How Do I Make a QR Code for a YouTube Video?
To make a QR code for a YouTube video, copy the link from Share, paste it into a QR generator and test it. Add a start time or playlist link if needed.
Nookesh Karri · 7 min read 
To make a QR code for a YouTube video, open the video, tap Share, copy the link, and paste it into a QR code generator. Download the code as SVG or PNG and scan it with your own phone before you print it. If you might swap the video later or want to count scans, make it a dynamic code.
Two choices trip people up: which link to copy, and whether YouTube will report the scans.
Which YouTube link should go in the QR code?
The link you put in a QR code for a YouTube video decides what the viewer lands on. YouTube’s Share help page shows how to copy each kind.
| You want the scan to open | Link to copy | Where to get it |
|---|---|---|
| One video from the start | The video link | Share, then Copy link |
| One video at a set moment | The video link with a start time | Share, then the “Minute : Second” toggle |
| A series of videos | The playlist link | Playlists, More, then Share or Copy link |
| Your whole channel | The channel link | Channel page, More, then Share |
| A video only people with the code should find | An unlisted video’s link | YouTube Studio, Content, Visibility |
The start time earns its place most often. A product manual that links to a long setup video should drop the reader at the step they’re stuck on, not the intro.
How to make a QR code for a YouTube video, step by step
Making a QR code for a YouTube video takes about five steps: copy the link, generate, style, download, and test.
- Copy the link. In the YouTube app, tap Share under the video player and select Copy link. On a computer, click Share under the video, then Copy.
- Add a start time if you need one. In the app, go to the moment you want, tap Share and turn on the “Minute : Second” toggle. On a computer, tick Start at and enter the time. YouTube’s example is 2:30 for 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
- Paste the link into a QR generator. Choose a plain URL code. Decide here between static and dynamic (more on that below).
- Style and download it. Keep dark modules on a light background. Download SVG for print, or PNG at the final size.
- Scan it before you print. Use two phones if you can, and check that it opens the right video at the right time.
For print sizes by viewing distance, see our QR code size guide. For wording next to the code, our guide to a QR code call to action has examples that tell people what they’ll get, such as “Scan to watch the 2-minute setup video.”
Playlists and channels
A playlist or channel link works the same way as a video link in a QR code. YouTube’s playlist help says to open a channel page, tap Playlists, tap More next to the playlist, then Share or Copy link.
One catch: “If your playlist includes any private videos, you’ll need to invite your friends to view the videos first.” A stranger scanning a poster can’t be invited, so keep any playlist you print public or unlisted.
YouTube’s built-in channel QR code
The YouTube app can make a QR code for a channel by itself. On iPhone, iPad and Android, select the channel, tap More, then Share, then QR Code. YouTube says you can save that code to your device to share and scan offline.
The help pages describe no such option for single videos or playlists, so those still need a generator. YouTube’s code is also fixed to your channel, so you can’t point it elsewhere or see how often it was scanned.
Can a QR code open an unlisted YouTube video?
Yes, a QR code can open an unlisted YouTube video, because anyone with the link can watch it. YouTube’s privacy help says unlisted videos “can be seen and shared by anyone with the link,” don’t show in search, and don’t need a Google Account to watch.
That makes unlisted videos handy for a code on packaging or in a welcome pack: a thank-you video or an assembly guide that only buyers see. The same page says anyone with the link can also reshare it, so unlisted isn’t secret. Private videos won’t work in a QR code at all, since their links can’t be shared.
Static or dynamic: which QR code for a YouTube video?
A static QR code for a YouTube video stores the YouTube link in the pattern itself, so it can never change. A dynamic code stores a short link that redirects to YouTube, and you can edit where it goes.
Static is fine for a one-off, such as a slide at a talk. Dynamic is worth it on anything you print in bulk. If you re-upload a better version of the video, or YouTube takes the old one down, a static code on a whole print run of flyers is dead. With QRAnalytica’s dynamic redirects, you change the target URL without reprinting. Our dynamic vs static comparison and the guide on changing a QR code’s destination after printing go deeper.
The honest downside of dynamic codes is the dependency. Every scan goes through the provider’s redirect server, so the code only works while that service runs and your account exists.
Will YouTube Analytics show your QR code scans?
YouTube Analytics will not show QR code scans as their own traffic source. Its Reach tab help lists sources such as YouTube search, browse features, external sites and apps, and “Direct or unknown sources.” That last group covers “direct URL entry, bookmarks, signed out viewers, and unidentified apps.” QR codes aren’t mentioned anywhere on the page.
My take: a phone camera opening a link looks like an unidentified app or direct entry, so scan views will mix in with everything else under those labels. If you need to know how many people a poster sent to your video, count at the code, not at YouTube.
A dynamic code does that counting. QRAnalytica shows scans by country and city, by device, and by hour of the day, for each code. Give each placement its own code (shop window, flyer, packaging) and you can compare them. Our guide on how to track QR code scans explains the setup, and you can make one with the dynamic QR code generator.
The limitation: a scan count tells you someone opened the link, not that they watched the video. For watch time, you still need YouTube’s own reports.
FAQ
Does YouTube have a built-in QR code for videos?
Not for single videos. The YouTube app makes a QR code for a channel (More, then Share, then QR Code), but for a video or playlist you copy the link and turn it into a code with a QR generator.
Can a QR code start a YouTube video at a specific time?
Yes. Turn on the start-time toggle in the YouTube Share menu, or tick Start at on a computer, then copy the link. The time is saved in the link, so the code opens the video at that moment.
Can I make a QR code for an unlisted YouTube video?
Yes. Unlisted videos can be watched by anyone with the link, and viewers don’t need a Google Account. Private videos won’t work, because their links can’t be shared.
Can I change the video a QR code opens after printing it?
Only with a dynamic QR code. A static code has the YouTube link built into its pattern. A dynamic code points to a short redirect link you can edit at any time.