Do I use the channel name or the person's real name?

APA: real name if known, channel in brackets; channel alone otherwise. MLA: the uploader. Both styles accept the channel name when that's all you have.

How do I cite a specific moment in the video?

With a timestamp in place of a page number: (Author, Year, 2:30) in APA, (Author 02:30) in MLA.

Which date — recorded or uploaded?

The upload date shown on the video page. For old footage uploaded later, you may note the original year in the text.

Can I cite a video that might be taken down?

Yes — cite what you used with the date you accessed it. For fragile sources, mention key details in your text so the citation degrades gracefully.

How to Cite a YouTube Video

A YouTube video cites like a web page with two twists: the channel usually stands as the author, and quotes use a timestamp instead of a page number.

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The formats

APA italicizes the video title and adds the platform (YouTube) before the URL. MLA puts the title in quotes with YouTube as the italicized container. Both want the full upload date.

APA 7

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. (2023, September 12). Why you should put yourself first. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVTXPUF4Oz4

MLA 9

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. "Why you should put yourself first." YouTube, 12 Sep. 2023, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVTXPUF4Oz4. Accessed 1 June 2026.

Harvard

Kurzgesagt – In a Nutshell. (2023) Why you should put yourself first. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eVTXPUF4Oz4 (Accessed: 1 June 2026).

Who's the author: channel or person?

APA 7: the account that uploaded it. If the creator's real name is known, use it with the channel in brackets: Sagan, C. [CosmosChannel]. (2023, September 12). … — otherwise the channel name alone. MLA 9: the uploader as author; if the channel is the author, MLA allows starting with the title and crediting the channel as "uploaded by" in the contributor slot. When in doubt, the channel name as author is acceptable in both.

Quoting a video: timestamps

Point to the moment the way you'd point to a page. APA: (Kurzgesagt, 2023, 2:30). MLA: (Kurzgesagt 02:30) or a range (02:30–03:10). Get the timestamp by pausing at the quote — or right-click the player and "Copy video URL at current time" to keep it with your notes.

Variations

Lecture posted by a university channel — the speaker is the author if named; the university channel otherwise.
Music videos and films on YouTube — cite the work (the film, the song) with YouTube as the platform.
Shorts, live streams, premieres — same format; use the stream date.
Comments — citable in APA as: Commenter [username]. (Date). Comment text [Comment on the video "Video title"]. YouTube. URL.

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Frequently asked questions

Do I use the channel name or the person's real name?: APA: real name if known, channel in brackets; channel alone otherwise. MLA: the uploader. Both styles accept the channel name when that's all you have.
How do I cite a specific moment in the video?: With a timestamp in place of a page number: (Author, Year, 2:30) in APA, (Author 02:30) in MLA.
Which date — recorded or uploaded?: The upload date shown on the video page. For old footage uploaded later, you may note the original year in the text.
Can I cite a video that might be taken down?: Yes — cite what you used with the date you accessed it. For fragile sources, mention key details in your text so the citation degrades gracefully.

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