Build formatted citations for YouTube videos in seconds. Choose your style, fill in the details, and copy the result.
YouTube citations follow the same rules as other online videos in both APA and MLA. The key elements are:
Both APA 7 and MLA 9 treat YouTube videos as online audiovisual media. Access dates are not required in either style when a publication date is available.
See how real citations look in both styles. These examples show typical scenarios you'll encounter.
This video has no named creator—only the channel name appears.
This video's real creator is known and differs from the channel name.
When citing a specific moment in a video, include the timestamp in parentheses.
Use this format: Creator [Channel Name]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL. The creator can be a person or a channel; if only the channel is known, use the channel name alone. If the real creator's name differs from the channel name, use: Real Name [Channel Name].
"Video Title." YouTube, uploaded by Uploader Name, Day Month Year, URL. MLA 9 treats YouTube as a container platform. Capitalize the video title in title case, and always include the upload date in the Day-Month-Year format (e.g., 15 Mar. 2020).
In both formats, prioritize the real creator. In APA 7, write: Last Name, F. [Channel Name]. In MLA 9, use the real name as the uploader. Only use the channel name alone if you cannot identify the individual behind it.
Timestamps appear only in in-text citations, not in the reference list. In APA 7, use: (Creator, Year, timestamp). In MLA 9, use: ("Title," timestamp). Format timestamps as MM:SS or M:SS. Do not add timestamps to the full reference entry.
No. Both APA 7 and MLA 9 do not require an access date when the video has a publication date. Access dates are typically only used for sources that are frequently updated or undated (like web pages or wikis).
YouTube is treated like any other online video repository (Vimeo, Dailymotion, etc.). The main difference is that you name YouTube as the platform. The structure is the same: creator, date, title, platform, URL.