video citations · APA 7 and MLA 9
how to cite a YouTube video in APA 7 and MLA 9.
APA begins with the account that uploaded the video. MLA may begin with the creator or the title. That difference determines the reference entry and the in-text citation.
APA uses the uploader's account name as author.
Account Name. (Year, Month Day). Video title [Video]. YouTube. URL
Harvard University. (2019, August 28). Soft robotic gripper for jellyfish [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guRoWTYfxMs
APA's instruction is exact: “Use the name of the account that uploaded the video as the author.” Do not replace that account name by searching for a person behind it.
APA and MLA do not apply timestamps the same way.
For a direct quotation, APA says to “provide a time stamp for the beginning of the quotation in place of a page number.”
People make "sweeping inferences and judgments from body language" (Cuddy, 2012, 2:12).
MLA covers paraphrase as well as quotation: “if a specific part of a work is quoted or paraphrased and the work includes a page number, line number, time stamp ... that location marker must be included.” This is a genuine difference between the two styles.
a whole channel uses another APA pattern.
A whole YouTube channel is not cited with the individual-video template. It keeps a retrieval date.
APA Publishing Training. (n.d.). Home [YouTube channel]. YouTube. Retrieved February 20, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/user/PsycINFO/
MLA separates the creator from the uploader.
When the creator is known, MLA can begin with that creator.
Beyoncé. "Beyoncé – Pretty Hurts (Video)." YouTube, 24 Apr. 2014, www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXXQLa-5n5w.
When the primary creator is unclear, MLA says, “If it's not clear who the primary creator or author of a video is, you could omit the Author element.” The uploader then appears in the Contributor element.
"Capybara Eat Huge Pumpkin." YouTube, uploaded by Alex Smith, 12 Jan. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YNwxZnABzA.
MLA also says, “The title of the video is copied exactly as it appears on YouTube.” The in-text citation keys to the first element.
(Beyoncé) vs. ("Capybara Eat Huge Pumpkin")
the same video can begin with different names.
| question | APA 7 | MLA 9 |
|---|---|---|
| Who leads the entry? | The account that uploaded the video | The creator when known; otherwise the title can lead |
| Where is the uploader? | Author position | Contributor element when the author is omitted |
| How is the title handled? | Video title in the APA template | Copied exactly as it appears on YouTube |
| When is a timestamp required? | At the beginning of a direct quotation | For a specific quoted or paraphrased part when a timestamp exists |
what to do with an @handle.
APA's YouTube page uses the name of the uploading account as the author and does not show an @handle in any of its examples. When a channel's display name is clear, use it as shown on the channel.
For TikTok, Instagram, and X, APA gives the author's name followed by the handle, with its @ sign, in square brackets. If your instructor wants a YouTube handle included, that is the closest official pattern. The in-text citation uses the name only.
Surname, I. [@handle].
copy the title and account details from the video.
Use the citation generator for a starting point, then use the source checker to compare the entry with the video page and the current official examples.
source notes
read the originals.
This guide paraphrases the sources below. Style manuals, school policies, and software guidance can change, so use the linked originals when a detail matters to your submission.
- 01YouTube references
APA Style
Official APA examples for a YouTube video, featured speakers, timestamps, livestreams, and a channel; retrieved August 5, 2026.
- 02TikTok references
APA Style
APA's rule for social media handles: the name, then the handle with its @ sign in square brackets. The page says the same format applies to Instagram and X; checked September 28, 2026.
- 03How do I cite a YouTube video?
MLA Style Center
Official MLA examples for videos with a known creator and videos where the primary creator is unclear; retrieved August 5, 2026.
- 04In-text citations: an overview
MLA Style Center
MLA guidance on matching the in-text citation to the first entry element and including a location marker for quoted or paraphrased material; retrieved August 5, 2026.
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