How to Embed a YouTube Video: Start Time and Privacy
Published 2026-09-23 · 5 min read · YTDetective
TL;DR
- YouTube's Share menu gives you an embed code to paste into a page. Adding ?start= with a number of seconds starts the video at that point.
- Privacy-enhanced mode means changing the address from www.youtube.com to www.youtube-nocookie.com.
- Autoplay is off by default, and turning it on means playback data is collected and shared as soon as the page loads.
- A video owner can switch embedding off, and age-restricted videos cannot be watched on most third-party sites.
An embed is one line of HTML that puts a YouTube player on your page. The defaults are reasonable, and most of what people want to change is a small parameter added to the address.
Getting the basic code
YouTube Help gives the route. On a computer, open the video or playlist, click Share, choose Embed, copy the HTML from the box, and paste it into your page.
Options that change how the player behaves
YouTube's player parameters documentation defines the options below. They go at the end of the embed address.
| Parameter | What it does | Default |
|---|---|---|
| start | Starts playback at a number of seconds from the beginning | Not set |
| end | Stops playback at a number of seconds from the beginning | Not set |
| autoplay | Starts playing when the player loads (values 0 or 1) | 0 |
| controls | Shows the player controls (0 hides them, 1 shows them) | 1 |
| loop | Plays a single video again and again, and needs the playlist parameter set to the same video ID | 0 |
| cc_load_policy | Shows closed captions by default when set to 1 | Not set |
Selected player parameters (Google for Developers)
The related-videos parameter, rel, changed in 2018. Setting rel=0 no longer hides related videos, but makes the related videos come from the same channel, according to the documentation.
Our Embed Code Generator builds these options for you and previews the result in your browser. It adds the playlist parameter that looping needs.
Privacy-enhanced mode
YouTube Help says privacy-enhanced mode prevents embedded video views from personalizing the viewer's YouTube experience. To turn it on, change the domain in the embed address from https://www.youtube.com to https://www.youtube-nocookie.com. The page says this gives non-personalized ads and that no data from these views is used for later YouTube recommendations or external ad targeting. Read the current text on the Help page before you make claims about it in your own privacy policy.
Autoplay has a cost
The player documentation notes that with autoplay on, playback happens without any interaction with the player, so playback data collection and sharing occurs when the page loads. If you care about what happens on page load, leave autoplay off.
When an embed does not work
A video owner can switch embedding off in YouTube Studio by clearing "Allow embedding" under the video's details. YouTube Help also says age-restricted videos cannot be watched on most third-party websites, and redirect viewers back to YouTube. If the preview shows an error, no embed code will fix it.
What the address looks like
An embed address with a start and an end looks like https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/VIDEOID?start=90&end=150. It starts the player 90 seconds in and stops it at 150. To loop a single video, the documentation says to set loop=1 and give the playlist parameter the same video ID, as in ?loop=1&playlist=VIDEOID. Replace VIDEOID with the eleven-character ID from the video's address. Our generator produces these addresses and previews them, but knowing the shape helps when something does not behave.
- 01
Copy the embed code from Share, then Embed
Or start from our generator and paste the video link.
- 02
Add only the options you need
Start and end times, hidden controls and captions are one parameter each.
- 03
Switch to the privacy-enhanced domain if it suits your site
Change youtube.com to youtube-nocookie.com in the address.
- 04
Test it in a browser
If the player shows an error, check whether the owner allows embedding.
Confidence note
The Share route, the privacy-enhanced mode wording and the embedding restrictions come from YouTube Help, and the parameters from the YouTube player parameters documentation. These pages change, and this is not a substitute for reading your own privacy obligations.
FAQ
How do I start an embedded video at a certain time?
Add ?start= and the number of seconds to the embed address. YouTube Help gives ?start=90 as the example for 90 seconds in.
Why can't I loop a single video?
The documentation says looping a single video needs the playlist parameter set to the same video ID. Our generator adds it for you.
Does privacy-enhanced mode stop all tracking?
YouTube Help describes non-personalized ads and no use of the views for recommendations or external ad targeting. It does not promise that nothing is collected, so read the page itself.
Why does my embedded video redirect to YouTube?
YouTube Help says age-restricted videos redirect viewers back to YouTube on most third-party sites.
Related reading
Sources
- YouTube Help: Embed videos & playlists
- Google for Developers: YouTube Embedded Players and Player Parameters