How to Cite a YouTube Video: APA, MLA and Chicago Format
YouTube videos appear in student essays, theses, and research papers more often than most citation guides acknowledge. Citing them correctly is not complicated, but the rules differ enough between APA, MLA, and Chicago that small errors are common. This guide covers all three formats, with verified templates, real examples, and the edge cases that trip up most writers.
Quick Answer
To cite a YouTube video in APA 7th edition: Author or Channel Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL. In MLA 9th edition: "Title of Video." YouTube, uploaded by Channel Name, Day Month Year, URL. In Chicago Notes-Bibliography style: Author or Channel Name. "Title of Video." YouTube video, length. Month Day, Year. URL. The author in all three styles is the person or channel that uploaded the video, not necessarily the content creator.
Why Citing YouTube Videos Matters in Academic Work
YouTube is not a secondary source by default. Documentaries, lectures, TED Talks, government agency videos, archival footage, and primary interview material all appear on YouTube. When you draw on any of these in academic writing, you need a citation for the same reason you cite a book: to give credit, to allow verification, and to build a traceable argument.
The practical challenge is that YouTube video information can change. Titles get edited, upload dates are sometimes ambiguous, and videos get deleted. Collect all citation details when you first access a video, not later.
APA Format: How to Cite a YouTube Video
APA 7th edition treats YouTube videos as audiovisual works. The authoritative guidance is in Section 10.12 of the APA Publication Manual, which covers YouTube video references directly.
APA Reference List Template
Author or Channel Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of video in sentence case [Video]. YouTube. URL
If the uploader has a real name and a username, include both:
Surname, A. A. [Username]. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. URL
APA Examples
Channel with no separate real name:
Khan Academy. (2023, August 12). Introduction to probability [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KzfWUEJjG18
Individual with both real name and username:
Stevens, M. [Vsauce]. (2017, August 14). The napkin ring problem [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J51ncHP_BrY
Institutional channel:
Harvard University. (2019, August 28). Soft robotic gripper for jellyfish [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guRoWTYfxMs
APA In-Text Citation
Use the channel or author name and year:
(Khan Academy, 2023)
For a direct quote, add a timestamp:
(Stevens, 2017, 4:23)
Key APA Rules
- Italicise the video title
- Include [Video] in square brackets after the title (not italicised)
- Use sentence case for the title (only first word and proper nouns capitalised)
- The author is whoever uploaded the video, not necessarily the on-screen presenter
- Include the full URL, not a shortened link
MLA Format: How to Cite a YouTube Video
MLA 9th edition uses a flexible container system. The official guidance appears directly on the MLA Style Center, the only authorised website for MLA style questions.
MLA Works Cited Template
When the primary creator is clear:
Creator's Name. "Title of Video." YouTube, Day Month Year, URL.
When no clear creator exists (cite by title):
"Title of Video." YouTube, uploaded by Channel Name, Day Month Year, URL.
MLA Examples
Creator is clear:
Beyonce. "Beyonce - Pretty Hurts (Video)." YouTube, 24 Apr. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXXQLa-5n5w.
Organisation channel, no separate creator:
"Working Out Aboard the Space Station." YouTube, uploaded by NASA, 2010, www.youtube.com/watch?v=YxImeOomkUk.
Unknown creator:
"Capybara Eat Huge Pumpkin." YouTube, uploaded by Alex Smith, 12 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YNwxZnABzA.
MLA In-Text Citation
Use the creator's name, or a shortened title if there is no identifiable creator:
(Beyonce)
("Working Out")
For a specific passage, add a timestamp instead of a page number:
("Working Out" 2:14-3:05)
Key MLA Rules
- Italicise YouTube as the container
- The video title goes in quotation marks (or italics if it is a standalone work like a film)
- Use title case for the video title
- Include the upload date, not the access date (unless content is likely to change)
- If the creator and uploader are the same, list the name only once
Chicago Format: How to Cite a YouTube Video
Chicago style has two systems: Notes-Bibliography (used in humanities) and Author-Date (used in social sciences). Both are covered here. For general Chicago formatting guidance, Purdue OWL's Chicago section is a reliable reference.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography: Footnote
Author or Channel Name, "Title of Video," YouTube video, length, Month Day, Year, URL.
