8 YouTube URL Tricks You Need to Know

YouTube has revolutionized the way we consume video. The service was an instant hit because of its focus on providing access to both knowledge and entertainment. Your experience could be even better than it already is as there are simple YouTube URL tricks that you can use to improve your YouTube viewing experience. Whether you’re watching videos casually or every day, here are some of the best YouTube URL tips and tricks you need to know.

Also read: How to Cast YouTube from Your Phone to Your PC

1. Transform a Video into an Fun GIF

If you have watched a funny clip on YouTube that is worthy of being transformed into a GIF, there is a simple URL trick that can do that for you.

1. Add gif before the word “youtube” in the URL address, like this: gifyoutube.com/watch?v=gy1B3agGNxw
2. Press enter to be taken to gifs.com, where you can add some magic to your creation. This includes adding pre-made graphics, cropping it to your desired size, adding padding, and turning your GIF into a loop.
3. Once ready, you can easily share your new GIF via your social media accounts.

2. Evade Age Limits

If you are itching to view a YouTube video that may not be appropriate for all ages, but can’t be bothered to sign in to your account, this URL trick may help. This workaround is also good for those who don’t have a YouTube account.

1. Add NSFW before the YouTube URL, similar to this: nsfwyoutube.com/watch?v=kfVIsfOSbJY0
2. Enter and enjoy your desired content without hassle.

Do you know that “NSFW” stands for “Not Safe For Work”? Check out the most popular text shortcuts and slang here.

Also read: 9 of the Best YouTube Downloaders to Watch Videos Offline

3. Go Straight to the Action

Sometimes a YouTube video will have specific parts you want to share. Sending your friends or family the URL address and the timestamp is not very straightforward. Instead, use this URL trick.

1. On your desktop computer, go to the specific timestamp you want to show others.
2. Right-click on the video box and select “Copy video URL at current time” from the options on the screen.
3. Click on it, and the pastable URL will automatically copy to your clipboard.

4. Autoplay Video

You can embed YouTube videos into your website that can automatically play when browsing the page. This can be a great way to capture the attention of your potential reader/clients.

1. Just add ?autoplay=1 at the end of the URL. For example, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJjMp_24ssY?autoplay=1
2. Copy/paste this link into your website’s code.

Note: You may want to think a bit before using this URL trick, though, as you may lose potential clients if they find the content or the music annoying.

5. Grab the High-Resolution Thumbnail

Do you want to use the thumbnail of a YouTube video for your social media promotion? When a YouTube content creator uploads a video, the website requires them to upload a thumbnail for the video. These images are usually saved as “maxresdefault.” Getting just this thumbnail is easy by copying the video ID of a particular content. Take note, though, that not all videos have a high-resolution thumbnail made by creators themselves.

1. Copy this URL: img.youtube.com/vi/[VideoID]/maxresdefault.jpg and paste it in a browser.
2. Replace [VideoID] (including the brackets) with the ID of the YouTube video whose thumbnail you wish to save. The video ID is the series of characters after the v= at the tail-end of the URL of the said content. It should look something like this. img.youtube.com/vi/RVVfJVj5z8s/maxresdefault.jpg.
3. Hit Enter to view the thumbnail.

Also read: YouTube TV vs. YouTube Premium: What You Need to Know

6. Play YouTube Video on Loop

We all enjoy being able to put a certain video on loop, especially songs that serve as background noise to our daily chores. YouTubeRepeater will save you time of hitting the replay button repeatedly.

1. You will need to change the URL. Replace “youtube.com” in the YouTube’s URL with “youtuberepeater.com”.
2. The result should look like this: youtuberepeater.com/watch?v=fi89-NcydJc
3. Pressing Enter will land you on a new page on the YouTubeReaper website where the video will keep on playing on repeat.

7. Go Straight to Your Subscriptions

The YouTube Homepage is full of distractions, with video after video suggested to you by Google’s algorithms. There is a simple URL trick on YouTube that lands you immediately on your subscriptions.

