How to Add Timestamps to a YouTube Video Link
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Saving time is extremely important in today’s fast-paced lifestyle. To cater to this demand, timestamp links were created to keep videos relevant and still helpful in answering problems and queries. 

What Are YouTube Timestamp Links?

A YouTube timestamp link is a URL with a time marker that you can click to directly load a video at the specified time. It serves as an anchor to key moments in the video. The viewer can skip the other parts and just go straight to the content that they would like to watch with just a click of the mouse.

You can commonly see them in the description below the video as blue hyperlinks of the specific time in the video in the form of minutes and seconds. This is usually accompanied by a short description of what happens at that certain timeframe.

Multiple timestamps can be made for a single video. You can create a timestamp for every segment and topic in the video for ease of access. Clicking a timestamp link will load the video and start playing it at the specified time.

Timestamp links can also be shared on social media sites or embedded in blogs to feature certain parts of a video. This is especially useful for videos that provide a step-by-step guide or videos that are 30 minutes long or more. 

And when you’re finished, take a look at our other YouTube guides

Why Is Timestamp Important?

YouTube timestamp feature is extremely useful for both content creators and viewers alike. It saves everyone a lot of time and effort, which is crucial in today’s life.

As a content creator, you want more viewers to watch your videos. By creating timestamps on your videos, you are letting people know what topics you are discussing in the video and at which part of the timeline. If viewers easily find what they are looking for in the description, they can instantly watch that part by clicking the corresponding timestamp.

When viewers find your content informative and easy to access, they will have a great user experience and will definitely return to your channel for more. Thus, timestamps can gain you more YouTube subscribers with relative ease.

As for the viewers, saving time is essential in everyday life. The more time they save, the more time they can use for other endeavors. So, when it comes to looking for answers online, people want instant results. Some people turn to articles simply because they can read the content topics and get the answers quicker than having to watch a whole video.

But, with the introduction of timestamps, videos have become more relevant than plain online articles. Videos are more visual and entertaining and can offer a lot more guidance, especially on recipes and how-to topics. 

How to Add Timestamps to a YouTube Video Link?

There are several ways to create a timestamp. We will discuss first the easiest options, which are done using a computer.

Add a Timestamp Using the YouTube Share Button

This method can only be done when using YouTube on a web browser. It is one of the easiest methods on this list.

1. Browse through the YouTube video until you reach the part you want viewers to directly skip to. Pause it and then click the Share button.

2. On the Share pop-up box, tick the box beside “Start at”. This will automatically generate the timestamp where you are at. You can also enter the exact minute and second beside “Start at” if you already know the specific time.

3. You can then directly share the video link to popular social media sites by clicking their respective logos on the Share pop-up box.

4. Alternatively, you can click COPY to get the YouTube timestamp link and then paste it wherever you want to share the video or put it in the description box for viewers’ reference. 

Add a Timestamp by Copying the Video URL at the Current Time

1. While watching a YouTube video, pause it at the moment you want people to start watching.

2. Right-click on any part of the video to reveal a drop-down menu.

3. Choose a Copy video URL at the current time option from the list.

4. You can then open up your favorite social site and paste the YouTube link with a timestamp to share with your friends and followers. 

Manually Add a Timestamp Using Browser URL

This method will require you to take note of the exact time you want to stamp. It’s not as simple as the first two methods, but it’s still relatively easy and doable without any special skills.

1. Open the YouTube video on your web browser.

2.    On the browser address bar, add to the end of the URL the exact time in the video you want the viewers to skip to.

3.    Copy this URL with a timestamp and paste it in the description box or share it on a social media site.

There are two ways to add the timestamp in the URL. This is based on what format appears on the address bar.

youtube.com/

If the video URL appears in this format, simply add &t=XmYs or &t=Ys at the end of the URL. The X should be replaced with the minute value and the Y for the seconds.

For the video to start at the 20-second mark, here’s how it should look:

 youtu.be/

Should the video appear in this shortened URL version, you will use a question mark instead of the ampersand. Just add ?t=XmYs or ?t=Ys at the end of the URL. The same values are applied here, with the X for the minutes and the Y for the seconds. Simply replace them with the specific time in the video you want to skip to.

For the video to start at the 1:15 mark, here’s how it should look:

How to Get YouTube Timestamp Link Both on iPhone and Android?

Getting the timestamp link using a mobile phone is trickier than using a computer. The YouTube mobile app does not provide the easy option of getting the timestamp with a single tap. However, there is still a way to create timestamps on a mobile device. Here’s how to do it:

1. Open the YouTube app on your mobile device and load the video you want to link to.

2. Scrub through the video progress bar until you reach the scene you want viewers to see, and take note of the time (minutes and seconds).

3. Tap the Share button and, on the pop-up menu, hit the Copy link to copy the URL onto the clipboard.

4. Now paste the URL and then add the timestamp at the end of it. Follow the same procedure mentioned in the steps on how to manually add a YouTube timestamp link. 

In Conclusion

Timestamps have added more simplicity and access to video content by giving viewers the ability to quickly browse through to the content that they need. No need to watch the whole video just to get the answers that they need. A click on a timestamp will lead them directly to what they want to see.

Enhance your viewers’ user experience by providing them with relevant timestamps on your videos. Your viewers will appreciate the effort and will most likely become your loyal followers.

Anne Haynes
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