LessonCues

Start and end link

Share a YouTube link with a start and end time

A timestamp link only says where to start. Set an end too, and the link plays just that part of the video, then stops or loops.

Keyboard shortcuts

Shortcuts work when you’re not typing in a field. If you clicked the video, click anywhere on the page first — the YouTube player keeps its own keys.

Play / pause
SpaceK
Seek 1s (hold Shift for 5s)
←→
Seek 0.1s
,.
Set start at the playhead
I
Set end at the playhead
O
Move start 0.1s earlier / later
[]
Move end 0.1s earlier / later
{}
Preview clip
P
Toggle loop
L
Save clip
Enter
Show this help
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  • Free, no sign-up to try
  • Nothing downloaded
  • Plays in YouTube’s own player

How it works

How to share a YouTube video from a start time to an end time

  1. 1

    Paste the link

    Paste any YouTube link, including one that already has a t= timestamp.

  2. 2

    Set the start and end

    Drag the handles or type exact times. Press Preview to check that it starts and stops where you want.

  3. 3

    Save and copy the link

    Give the clip a title, choose whether it loops, and save. Copy the short link and send it.

What’s wrong with a normal timestamp link

YouTube’s “Start at” option and links ending in ?t=90 only set the starting point. The video then keeps playing into the next part, and the person you sent it to has to guess where the moment you meant ends.

A LessonCues clip link stores both times. It opens at the start, stops at the end (or loops back), and shows the title you gave it, so people know what they’re looking at.

What about the embed code’s start and end?

YouTube’s embed URL accepts start and end values, but only in whole seconds, and it only works where you can paste embed code. A clip link works anywhere you can paste a link: chat, email, Google Classroom, a slide or a document. You can also embed it on your own site if you want.

Useful for

  • Sending the exact answer to a question instead of “skip to 4:10”.
  • Pointing students to a two-minute explanation inside an hour-long lecture.
  • Quoting a moment from a talk, interview or match in a discussion.
  • Showing a bug or a step in a tutorial video.

Questions

Can a YouTube link have an end time?

A normal YouTube watch link can’t: t= only sets the start. A LessonCues clip link stores a start and an end and plays the video in YouTube’s player between those times.

Do people need an account to open the link?

No. Anyone can open a public clip link. You don’t need an account to make one either. Clips made without an account are deleted after 30 days; sign in with Google to keep them.

How exact can the times be?

You can set times to a tenth of a second with the nudge buttons or keyboard shortcuts.

Can I change the times after sharing?

Yes, if you’re signed in. Edit the clip and save; the link stays the same.

Related

Try it with your own video

Paste a YouTube link at the top of this page. It takes less than a minute.

Paste a link to start