How to Cite a YouTube Video in MLA

Paste the video link: the title, channel and upload date are read from YouTube. Add a timestamp to cite the exact moment. This page follows MLA 9th edition, 9th edition (2021).

MLA format for a YouTube video

MLA 9th edition

Works Cited entry

3Blue1Brown. “But What Is a Neural Network? | Deep Learning Chapter 1.” YouTube, 5 Oct. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aircAruvnKk.

In-text citation

(3Blue1Brown, 4:15)

Style: MLA 9th edition

Or enter it yourself:

Check the details

4 required fields are empty: the citation will be incomplete until you fill them in.

Channel or uploader (required)

The channel name exactly as shown under the video.

Missing: most styles need this.

Upload date (required)

Missing: most styles need this.

Missing: most styles need this.

Missing: most styles need this.

Date accessed

Harvard and MLA print it for web sources; APA only for pages that change over time.

Cite a specific place (optional)

Need the exact moment and wording? Get the full transcript with timestamps, then search it for the quote.

Preview: MLA 9th edition

Works Cited (0)

Your citations appear here, formatted in MLA 9th edition. They are saved in this browser only: nothing is sent to us, and no account is needed.

    Where to find the details

    • The upload date is under the title, in the description panel.
    • Cite the channel that uploaded the video, even if someone else speaks in it.

    Required in most styles: channel or uploader, upload date, video title, url.

    Find the exact quote and timestamp

    Scrubbing through a recording for one sentence is slow. Get the full transcript with timestamps, search it, and paste the line and time into the generator.

    Free YouTube transcript generator

    Cite a YouTube video in another style

    Other sources

    Questions

    What do I need to cite a YouTube video in MLA?

    At minimum: channel or uploader, upload date, video title, url. The upload date is under the title, in the description panel. Cite the channel that uploaded the video, even if someone else speaks in it.

    What does a YouTube video look like in MLA?

    Works Cited entry: 3Blue1Brown. “But What Is a Neural Network? | Deep Learning Chapter 1.” YouTube, 5 Oct. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aircAruvnKk. In-text citation: (3Blue1Brown, 4:15)

    How do I cite a specific moment?

    Give the timestamp where the quote or point begins, in hours, minutes and seconds (for example 1:04:15). APA and Harvard put it in the in-text citation; MLA and Chicago put it after the title or in the note. Enter it in the pinpoint box and the generator places it correctly.

    Is this free?

    Yes. No account and no limit. Your bibliography is saved in this browser only, and you can export it to Word, BibTeX, RIS or CSL-JSON.

    Citations are formatted by citeproc-js by Frank Bennett (CPAL-1.0, or AGPL-1.0), the engine behind Zotero and Mendeley, running the official Citation Style Language styles (10,863 styles, commit 2e93558) and locales (commit a89adec), used under CC BY-SA 3.0. AGLC4 citations use the LexIntellect AGLC4 engine, checked against the Guide's worked examples. Always check a citation against the manual or your institution's guide before you submit.