Have you ever come across a funny YouTube clip or an insightful tutorial that you wanted to send to friends and family? Sharing videos via link has become ubiquitous in our highly connected world.
In fact, over 700,000 videos are shared on social media every day. But copying a YouTube URL to distribute can occasionally get confusing.
This comprehensive guide will teach you streamlined methods for copying YouTube links on both desktop and mobile. You‘ll also learn insider tips to make your shared videos stand out from the crowd.
Why Do People Share YouTube Links?
Before diving into the how-to, it‘s helpful to understand why link sharing is so integral to maximizing YouTube‘s impact.
As the above infographic showcases, common reasons include:
- Sending funny or viral videos to friends
- Sharing DIY tutorials and educational materials
- Promoting one‘s own content and channels
- Embedding video into blogs, sites, and documents
- Curating playlists around topics to watch later
Sharing links provides an easy way to transmit these engaging video bytes across the digital landscape.
Additionally, YouTube itself encourages sharing through partnerships with social networks. After all, increased viewing and subscribers benefit the platform too.
But while link sharing facilitates discovery and entertainment, it also raises questions around permissions, ownership, and consent. We‘ll cover some best practices later in this guide.
First, let‘s walk through the methods for easily copying those YouTube links on both desktop and mobile.
Method 1: Copying Links on Desktop
When browsing YouTube on your laptop or PC, copying a link takes just seconds. Follow these simple steps:
Step 1: Identify the Video Source
Start off by locating the exact video you want to share:
- Visit YouTube.com and make sure you‘re logged into your Google account
- Use the search bar to find relevant videos based on keywords
- Scroll through results/suggestions queues to pinpoint your desired clip
- Click the video to launch playback
I‘ll use the example of selecting an amusing cat video to share.
Tip: If you want to copy a link from your watch history versus searching, click your account icon > Watch history.
Step 2: Copy Link from Address Bar
With your chosen video actively playing:
- Look to the browser address bar displaying the page URL
- Click inside the bar to select the full URL text string:
- Use keyboard shortcut Ctrl/Cmd + C to copy the link
- Alternatively right click on the highlighted text and select Copy
The URL is now ready to paste anywhere – email, documents, messaging apps, etc.
Easy enough!
Next, let‘s look at even more advanced ways to copy YouTube metadata…
Advanced Tip: Copy Link at Specific Timestamp
Sharing a link that starts the video at a precise timestamp provides an awesome viewer experience:
Just follow these steps:
- While a video plays, pause it exactly where you want the shared link to start playback
- Right click directly on the video frame itself
- Select Copy video URL at current time
- The generated link will automatically open to your set timestamp!
You can also achieve similar functionality by clicking Share underneath the video and toggling the Start at option before copying the URL.
Now let‘s shift our focus to mobile devices.
Method 2: Copying YouTube Links on Mobile
Thanks to the YouTube app, grabbing and sharing links works smoothly on both iOS and Android phones.
Let‘s explore the steps for each platform:
Copy Link on iPhone & iPad
Launching the YouTube app on your Apple device provides a streamlined interface for quick link copies:
- Tap the search icon to find your desired video
- Queue up video playback by tapping the title/thumbnail
- Click the Share icon below the video specifics
- Select Copy Link from the ensuing menu
The URL now resides on your mobile clipboard for pasting.
Copy Link on Android Devices
The process looks nearly identical on Android YouTube apps:
- Open the app and search for your video using keywords/voice
- Tap into video playback mode
- Scroll down below the description to locate Share
- Choose Copy link to save the URL to your clipboard
You‘ve successfully copied the link for distribution across the digital landscape!
Method 3: Sharing Your Full YouTube Channel
Beyond specific videos, you may want to distribute your overall YouTube channel URL. This allows fans and followers to browse all your content in one place.
Let‘s explore how to find and copy your channel link, both on desktop and mobile devices:
Get Channel Link on Desktop
- Click your account icon in the top right corner
- Select YouTube Studio from the dropdown
- On the Studio side menu, choose Customization
- Navigate to the Basic Channel Info tab
- Your main channel URL appears here for copying!
Tip: You can add a channel link preview image and title here too!
So in a few quick steps, you‘ve unlocked your channel URL for promoting your brand.
Time to shift to mobile…
Finding Channel Link on Mobile
- In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture
- Select Your channel from the menu
- Scroll below your subscriber count and tap More Info
- Long press the displayed channel URL to copy it
Share away to help drive engaged viewership and subscriber growth!
Maximizing Channel Link Impact
Once you distribute your channel URL, you want viewers to click and subscribe.
Consider these optimization tips:
- Upload a custom channel art photo that looks professional
- Add sections to your channel like Playlists, Community, etc.
- Personalize the link preview image readers see before clicking
With your channel link architecture honed, it‘s time to cover responsible practices around copying YouTube URLs.
Ethical Considerations for Sharing YouTube Links
Although link distribution is encouraged by the platform, you should keep certain guidelines in mind:
- Don‘t share private, unlisted, or sensitive videos without express consent
- Seek permission before blasting links with personal information
- Double check URLs point to appropriate content before broadcasting
- Customize title/image previews to match professional branding
The vast majority of public YouTube links are fine to share. But be thoughtful in considering the video uploader‘s expectations around privacy and permissions.
Addressing Potential Issues with Shared YouTube Links
Despite the overall simplicity of copying/pasting URLs, you may encounter occasional technical hurdles:
Link opens the wrong video? Verify the URL was captured while the correct video actively streamed. URLs correlate directly to the live page.
Link doesn‘t work? Check it pasted fully without any character glitches. Also confirm mobile users copied the full "https://" portion.
Can‘t get Share menu? On mobile, ensure a video plays before tapping the Share icon. This option only appears during live playback.
For any other issues, leave a comment below!
The Takeaway: Copying & Sharing Made Simple
Hopefully this guide provided an in-depth walkthrough of all the methods for copying over YouTube links with ease:
- Easily grab any video URL whether on mobile or desktop
- Advanced customization like timestamped start points
- Share channel homepages to highlight your full catalog
So the next time you want to share an informative tutorial, funny meme compilation, or your own original videos, use the above steps to seamlessly distribute YouTube links.
Happy video watching and sharing!
