maker turns any YouTube link and a time into a link that starts playing at that moment. Paste the link, type the time as 1:23 or 1h2m3s, and copy a short share link, a full watch link or an embed URL for your site.
Pointing someone at "about four minutes in" wastes their time and loses half of them. A timestamp link drops them straight onto the moment you mean: the answer in a tutorial, the goal in a match, the quote in an interview. YouTube supports it with one URL parameter, but each link form spells it a little differently, and the share box only offers the time where you paused.
How the YouTube timestamp link maker builds each link
The tool first finds the 11-character video ID. It recognises watch links, youtu.be short links, Shorts, live and embed URLs, or a bare ID. Playlist and tracking parameters are dropped, so the link is clean. The time is converted to whole seconds and added in the form each URL expects.
| Link form | Example for 1:23 | Where to use it |
|---|---|---|
| Share link | youtu.be/ID?t=83 |
Messages, social posts, email |
| Watch link | youtube.com/watch?v=ID&t=83s |
Web pages, documents, notes |
| Embed URL | youtube.com/embed/ID?start=83 |
The src of an iframe on your site |
Time formats it accepts
You can type the time the way you read it off the player: 1:23, 01:02:03 or just 83 seconds.
The YouTube style 1h2m3s, 4m or 90s works too. Leave it blank for a clean link that starts at
the beginning.
Chapters in your description
YouTube turns timestamps in a video description into chapters. The chapter line gives you the time in the format it expects; add a title after it. The rules: the first chapter must start at 0:00, there must be at least three, and each must be at least 10 seconds long.
Tips and pitfalls
Embed ignores t. Iframes need start, not t. Pasting a share link into an iframe starts at the
beginning; use the embed URL instead.
Fractions are dropped. YouTube links only take whole seconds, so 1:23.5 is not accepted. Round to the second before.
Private and unlisted videos. The link works only for viewers who can already see the video.
Shorts loop. A timestamp on a Short opens the normal player for most viewers, but the Shorts app may ignore it.
How to read the result
Copy whichever link fits where you are pasting it. The last line confirms the start time in both clock form and seconds, so you can check it before sharing.
FAQ
How do I link to a specific time in a YouTube video?
Add ?t= and the number of seconds to a youtu.be link, or &t= to a watch link. For example,
youtu.be/ID?t=90 starts at 1:30. This tool works out the seconds and builds the link for you.
Why does my timestamp link start at the beginning?
Usually because the link form is wrong for where it was used. Iframes need ?start= instead of t,
and some apps strip URL parameters when previewing a link. Use the embed URL for iframes.
Does it work with YouTube Shorts links?
Yes. The tool reads the video ID from a Shorts link and builds normal youtu.be and watch links, which open in the standard player where the start time is honoured.
How do I add chapters to a YouTube video?
List timestamps with titles in the video description, one per line, starting with 0:00. You need at least three chapters, each at least 10 seconds long, and YouTube adds them to the progress bar.
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