guide
How to clip a YouTube video and share just the part you want
You do not need to download or re-upload anything to point people at the right moment of a YouTube video. Here are three legitimate ways, from the simplest to the most flexible. We do not cover downloading videos, which usually breaks YouTube’s terms and the creator’s rights.
Make a timestamp link and an embed for one section
Enter a YouTube address, a start and an end time, for example 1:30 and 2:00.
Method 1: a timestamp link
Play the video, pause at the moment, right-click the player and choose to copy the video URL at the current time. You can also add the start time yourself: put ?t=90 on a youtu.be link, or &t=90s on a youtube.com/watch?v= link, where 90 is the number of seconds. Anyone who opens the link starts from that point. This sets a start only, not an end.
Method 2: embed with a start and end time
If you run a website, YouTube’s embed address accepts start and end values in seconds. A player that starts at 90 seconds and stops at 120 seconds uses the parameters start=90 and end=120 on the embed address. Visitors watch only that section, and they can still watch the full video on YouTube.
Method 3: YouTube’s Clip button
Some videos show a Clip button under the player. It lets you pick a short section, give it a title and share a link. At the time of writing clips are limited to 5 to 60 seconds, and the creator must allow clipping, so the button is missing on some channels. Check YouTube’s help page for the current rules.
Which one should you use?
- Quick share in a message: a timestamp link.
- A section inside an article or page: an embed with start and end.
- A short, titled moment from a stream or long video: the Clip button, when it is available.
Respect the creator
Linking to or embedding a video sends views to the creator. Re-uploading someone else’s footage as your own clip is different and can break copyright rules, even if you cut it down. When in doubt, link instead of copying.
Reading the time in a link
A start time is counted in seconds from the beginning. A moment at 1 minute 30 seconds is 90 seconds, and one at 2 minutes 5 seconds is 125. Some links also accept the form 1m30s. If a link opens at the start, check that the time sits after ?t= on a youtu.be link or after &t= on a watch?v= link, and that nothing else has broken the address.
Using clips in an article
If you are writing about a video, an embed that starts at the right moment helps readers without sending them hunting for it. Add a sentence saying what the section shows, so the page is useful even for people who do not press play.
What about other platforms
Twitch, Kick and others have their own clip tools with their own rules and lengths. The same principle applies: use the platform’s own clip or share feature, and link back to the source.
Frequently asked questions
Can I download part of a YouTube video?
We do not recommend it. Downloading usually breaks YouTube’s terms of service and may infringe the creator’s rights. Use links, embeds or the Clip feature instead.
Why is there no Clip button on my video?
The creator can turn clipping off, and the feature has not been available on every channel. If it is missing, use a timestamp link or an embed.
Does a timestamp link work on mobile?
Yes. Opening the link in the YouTube app or a browser should start the video at the chosen time.
Can I loop a section of a video?
YouTube’s player does not loop a section by itself. An embed with start and end plays that section once, and some third-party players add looping.
Keep reading
- Shorts preview checker: see your video in every app
- How to turn a long video into Shorts
- Clipping campaigns explained
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