Example:
- National Geographic, "Inside the Amazon Rainforest," YouTube video, 12:34, June 15, 2021, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.
Chicago Notes-Bibliography: Bibliography Entry
Author or Channel Name. "Title of Video." YouTube video, length. Month Day, Year. URL.
Example:
National Geographic. "Inside the Amazon Rainforest." YouTube video, 12:34. June 15, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=example.
Chicago Author-Date
Reference list:
Author or Channel Name. Year. "Title of Video." YouTube video, length. Month Day. URL.
In-text:
(National Geographic 2021)
Key Chicago Rules
- Include the video length in the citation
- Use the channel name as the author when no individual creator is credited
- Footnotes use shortened forms after the first full citation
- The 18th edition of CMOS (2024) no longer requires place of publication
Comparison Table: APA vs MLA vs Chicago
| Element | APA 7th | MLA 9th | Chicago NB |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author position | First | First (or omit if unclear) | First |
| Title formatting | Italics, sentence case | "Quotation marks", title case | "Quotation marks", title case |
| Platform label | YouTube (plain text) | YouTube (italics) | YouTube video |
| Date format | (Year, Month Day) | Day Month Year | Month Day, Year |
| URL | Required | Required | Required |
| Video length | Not required | Not required | Required |
| In-text timestamp | (Author, Year, 4:23) | (Author timestamp) | Footnote with timestamp |
| Label type | [Video] in brackets | No label needed | "video" after platform |
Special Cases
Unknown Author or Anonymous Upload
APA: Begin the reference with the title. Use the channel name as author if the channel itself is the source. If the video is from an unofficial upload with no identifiable source, consider whether it is citable at all.
MLA: Start the Works Cited entry with the title, then include "uploaded by [Channel Name]."
Chicago: Use the channel name as author. If no channel name is identifiable, begin with the title.
Deleted or Unavailable Videos
A deleted video cannot be verified by your reader. If you accessed it while it was still available, note the original URL and your access date. In APA, treat unavailable content with caution: the style manual advises citing retrievable sources where possible. If the video has been archived via the Wayback Machine or a similar service, link to the archived version and note it.
APA example for archived video:
Channel Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of video [Video]. YouTube. [URL of archived version]
Livestreams
If the livestream was archived and is still accessible as a recorded video, cite it as you would any YouTube video and note that it was originally a livestream in your text if relevant. If the livestream was not archived and is no longer accessible, treat it as a personal communication in APA (cited in-text only, not in the reference list).
Playlists
APA:
Channel Name. (n.d.). Name of playlist [Playlist]. YouTube. URL
MLA:
"Name of Playlist." YouTube, uploaded by Channel Name, URL.
YouTube Shorts
Cite Shorts exactly as you would any YouTube video. The format is the same; the length of the video does not change the citation structure.
Movies Uploaded to YouTube
If you are citing a full film that happens to be hosted on YouTube, use the format for a film citation, not a YouTube video citation. The director and production company matter more than the uploader in this case.
APA movie citation:
Director's Surname, A. (Director). (Year). Title of film [Film]. Production Company.
MLA movie citation:
Title of Film. Directed by Director Name, Production Company, Year.
In-Text Citation vs Reference List: Clearing Up the Confusion
Many students confuse the in-text citation with the reference list entry. They are two different things that work together.
The in-text citation appears inside your essay, at the exact point where you draw on the source. It is short, usually just an author name and year (APA/Chicago) or a name or shortened title (MLA). Its job is to point the reader to the full entry.
The reference list entry (or Works Cited entry in MLA, or Bibliography in Chicago) appears at the end of your paper. It contains all the information a reader would need to find the source themselves.
Every in-text citation must match exactly one entry in your reference list. If you cite a YouTube video in your text, it must appear in full at the end of the paper.
Timestamps in in-text citations are used when you quote or refer to a specific moment in a video, the same way page numbers work for books. They are not required when you discuss the video in general.