To go immediately to your YouTube subscription page, bookmark this URL: www.youtube.com/feed/subscriptions

YouTube subscriptions are specially curated videos based on your interest. Going to the subscription page will collate all the videos from your favorite content creators on just one page.

Also read: 8 of the Best Third-Party YouTube Apps for Mobile You Should Try

8. Create a Custom YouTube URL

A unique URL makes it easier for subscribers to easily visit your YouTube page. A custom URL is good for a number of reasons. For one, it makes it easier for fans to remember your name.

However, not all new content creators on YouTube are eligible for this privilege. Claiming your unique URL requires the following:

• At least 100 subscribers
• Page should be at least one month old
• Prerequisite multimedia must already be in place, like channel art and icon.

Additional YouTube Tips You Need to Know

Aside from the above mentioned YouTube URL tricks, there are also a handful of general YouTube tricks that can be useful.

1. Do Better Research with YouTube Transcripts

Some videos have transcripts that are good materials for research. These videos are usually educational and informative content made by professionals. It’s possible to view the official transcripts with complete timestamps, as YouTube produces one for every video on its site.

1. To access the transcript of your desired YouTube video, click the “More” tab (three dots) placed on the bottom right of the video title.

2. Click “Open transcript” from the drop-down menu.

Also read: How to Verify Your YouTube Account in Minutes

2. Make a YouTube Playlist

We all have favorite videos on YouTube, and compiling them for future reference may be a good idea. This can be done by making a YouTube playlist, where you will have the option to make it public or private. Whether it’s weird conspiracy theories or funny clips from your favorite TV show, the YouTube playlist will ensure that these videos don’t get lost.

To make a YouTube playlist, you need to access your account’s YouTube Studio.

1. Click your icon profile on the upper-right of your screen and choose “YouTube Studio.”

2. Choose “Playlist’ among the many tabs on the left side of the page.

3. On the Playlist page, you can now make a new playlist and set its title and visibility.

4. Alternatively, you can also make a playlist from the video page itself. An option to “Create a new playlist” is embedded under “Save” just below the video.

5. A list of your created playlists will appear, and you just need to check which playlist to save it to.

Now that you have created your playlists, you can also play your YT playlist in VLC.

3. Save Videos for Later

If you don’t have the time to watch a video now, you can save it for later viewing with the “Watch later” feature.

1. Open a YouTube video on your PC and just click “Save” just below the video.

2. Select “Watch Later” to save the video. For those watching on your smartphones, a similar “Save” button is available.

3. Tap “Watch later.”

To access your saved videos, go to your YouTube homepage and tap “Watch Later.” You will find all your videos there.

Also read: How to Stop YouTube Videos from Playing While Scrolling

4. Switch to Dark Mode

Dark mode significantly reduces the light emitted by your gadget’s screens. It does so without compromising the color contrast ratios needed to enjoy your content.

1. Click your profile icon on YouTube on your desktop computer.

2. Choose “Appearance.”

3. From the list of options that appears, select “Dark.”

5. Leave No Trace

You can effectively delete your “watch history” on YouTube if you wish so. The service also offers an option to pause or stop recording your watch history if you are concerned with privacy.

1. On your desktop computer, click “History’ on the YouTube homepage.

2. You’ll arrive on a new page where all the videos you have viewed are chronologically displayed. On the right side of the page, click “Clear All Watch History.”

3. A similar function is also available on your mobile phone. Tap your profile icon located on the upper-right side and choose “Settings.”
4. A new page will give you a long list of options, including “History and Privacy.”
5. This will lead to a new page of options, including “Clear watch history,” “Pause watch history,” and “Pause search history”. Toggle them off according to your needs.

When you get back to browsing, be sure to check out the useful YouTube channels that can boost your knowledge, such as teaching you how to code.

Also read: 10 Useful YouTube Channels That Teach You How to Code

Wrapping Up

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to improve your video watching experience on YouTube. Don’t forget to check out these third-party YouTube apps for mobile, and stop the video from playing while you are scrolling.