How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA, MLA & Chicago (Free)

Citing a YouTube video trips people up because a video has no page numbers and the "author" isn't obvious. This guide gives you copy-paste templates and examples for APA, MLA, and Chicago, plus the one trick that makes quoting accurate: working from the transcript instead of your memory of what was said.

The 3 Styles at a Glance

Style	Lead element	Quote locator
APA (7th)	Uploader (as author) + year	Timestamp, e.g. 4:12
MLA (9th)	Video title (or creator)	Timestamp in parentheses
Chicago (17th)	Uploader + video length	Timestamp in note

All three want the same core facts: who uploaded it, the video title, the upload date, the URL, and — for direct quotes — the timestamp of the moment you're citing.

How to Cite a YouTube Video in APA (7th Edition)

Format: Uploader. (Year, Month Day). Title of the video [Video]. YouTube. URL

Example: TED. (2019, November 13). The secret to giving great feedback [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example

Treat the account that uploaded the video as the author. The in-text citation is the uploader and year, e.g. (TED, 2019). For a direct quote, add the timestamp: (TED, 2019, 4:12).

How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA (9th Edition)

Format: "Title of Video." YouTube, uploaded by Uploader, Day Month Year, URL.

Example: "The Secret to Giving Great Feedback." YouTube, uploaded by TED, 13 Nov. 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

If the creator differs from the uploader, you can lead with the creator: Creator. "Title of Video." YouTube, uploaded by Uploader, Day Month Year, URL. For an in-text quote, cite the title (or creator) plus the timestamp: (00:04:12).

How to Cite a YouTube Video in Chicago (17th Edition)

Bibliography: Uploader. "Title of Video." YouTube video, length. Month Day, Year. URL.

Example: TED. "The Secret to Giving Great Feedback." YouTube video, 10:42. November 13, 2019. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

Footnote: TED, "The Secret to Giving Great Feedback," YouTube video, 10:42, November 13, 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.

Quote it accurately: Pull the full transcript with timestamps free — copy the exact wording and the exact time, no signup. → Try YTTranscript.app

Quote Accurately: Work From the Transcript

The most common citation mistake isn't the format — it's misquoting the video. Transcribing from memory or pausing repeatedly leads to small errors that undermine your work. Instead, pull the transcript with timestamps and you get two things at once: the exact wording to quote and the exact timestamp to cite.

The workflow is simple. Open YTTranscript, paste the video URL, and get the full transcript free — then find your quote, copy the precise text, and note the timestamp shown next to it. It works on any device with no account or extension.

This is why students and academics keep a transcript open while writing. For more on this, see our guides for researchers and students, who use transcripts to quote precisely, scan for evidence, and cite with confidence. If you only need the words and not the times, you can also grab a clean copy without timestamps.

Quick Tips

Match the uploader name exactly as it appears on the channel.
Use the upload date shown under the video, not the date you watched it.
Always include a timestamp for direct quotes so readers can verify them.
Keep the full URL to the specific video, not the channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you cite a YouTube video in APA? Use the uploader as the author: Uploader. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL. In text, cite the uploader and year, e.g. (TED, 2019), and add a timestamp for direct quotes.

How do you cite a YouTube video in MLA? Format: "Title of Video." YouTube, uploaded by Uploader, Day Month Year, URL. For in-text quoting, add a timestamp in parentheses, e.g. (00:04:12).

Do I need a timestamp to quote a YouTube video? Yes, for direct quotes you should include the timestamp of the quoted moment so readers can verify it. Pulling the transcript with timestamps makes finding the exact time and wording quick and accurate.

Who counts as the author of a YouTube video? In APA and Chicago, the channel/account that uploaded the video is treated as the author. In MLA, you can lead with the creator if they differ from the uploader, then credit the uploader after the title.

How can a transcript help me cite a video correctly? A transcript lets you copy the exact wording of a quote instead of mishearing it, and a timestamped version gives you the precise time to cite. YTTranscript pulls both free, with no signup.

→ Get an accurate, timestamped YouTube transcript free with YTTranscript.app