Detected types
Video ID
Playlist ID
Start (seconds)
Decode YouTube URLs into video, channel and playlist identifiers.
🔍 Identify what link leads to - video, channel, or playlist
A modern YouTube link contains complex tracking parameters, channel redirects, and algorithmic hooks. Our Link Viewer inspects the underlying metadata payload safely before you click.
Affiliate link shorteners (youtu.be, bit.ly) often obscure the final destination. Preview the exact video title, channel owner, duration, and thumbnail safely before opening.
Clicking directly into a controversial or clickbait YouTube video instantly pollutes your personal Home recommendations for weeks. Inspect video contents in an isolated sandbox without polluting your watch history.
?t=...)@handle) and legacy custom URLs?si=...)Paste any variant of a YouTube URL into our parser to decode its structure and extract verified metadata without launching the heavy web player.
/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ
The canonical desktop format. The v= query parameter holds the base-64 encoded 11-character unique video ID.
/shorts/VIDEO_ID
Vertical mobile format. Can be converted directly into a standard desktop watch link by swapping /shorts/ with /watch?v=.
list=PLabc123&index=4
Queues multi-video playback. Our tool extracts both the standalone video ID and the complete parent playlist catalog.
?t=184s or #t=3m04s
Jumps playback directly to a specific second. Our preview identifies the exact minute and second offset of the shared link.
| Parameter | Technical Purpose | Privacy & Sharing Recommendation |
|---|---|---|
| v= | Canonical 11-character video hash identifier | Mandatory. The single required parameter for long-form playback. |
| t= | Cue timestamp in raw seconds or minutes (e.g., 2m15s) | Optional. Use when referencing specific video segments. |
| si= | Source tracking token connecting user sharing profiles | Recommended to delete. Stripping preserves recipient privacy. |
| list= | Identifies an attached playlist sequence (starts with PL or UU) | Strip if you want the user to view only the single video without auto-queuing. |
| feature= | Internal client referrer identifier (e.g., feature=share) | Safe to delete. Pure telemetry bloat. |
Reclaim control over your media consumption and research workflows.
Cybercriminals frequently share disguised YouTube links across Discord, Telegram, and email. By entering suspicious links into our inspector, you verify the authentic target destination before your browser ever executes third-party scripts.
When sharing videos across social channels, YouTube automatically appends tracking tokens (?si=...) to associate user accounts. Our tool extracts the clean, unmonitored canonical URL to protect your recipient's privacy.
Developers can rapidly extract verified video IDs and convert any complex, tracking-heavy link into a clean standard iframe URL for responsive web integration.
Key answers regarding YouTube link structure, parameters, and preview validation.
The si= parameter stands for Source Identifier. YouTube appends this unique tracking token whenever a user clicks the "Share" button inside the mobile app or desktop player. It connects the sharing user with the recipient to track off-platform social graph propagation.
Removing the ?si=... parameter does not affect video playback in any way; it simply strips Google's social tracking telemetry.
To watch a vertical Shorts video inside the standard desktop interface (with full scrubbing bar, volume control, and playback speed options), replace /shorts/ in the URL with /watch?v=.
Our Link Viewer executes this conversion automatically, providing direct access to the standard desktop player.
If our inspector reports an unavailable state, the video has either been set to Private by the creator, deleted entirely from YouTube servers, or blocked in your geographic territory due to copyright or broadcast licensing restrictions.
youtu.be is Google's official domain-shortening service for YouTube. A URL structured as https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ simply issues an automated HTTP 301 redirect to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ. It was originally created for character-limited platforms like SMS and Twitter.
Inspect destination metadata, strip tracking parameters, and verify link validity safely without launching the full YouTube player.