How to Copy a YouTube URL on iPhone or iPad: A Comprehensive Guide

Sharing YouTube videos is a common activity in our digital lives. Whether you want to send a hilarious clip to a friend, embed a tutorial on your website, or simply save a video for later, knowing how to copy the URL is crucial. While it might seem like a simple task, the YouTube app on iPhone and iPad has a few different ways to accomplish this. This comprehensive guide will walk you through each method, ensuring you can easily share your favorite videos with anyone, anytime.

Why is Copying a YouTube URL Important?

Before diving into the ‘how-to,’ let’s quickly explore why copying a YouTube URL is so important:

• Sharing with Friends: The most common reason. Easily send videos via messaging apps, social media, or email.
• Embedding on Websites or Blogs: If you’re a content creator, you’ll frequently need to copy URLs to embed videos on your platforms.
• Creating Playlists: Copying URLs allows you to organize videos in lists on third-party apps or save them in a notes application.
• Saving for Later: You might copy a URL to paste it into a note, reminder, or to your browser’s bookmarks for easy access in the future.
• Referencing in Documentation: When creating presentations, reports, or educational materials, you’ll need video URLs for accurate citation.

Having the ability to copy a YouTube URL efficiently enhances your digital experience by giving you greater control over how you share and consume content. Now, let’s move on to the various ways you can copy those URLs on your iOS device.

Method 1: Using the Share Button (The Most Common Method)

This is the most straightforward method and generally the easiest to remember. It involves using the share button found directly below the YouTube video you’re watching.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the YouTube App: Locate and tap the YouTube app icon on your iPhone or iPad to launch the application.
2. Find the Video: Search for or navigate to the YouTube video you wish to share.
3. Start Playing the Video: Tap the video thumbnail to begin playback. You don’t need to watch the entire thing; just starting it is enough.
4. Locate the Share Button: Below the video player, you’ll see several icons, including the ‘like,’ ‘dislike,’ ‘share,’ and ‘save’ buttons. Tap on the ‘Share’ button. This icon typically looks like an arrow pointing to the right.
5. Tap the ‘Copy Link’ Option: A share sheet will appear, presenting various sharing options. Among these options, you will find the ‘Copy Link’ button. It usually has an icon resembling two overlapping chain links. Tap on this option.
6. Confirmation: A small confirmation will usually appear (often briefly) at the bottom of your screen, indicating that the link has been copied to your clipboard. This notification might read something like “Copied to clipboard.”
7. Paste the URL: The YouTube video’s URL is now stored on your clipboard. You can paste it anywhere you need – in a message, email, browser address bar, note, document, etc. To paste, tap and hold in the input field, then choose “Paste” from the context menu.

Tip: If you’ve copied other things since copying the YouTube URL, you will overwrite the URL on the clipboard, so try to paste it into your needed application right after copying to avoid needing to re-copy the link.

Method 2: Copying from the Video’s Three-Dot Menu

This method provides an alternative way to access the sharing options, and it is helpful when you’re not watching the video in full-screen mode.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the YouTube App: As before, start by launching the YouTube application.
2. Find the Video: Find the video you want to share.
3. Locate the Three-Dot Menu: Instead of playing the video immediately, next to the video’s title in the list, find the three vertical dots (often referred to as the ‘more options’ menu). Tap on these dots.
4. Select the ‘Share’ Option: A menu will appear. Among the options presented, select ‘Share’.
5. Tap the ‘Copy Link’ Option: The sharing options will now appear, just as they do when you click the share button below the video. Find and tap on the ‘Copy Link’ option.
6. Confirmation and Pasting: You’ll see the confirmation (usually a brief message at the bottom of the screen). Paste the URL in your desired location by tapping and holding, then selecting ‘Paste’.

Tip: This method can be very useful when you want to grab the URL of a video in a search results list without actually having to open and play the video itself.

Method 3: Copying from the Video’s Description

Sometimes, YouTubers will place a link to the video within the video’s description. If this is the case, you can copy the URL directly from the text.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the YouTube App: Launch the YouTube app.
2. Find and Start the Video: Find and play the video you want to get the URL from.
3. Access the Video Description: Below the video player (in portrait mode) you’ll find the video’s title, channel name, and some text. Typically, the video’s description is collapsed by default, so you may need to tap on the title (or on a little arrow) to expand and view the full description.
4. Locate the URL (if it exists): Look within the text of the description to see if the video’s URL is provided by the content creator. This URL may be part of a text paragraph, or sometimes there will be a dedicated “Link” or “URL” line.
5. Tap and Hold the URL: Tap and hold on the URL. After a moment, a contextual menu will appear above the URL.
6. Select ‘Copy’: Choose ‘Copy’ from the options in the menu.
7. Confirmation and Pasting: The URL is now copied to your clipboard. Paste the URL in your desired location.

Note: This method only works if the content creator has included the URL in the description. However, it’s a good alternative method if you prefer working directly within the description.

Additional Tips and Troubleshooting

• Ensure You Are Using the Official YouTube App: These steps are for the official YouTube app. Using third-party apps may have different layouts and functionality.
• App Updates: Make sure your YouTube app is updated to the latest version. An older version of the app may have some differences in the user interface. Check the App Store for any updates.
• Troubleshooting Copying Problems: If you’re having difficulty copying the link, try restarting the app or your device. Sometimes, a simple refresh can resolve issues. Also ensure that your device’s software is up to date.
• Alternative Sharing Methods: While this guide focuses on copying the URL, the share sheet also offers other sharing methods like sending the link directly via messaging apps, social media, or email. These options can be faster depending on where you want to share the video.
• Shortened URLs: The ‘Copy Link’ function usually copies the full YouTube URL (which can be long). However, some content creators use shortened URL services. If you’re dealing with a shortened URL within the description, copying it directly from the description will copy the shortened URL.
• Time-Stamped URLs: Sometimes you will want to share a video that starts at a specific time. There is a method for this too! In the share menu, before you select “copy link”, you can check the box “Start at” and set the time that the video will begin playback at when someone clicks your link. This will modify the URL and will also work if you are using the copy link in the 3-dot menu or from a link in the description.

Conclusion

Copying a YouTube URL on your iPhone or iPad doesn’t have to be complicated. Whether you prefer using the share button under the video, the three-dot menu, or grabbing the link from the description, there are multiple options available to you. By mastering these simple techniques, you’ll be able to quickly and easily share any YouTube video you come across. This enhances your digital productivity and expands your ability to share and engage with video content across the web. Practice using each of the methods we have described above so that you have the option that works best for you at your fingertips. Now you’re equipped with the necessary knowledge to share your favorite videos like a pro! Happy sharing!