Common Mistakes When Citing YouTube Videos
1. Citing the wrong name as author
APA specifies that the author is whoever uploaded the video, not necessarily the person on screen. If a lecture by Professor Smith was uploaded by the university's YouTube channel, the channel is the author, not Professor Smith. You can clarify in your text who actually delivered the content, but the citation follows the uploader.
2. Using fake or shortened URLs
A citation with https://youtube.com/example or a youtu.be shortened link is not reliable. Use the full URL from the browser address bar. Shortened links can expire or be redirected.
3. Forgetting the [Video] label in APA
APA requires [Video] in square brackets after the title to specify the source type. Omitting it is a formatting error.
4. Mixing up title case and sentence case
APA uses sentence case for titles (only the first word and proper nouns capitalised). MLA and Chicago use title case. Applying the wrong convention signals unfamiliarity with the style guide.
5. Not collecting citation details at the time of access
YouTube titles can be edited after upload. If you access a video in March and try to cite it in June, the title or even the upload date visible on the page may have changed. Take notes at the point of first access.
FAQ: Citing YouTube Videos
Do I need to cite a YouTube video if I just watched it for background information? Only if you actually reference it in your paper. If you drew an idea, data point, or quote from a video and use it in your writing, you need a citation. If you watched it for general orientation but nothing from it appears in your work, no citation is required.
What if the YouTube video has no upload date? In APA, use (n.d.) in place of the date. In MLA, omit the date element if it is genuinely unavailable. In Chicago, note the absence in the citation entry. This is rare on YouTube since upload dates are almost always visible, so check carefully before assuming no date exists.
How do I cite a YouTube video with multiple creators? In APA, list all uploading parties as you would with a multi-author publication. In MLA, list the primary creator and indicate additional contributors using "and." In Chicago, follow the same conventions as with multiple authors for books: list all names for two or three, use "et al." for more.
Can I cite a YouTube video in a research paper? Yes, if the video itself is the source of information or evidence relevant to your argument. YouTube videos from verified institutional channels, official organisations, or subject experts are generally acceptable. Unofficial uploads of unclear origin are less reliable and should be used with caution or avoided.
How do I cite a TED Talk on YouTube? If you accessed it on YouTube, cite it as a YouTube video. If you accessed it on the TED website directly, cite it as a web page with TED as the organisation and the speaker as the author. The format depends on where you actually watched it.
What is the in-text citation format for a YouTube video quote? Include a timestamp in place of a page number. In APA: (Channel Name, Year, 3:45). In MLA: (Creator timestamp range, e.g., 3:45-4:02). In Chicago: include the timestamp in the footnote following the standard short-form citation.
How do I cite a YouTube video for a movie that was uploaded to YouTube? Use a film citation, not a YouTube video citation. The key elements are the director and production company. Include the YouTube URL as the access location, but format the entry as a film. Check your style guide's section on audiovisual sources for the exact format.
Do I need an access date for a YouTube video? In MLA, access dates are optional but recommended for content that may change. In APA and Chicago, access dates are not typically required for videos with stable upload dates. Since YouTube videos have visible upload dates, an access date is usually unnecessary unless you are noting that you consulted a livestream before it was archived.
Summary
Citing a YouTube video follows the same logic as citing any other source: identify who is responsible for the content, when it was published, what it is called, and where to find it. The differences between APA, MLA, and Chicago are mostly formatting: which elements are italicised, how the date is ordered, whether you need a [Video] label or video length. The practical advice is the same regardless of style: use the uploader as the author, collect citation details when you first access the video, use the full URL, and include a timestamp when you quote or refer to a specific moment.
Managing Your Citation Library
If you are writing a thesis or dissertation and working with multiple sources across different formats, keeping citations organised by hand becomes error-prone. Academly's Citation Manager allows you to upload your sources as PDFs, parse bibliographic information automatically, and export references in RIS format for use in Zotero, Mendeley, or EndNote. Citations in Academly are only generated from sources you have actually uploaded, which means no hallucinated references in your bibliography.