YouTube Timestamp Links: What They Are and How To Use Them

Using timestamps links on YouTube videos means when the link is clicked, the video will automatically start to play at a specific part of the video. This means it’s easier for people to share a YouTube video at a specific time to help other viewers jump to relevant parts of the post. 

Adding timestamps makes content easier to navigate, whether it's a tutorial, comedy special, or video essay. Let's break down how to create YouTube timestamp links and why they’re so helpful.

Why You Should Link To Timestamps

Helping audiences jump to precise moments in your content offers the following benefits.

Boosts SEO

In 2019, Google started showing a video’s key moments in the search results. The platform released this feature to help users engage with content more intuitively. Google Search automatically chooses these moments, but it prioritizes timestamps set by the creator. So, adding timestamps increases the chance that someone will find your video in a search query.

Drives Engagement

Timestamps make it easier for viewers to find content, leading to better YouTube video performance. When audiences can easily skip to the parts of a video they care about, they may watch your content instead of someone else’s. 

It also benefits your channel when audiences create timestamps for your posts. People can send these links to their friends or add them to YouTube comments. In both cases, these links expose your video to even more viewers, increasing your view count.

Improves the User Experience

Audiences may be looking for specific parts of a video, like a product demo, critical step in a tutorial, or funny moment. Using timestamps makes videos more user-friendly by letting viewers jump straight to the part that matters most to them. This way, people don't have to waste time scrubbing through the whole video and can quickly get the information they need. 

Improving the user experience prevents people from leaving your channel out of frustration, which makes them more likely to interact with your future posts.

Linking to a Timestamp Using the Share Feature

YouTube makes it easy to create timestamped links right from their platform. Below are the steps:

1. Open the video — Start the YouTube video and let it play until you reach the moment you want to link to.
2. Pause at the right spot — Pause the video exactly when you want to share. This ensures the timestamp format is accurate.

3. Click on share — Tap the "Share" button below the video.

4. Check the "start at" box — Under the link, you'll see a checkbox that says "Start at." It shows the current time you paused the video at. Make sure this box is checked.

5. Copy the link — Copy the video link, and paste or send it anywhere you’d like. Clicking it will take viewers straight to your selected moment in the video.

This method is excellent for quickly sending clips to friends or posting on other social media platforms.

Adding a Timestamp to a YouTube Video URL

To tell Google which key moments to list in search results, you need to create timestamps manually. Here's how to add a timestamp to a YouTube link.

Play the YouTube Video and Note the Time

Find the exact moment you want to link to in the video. Write down the time in hours, minutes, and seconds.

Add a Timestamp to the YouTube Link

Include the timestamp at the end of the video URL using the format &t=XhYmZs. "X" is the number of hours, "Y" is the number of minutes, and “Z” is the number of seconds.

For instance, if you want to link to 1 hour, 3 minutes, and 45 seconds into the video, you would add &t=1h3m45s to the video's URL, like so:

https://youtube.com/watch?v=exampleID&t=1h3m45s

Follow this process for any segment you want to create a timestamp for.

Include the Video URLs in Your Description

To help Google find your timestamps, include them in your YouTube video description:

• Label — Title each segment you want to link to. Each label should contain at least one word.
• Timestamp — List the time using the following format: [hour]:[minute]:[second].
• Format — Make sure the title and corresponding timestamp are on the same line. Put each timestamp in chronological order and on a new line.
• Link — Paste the link to your manually edited video URL.

Engage Your YouTube Audience With Captions

While using timestamps to improve navigation is helpful, keeping audiences engaged once they click is equally important. That’s where Captions comes in — our AI features make creating and editing your content easier than ever. 

Once you have a video idea, paste it into our Script Generator, which will automatically outline your content. The Camera & Teleprompter lets you record videos in-app while reading off your script. After filming, create professional-level posts with editing tools like Eye Contact, Denoise, and Trim. 

No matter which part of the video creation process you’re in, Captions has tools to support you. 

FAQs

How Do I Get a YouTube Video Link? 

On a desktop, simply highlight the YouTube video link in the search bar and copy it. If you’re using a phone, open the video and click the “Share” button. Copy and paste the link or choose which social media platform to send it to.

How Do I Share a YouTube Link With a Timestamp?

You can send a YouTube link with a timestamp using YouTube's share feature. Pause the video, click the "Share" button, and check the "Start at" box. Then, copy and paste the link and send it to whoever you’d like.

How Do I Link a Timestamp to a YouTube Comment?

If you use the correct timestamp format, the platform automatically adds links to YouTube comments. Pause the video at the moment you want to discuss, and include the current time in your comment. For example: 

Did anyone else see the dog in the background? 0:24:32

When other viewers click on the timestamp in the comment, they’ll jump straight to that section.