Free YouTube URL Parser

Extract video IDs, playlist IDs, channel info, and timestamps from any YouTube URL. Generate embed URLs and thumbnail links instantly.

Parse YouTube URL

Try an example:

Supported URL Formats

Standard Video
youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID
Short URL
youtu.be/VIDEO_ID
Shorts
youtube.com/shorts/VIDEO_ID
With Timestamp
youtube.com/watch?v=ID&t=1m30s

How to Use the YouTube URL Parser

Paste Any YouTube URL

Copy and paste any YouTube URL into the input field. The tool supports standard watch URLs, short youtu.be links, shorts, embeds, live streams, playlists, and channel URLs.

View Extracted Information

Instantly see the extracted video ID (11 characters), playlist ID if present, channel information, and any timestamp. All components are parsed automatically from the URL.

Get Generated URLs

Access pre-generated embed URLs for iframes, thumbnail URLs in multiple resolutions (default, medium, high, max), and clean canonical URLs ready to use in your projects.

Copy What You Need

Click copy buttons next to any extracted value: video ID, embed URL, thumbnail URL, or timestamp in seconds. Use these in your applications, websites, or API calls.

Pro tip: Your data is processed entirely in your browser. Nothing is sent to any server, ensuring complete privacy.

About YouTube URL Parsing

YouTube uses various URL formats across its platform. Whether you're a developer building video integrations, a content creator managing links, or just need to extract a video ID, our parser handles all common YouTube URL patterns automatically.

What You Can Extract

  • Video ID: The unique 11-character identifier for any YouTube video
  • Playlist ID: Extract playlist identifiers from playlist URLs or video URLs within playlists
  • Channel Info: Parse channel IDs and usernames from channel URLs
  • Timestamps: Convert time parameters (t=1h2m3s) to seconds
  • Embed URL: Generate proper embed URLs for iframe embedding
  • Thumbnail URL: Get direct links to video thumbnails in various resolutions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a YouTube video ID?

A YouTube video ID is an 11-character unique identifier for every video on YouTube. It appears after "v=" in standard URLs (youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXXXXXXXX) or directly after the domain in short URLs (youtu.be/XXXXXXXXXXX). This ID is used in embed codes, API calls, and thumbnail URLs.

How do I get a YouTube video thumbnail?

YouTube provides thumbnails at predictable URLs. For any video ID, you can access thumbnails at: img.youtube.com/vi/[VIDEO_ID]/maxresdefault.jpg for high-res, hqdefault.jpg for medium quality, or default.jpg for standard. Our parser automatically generates these URLs.

What YouTube URL formats are supported?

Our parser supports all common YouTube URL formats including: standard watch URLs (youtube.com/watch?v=ID), short URLs (youtu.be/ID), shorts (youtube.com/shorts/ID), live streams (youtube.com/live/ID), embeds (youtube.com/embed/ID), playlists, channels, and URLs with timestamps.

How do I get a YouTube embed URL?

To embed a YouTube video, you need the embed URL format: youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID. Our parser automatically generates this from any valid YouTube URL. You can then use this in an iframe: <iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/VIDEO_ID"></iframe>.

What is the YouTube timestamp format?

YouTube supports timestamps in URLs using the "t" parameter. Formats include: t=120 (seconds), t=2m (minutes), t=1h2m3s (hours, minutes, seconds), or combinations. Our parser extracts and converts all timestamp formats to seconds.