YouTube tool
YouTube Link Shortener
Clean up long YouTube links and open them in the app. Free to start.
Free plan. No card needed.
Why YouTube links need this
A YouTube link shared from the app carries a long ?si= tracking suffix, so it looks messy in a description, a bio or a comment. A short link hides that and, when tapped on a phone, opens the video inside the YouTube app where the viewer is already signed in and more likely to like, subscribe or keep watching.
Before and after
Before
https://youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?si=AbCdEf12&t=42
After
re.directinapp.com/my-video
How it works
Three quick steps
01
Paste your link
Drop in the link you want to share. We detect it and confirm what it opens.
02
Get your short link
You get a clean, branded short link. Sign in with Google to save and track it.
03
Share and track
Share it anywhere and watch clicks, devices and app opens roll in live.
What you get
Clean branded link
Replace the long YouTube URL with a tidy short link that looks trustworthy.
Opens the app
Opens the YouTube app. If it is not installed, the link opens the website as normal.
QR on every link
Every link gets a QR code, handy for putting your YouTube link on print.
Real analytics
See total clicks, devices and locations for every link in real time.
Who uses it
A creator puts one short link in their Instagram bio that opens their latest video in the YouTube app.
A brand adds a short YouTube link to a printed flyer with a QR code, so people scan straight into the app.
A channel shares a short link in a community post and tracks which post drove the most views.
More about YouTube links
Cross-posting a video without losing the tap
Most YouTube views that start elsewhere begin as a link in a tweet, a WhatsApp message or a newsletter. When someone taps a raw YouTube URL inside another app, it can open in a stripped browser where they are logged out, so subscribing takes extra steps. A directinapp short link opens the video in the YouTube app instead, where the viewer is signed in and the subscribe button actually works.
Pinned comments and playlists
Creators fill a description and pinned comment with links: a playlist, a previous video, a sponsor. Stacked raw YouTube URLs with their ?si= suffixes make that block hard to scan. Swapping each for a short directinapp link keeps the description tidy, and because every link reports its own clicks, you can tell whether the pinned comment or the description drove more taps to your playlist.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Does it keep my video timestamp?+
Yes. If your link starts the video at a specific time (the t= parameter), the short link preserves it. We only strip YouTube’s throwaway ?si= tracking suffix.
Does the short link open the YouTube app?+
On a phone with the app installed, the link opens the video in the YouTube app. If the app is not installed, it opens the YouTube website as normal.
Can I shorten Shorts and channel links too?+
Yes. It works for regular videos, Shorts, playlists and channel or handle links.
Can I see how many people clicked?+
Yes. Every short link has real-time click analytics, including devices and locations.
Is it free?+
Yes. Shortening YouTube links is free. Premium plans add longer analytics history and custom slugs.
Can I tell which platform sent me the most viewers?+
The link's analytics break clicks down by device and location in real time, and if you use a different short link in each place (your bio, a tweet, a newsletter), you can compare which one drove the most taps to the video.
Does a short link work in a pinned comment?+
Yes. You can paste a short directinapp link into a pinned comment, a community post or a description. On a phone it opens your video, playlist or channel in the YouTube app, and it records every tap so you know the comment is working.
Get started
Stop losing clicks to the in-app browser
Create your first smart link in under a minute and see where every tap really goes.
Start freeFree forever · no card required
Or explore the free link shortener and link-in-bio pages.
YouTube is a trademark of its respective owner. directinapp is an independent tool and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by YouTube.