YouTube Tips & Tricks
How to Find Any YouTube Video ID in Seconds
18 Oct 2026 · 6 min read
Need to grab a YouTube video ID for an embed, API call, or script? Here is how to locate that 11-character code instantly on any device.
YouTube Video ID Finder & Link Converter
Get the video ID from any YouTube link and convert it to every other link format. Paste many links at once.
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What is a YouTube video ID?
Every YouTube video has an 11-character ID made of letters, numbers, dashes and underscores, such as dQw4w9WgXcQ. It appears in every kind of link:
| Link type | Where the ID is |
|---|---|
| Watch link | youtube.com/watch?v=ID |
| Short link | youtu.be/ID |
| Shorts | youtube.com/shorts/ID |
| Live | youtube.com/live/ID |
| Embed | youtube.com/embed/ID |
Playlists have their own ID after list=, usually starting with PL. Developers need video IDs for the YouTube Data API, player API and embed codes. To turn an ID into a ready embed, use the YouTube embed code generator.
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Frequently asked questions
How do I find a YouTube video ID?
Paste the link here and the tool shows it instantly. In a watch link it is the part after v=, and in a youtu.be link it is the part after the slash.
Can I convert a Shorts link to a normal video link?
Yes. Every Short is also a normal video, so youtube.com/watch?v=ID opens it in the regular player with all controls.
Is a video ID the same as a channel ID?
No. Channel IDs are 24 characters long and start with UC; video IDs are 11 characters.
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