YouTube Link Shortener: shorten video, channel & playlist links
YouTube gives you a short youtu.be link for videos, but it stops there. Shorten any YouTube link, including channels and playlists, into a clean, branded URL with click tracking and a QR code, free.
On this page
How to get a YouTube short link (youtu.be)
For a single video, YouTube already gives you a short link, no tool needed:
- Open the video and click Share (under the video on desktop, or the share icon in the app).
- YouTube shows a
youtu.be/VIDEO_IDlink with a Copy button. - Tick Start at first if you want the link to begin at a specific timestamp.
youtu.be only works for individual videos, not channel or playlist URLs. And it can't track clicks, can't be branded, can't become a QR code, and can't be edited later. For any of that, you need a real shortener.When a shortener beats youtu.be
youtu.be (YouTube's own)
Great for quickly sharing one video. No channel or playlist links, no click tracking, no branding, no QR code, no editing. It's YouTube's brand, not yours.
Link shortener (Pageloot)
Shortens any YouTube link, videos, channels, and playlists, plus tracks clicks, adds a QR code, lets you add a custom keyword, and (on paid) lets you edit where the link points later.
Channel URLs like youtube.com/channel/UC... and playlist URLs are long and unbrandable. Shortening turns them into something clean you can put anywhere.
How to shorten a YouTube link
Three steps, and it works for videos, channels, and playlists:
- Copy the YouTube link — the video, channel, or playlist URL (use Share for a video, or copy the URL from the address bar for a channel or playlist).
- Paste and shorten — drop it into the URL shortener and click Shorten. You get a short
pageloot.com/s/link instantly, with a matching QR code. - Share and track — drop it in your description, post it, or print its QR code, then watch the clicks.
Want it branded? Add your own keyword to the link for free (for example pageloot.com/s/my-channel).
Why shorten YouTube links
Clean, branded links
Swap a long channel or playlist URL for a short, branded link that looks better in descriptions, posts, and bios.
Track the click-through
YouTube counts views, not clicks on links you share off-platform. A short link shows those, basic free, detailed (location, device, time) on paid.
A QR code too
Every short link comes with a QR code, perfect for merch, packaging, end-screen call-outs, and print.
On a paid Pageloot plan, links are also editable, so a QR code on your merch or a link in an old video description can point to your newest video whenever you want, without reprinting or re-editing.
Where to use short YouTube links
- Video descriptions — link to a playlist, your channel, or a related video with a clean, trackable link.
- Community posts and comments — share tidy links that don't eat the character count.
- Cross-platform — promote a video on Instagram, X/Twitter, or LinkedIn with one short link.
- Bios and link-in-bio — point followers to your channel or latest upload.
- Merch, packaging & print — drop the link's QR code on products, thumbnails, or flyers. → QR code generator
YouTube links + QR codes
Every short link comes with its own QR code. Print it on merch, a flyer, or a product insert and anyone who scans it lands on your video, channel, or playlist. On a paid plan you can change that destination later without reprinting, so the same QR can always point to your newest upload.
See all URL shortener featuresFrequently asked questions
Copy the YouTube link: a video, channel or playlist URL. Paste it into the Pageloot URL shortener and click Shorten URL. You get a short link right away. Click Copy URL and paste it into your description, post or message.
Open the video and click Share. YouTube shows a youtu.be/VIDEO_ID link with a Copy button. Tick Start at first if the link should begin at a specific time. A youtu.be link only works for single videos, not for channels or playlists.
A youtu.be link is YouTube’s own short link for one video. It does not work for channels or playlists, and it shows no click numbers. A link shortener works for any YouTube link, including channels and playlists, and its short links can be turned into a QR code.
Yes. youtu.be cannot shorten those, but a link shortener can. Copy the channel or playlist URL from the address bar of your browser and shorten it.
Yes. Use the Start at option under Share to copy a link with the start time, then shorten that link. The short link opens the video at the same time.
Yes. You can shorten unlimited YouTube links for free, without an account. A Pageloot account adds more, such as editing where a link points and detailed stats. You can try an account free for 14 days, and the plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Yes. YouTube counts views, not clicks on links you share outside YouTube. Add a + to the end of your short link to open a public page with its total number of visits. For when, where and on what device people clicked, use a link in a Pageloot account.
Yes. Paste your video, channel or playlist link into the QR code generator on Pageloot and download the code as PNG, SVG or PDF. It opens the YouTube page when someone scans it with a phone camera. A QR code made from a short link is simpler and scans more easily than one made from a long URL.
Shorten your YouTube link free
Clean links for videos, channels, and playlists, a QR code on every link, and click tracking youtu.be can't give you. No credit card required.
Shorten a link → See plans →Pageloot is a link and QR code platform used by 20,000+ brands across 110 countries. The YouTube link shortener is free: shorten unlimited links, get basic click stats, and a QR code on every link. Editable links, detailed analytics, and a white-label short domain are available on paid Pageloot plans. youtu.be is YouTube's own link-sharing feature and behaves as described at the time of writing. YouTube and youtu.be are trademarks of Google LLC; Pageloot is not affiliated with or endorsed by YouTube or Google.
