Why YouTube Tracks Links
Attribute views and conversions to specific accounts and ads. Measure how videos spread through social and messaging apps. Map who shares what with whom (share graph). Keep traffic flowing through Google-controlled URLs.
Clean LinksYouTube Link Cleaner
YouTube's Share button appends `si` - a per-share source identifier Google can trace back to the account that sent it and stitch to the rest of your Google identity. The video plays fine without it. Clean the YouTube link before you paste.
Tracking Parameters Removed
- si
- feature
- gclid
- utm_source
Install the Link Cleaner on Any Device
Pin the link cleaner as a progressive web app on Chrome, Edge and Android, or install the iOS app on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Same on-device cleaning, no account, no logs.
Add Clean Links to your Home Screen
- Tap the Share button in Safari, then choose Add to Home Screen.
- Tap Add. Clean Links launches like a native app from your Home Screen.
Why You Should Clean YouTube Links
- Remove account-linked `si` and noisy `feature` parameters
- Drop `gclid` and UTMs from ad clicks
- Preserve timestamps (`t=`) so your time cues still work
- Share the same video without tracking
Common YouTube Tracking Parameters To Watch
`si` - account-linked share identifier injected by the share button`feature` - discovery source (for example: share, youtu.be, embed)`gclid` and UTMs - ad and campaign identifiers sometimes added by links in descriptions`t` - timestamp for deep linking; this is preserved by Clean Links
Why can't I just clean links manually?
Many trackers appear after redirects or are added by wrappers. Manual trimming misses those and can break timestamps. Clean Links follows redirects, preserves `t=`, and cleans the final URL.
FAQ: YouTube Link Cleaner
Does cleaning change the video destination?
No. The video URL is the same without the tracking.
What is the `si` parameter on YouTube?
It is a share identifier added by YouTube. It helps Google track how a video was shared and which share link was used.
Do timestamps still work?
Yes. Clean Links preserves `t=` so your time cues open at the right moment.
Will cleaning affect creator revenue?
Cleaning removes tracking parameters. It does not block viewing, likes, or subscriptions.
Does Clean Links send data to servers?
No. Everything runs on-device with no logging or accounts.
Why can't I just clean links manually?
Many trackers appear after redirects or are added by wrappers. Manual trimming misses those and can break timestamps. Clean Links follows redirects, preserves `t=`, and cleans the final URL.
Get Clean Links for iPhone, iPad and Mac
One-tap cleaning from the iOS share sheet on iPhone, iPad and Mac. Works offline, no account, no logs.