How to Link to a Specific Time in a YouTube Video (3 Easy Methods)
Created on 26 September, 2025 • Generator Tools • 235 views • 2 minutes read
Want to share a YouTube video that starts at a specific moment? Learn how to create a timestamp link using the share button, manual URL editing, or a free online generator.
We've all been there. You find an amazing hour-long video—perhaps a podcast or a tutorial from a creator here in Bangkok—but the single most important part is a two-minute segment buried deep in the middle. You want to share it with a friend or colleague, but you don't want to make them waste time scrubbing through the video to find the right spot.
The solution is a YouTube timestamp link.
A timestamp link is a special URL that tells YouTube to begin playing a video at the exact moment you specify, rather than at the beginning. It’s an incredibly useful feature, and this guide will show you three simple ways to create one.
Method 1: The Built-in "Share" Button
This is the most straightforward method and is built right into the YouTube interface.
- Open the YouTube video you want to share.
- Play the video or move the timeline slider to the exact moment you want the link to start.
- Click the "Share" button located just below the video player.
- A pop-up window will appear. At the bottom, you'll see a checkbox that says "Start at" followed by the current time. Check this box.
- The URL in the box will automatically update with the timestamp. Click "Copy".
[Image showing the YouTube share pop-up with the "Start at" checkbox highlighted.]
You now have a link that will start the video at your chosen time.
Method 2: Manually Editing the URL
This method is great if you already have a YouTube link and just want to add a timestamp to it without going back to the video page. It works by adding a small parameter to the end of the URL.
The key is that the time must be specified in total seconds.
- For example, 1 minute and 30 seconds is 90 seconds.
- 3 minutes and 25 seconds is 205 seconds (3 * 60 + 25).
Once you have the time in seconds, add it to the URL like this:
- If the URL has no ? in it (like https://youtu.be/VIDEO_ID), add ?t=90s.
- If the URL already has a ? (like .../watch?v=VIDEO_ID), add &t=90s.
This method is fast for developers but can be a bit of a hassle due to the manual time-to-seconds calculation.
Method 3: Using an Online Timestamp Link Generator
For the easiest and most flexible experience, especially if you don't want to do any math, an online generator is the perfect tool.
We recommend the YouTube Timestamp Link Generator from Shortus.xyz.
Try the free tool here: https://shortus.xyz/tools/youtube-timestamp-link-generator
This tool is great because you can input the time just as you see it on the YouTube player (in minutes and seconds).
How to Use the Generator:
- Paste the YouTube URL: Copy the regular link of the YouTube video and paste it into the generator.
- Enter the Time: Type the start time into the "Minutes" and "Seconds" fields.
- Generate Your Link: Click the "Generate Link" button.
- Copy the Result: The tool will instantly create the perfectly formatted timestamped link for you to copy and share.
No matter which method you choose, sharing a link to a specific moment in a video is a great way to save people time and get your point across more effectively.