# Clip a YouTube video

Paste a YouTube link and Cliphi turns the video into short, captioned clips for TikTok, Reels, and Shorts. Here is how.

YouTube is where most long videos live, so it is the easiest place to start.
Paste a link to any public video, and Cliphi watches it, finds the best moments,
and turns each one into a short clip with captions on it.

## Before you start

You need the link to a public YouTube video. Open the video on YouTube and copy
the link from your browser's address bar, or use the video's **Share** button. A
regular video, a Short, or a past livestream all work. Keep it under about 3
hours, and if it is longer, you can point Cliphi at just one part.

## Steps

### 1. Paste the link

On the Cliphi home page, paste your YouTube link into the box and select
**Get clips**.

![The Cliphi home page with a YouTube link pasted in the box.](/help/clip-a-youtube-video/01-paste-youtube-link.png)

### 2. Choose how much to use

Cliphi shows you the video. Use the whole thing, or pick one part. Many YouTube
videos come with chapters, so you can jump straight to the section you want, or
drag the handles to choose a stretch. Then select **Continue**.

![The footage step, with the video and a slider to pick a section.](/help/make-your-first-clips/02-choose-footage.png)

### 3. Look through your clips

Cliphi makes your clips and they show up one at a time. Each one is cut tall with
the speaker kept in frame and captions already on it. Play any clip to see how it
feels.

![A finished clip, cut tall with the speaker in frame and captions on it.](/help/make-your-first-clips/05-clip-card.png)

### 4. Tweak and post

Open a clip to change the look with the controls down the side, then tap
**Get Clip** to make the final version and download it, or **Share** to post it.

## Quick check before you post

- [ ] Watch the whole clip through.
- [ ] The speaker stays in frame the whole way.
- [ ] The captions read clearly and sit clear of the edges.

## Related

- New to Cliphi? [Make your first clips](/help/make-your-first-clips).
- What each control does: [The quick edit rail](/help/quick-edit-rail).
- Clipping a stream instead? [Clip a YouTube livestream](/help/clip-a-youtube-livestream).
- Posting to TikTok? [Turn a YouTube video into a TikTok](/tools/youtube-to-tiktok).
- Posting to Shorts? [YouTube to YouTube Shorts](/tools/youtube-to-youtube-shorts).
- Posting to Reels? [YouTube to Instagram Reels](/tools/youtube-to-instagram-reels).