To MLA cite a YouTube video, you build a Works Cited entry plus a matching in‑text citation.

Basic MLA Works Cited format for a YouTube video

If you don’t have a separate “creator” name (just the channel/uploader), MLA 9 commonly uses this pattern:

“Title of Video.” YouTube , uploaded by Uploader Name, Day Month Year, URL.

Example:

“Game and Productivity.” YouTube , uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdzy9bW3E.

Key pieces you need:

  • Title of the video in quotation marks, using title case.
  • YouTube in italics (this is the container).
  • The phrase “uploaded by” + channel or uploader name.
  • Date the video was uploaded (Day Month Year).
  • The URL (you can usually omit “https://”).

When there is a separate creator and uploader

If the video clearly credits a creator (like a director, artist, or author) who is different from the uploader, MLA lets you start with the creator:

Last name, First name. “Title of Video.” YouTube , uploaded by Uploader Name, Day Month Year, URL.

Example:

Newsom, Joanna. “’Sapokanikan’ (Official Video).” YouTube , uploaded by Drag City, 10 Aug. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9Ro9pP2gc.

If the creator and uploader are the same person/organization , or no creator is listed, you can skip the author at the start and begin with the title instead.

In‑text citation for a YouTube video (MLA)

Your in‑text citation should match whatever comes first in your Works Cited entry (either the creator’s last name or the title). You can also add a timestamp instead of a page number.

  • If your Works Cited starts with a title :
    • Parenthetical: (“ShortenedTitle”)(“ShortenedTitle”)(“ShortenedTitle”)
    • Example: (“FirstLookInside”)(“FirstLookInside”)(“FirstLookInside”)
  • If your Works Cited starts with an author (creator):
    • Parenthetical: (LastName00:01:15–00:02:00)(LastName00:01:15–00:02:00)(LastName00:01:15–00:02:00)
    • Example: (Doe00:01:15–00:02:00)(Doe00:01:15–00:02:00)(Doe00:01:15–00:02:00)

When the title is long, shorten it to the first distinctive word or phrase in the citation.

Mini “recipe” you can follow

  1. Find the video title and write it in quotation marks.
  1. Add YouTube in italics, followed by a comma.
  1. Add uploaded by + the channel/uploader name, followed by a comma.
  1. Add the upload date (Day Month Year), followed by a comma.
  1. Add the URL and end with a period.
  1. For in‑text citation, use the first element (title or author) plus a timestamp if you want to show where in the video you’re citing.

Quick HTML table version (for reference)

html

<table>
  <thead>
    <tr>
      <th>Situation</th>
      <th>Works Cited format</th>
      <th>Example</th>
    </tr>
  </thead>
  <tbody>
    <tr>
      <td>No separate creator; just a channel</td>
      <td>“Title of Video.” <i>YouTube</i>, uploaded by Uploader Name, Day Month Year, URL.</td>
      <td>“Game and Productivity.” <i>YouTube</i>, uploaded by Big Think, 3 July 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkdzy9bW3E.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>Distinct creator and different uploader</td>
      <td>Creator Last Name, First Name. “Title of Video.” <i>YouTube</i>, uploaded by Uploader Name, Day Month Year, URL.</td>
      <td>Newsom, Joanna. “’Sapokanikan’ (Official Video).” <i>YouTube</i>, uploaded by Drag City, 10 Aug. 2015, www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky9Ro9pP2gc.</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>In‑text citation, no named author</td>
      <td>(“Shortened Title” 00:01:15–00:02:00)</td>
      <td>(“First Look Inside” 00:01:15–00:02:00)</td>
    </tr>
    <tr>
      <td>In‑text citation, named creator</td>
      <td>(Last Name 00:01:15–00:02:00)</td>
      <td>(Doe 00:01:15–00:02:00)</td>
    </tr>
  </tbody>
</table>

TL;DR:
Most of the time, you’ll be safe with:

“Title of Video.” YouTube , uploaded by Uploader Name, Day Month Year, www.youtube.com/……

and in‑text use either (“ShortenedTitle”)(“ShortenedTitle”)(“ShortenedTitle”) or (LastName00:01:15–00:02:00)(LastName00:01:15–00:02:00)(LastName00:01:15–00:02:00), depending on what your Works Cited entry starts with.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.