YouTube Deep Link Generator — Open YouTube Links in the App
Paste any YouTube link — videos, Shorts, channels and playlists — and get a link that opens the YouTube app instead of a logged-out browser. Free, no signup.
Why YouTube links open in the browser
Social apps like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, X and LinkedIn open taps in their own in-app browser. That browser doesn't share the viewer's login, so they land on YouTube logged out — with no saved account, no follow button that works and no one-tap actions.
A plain https link never tells the phone to hand off to the YouTube app. A deep link does: it carries the app's URL scheme and package so the phone can open YouTube directly.
YouTube app link details
- URL scheme
youtube://- Link template
youtube://{url_no_scheme}- Android package
com.google.android.youtube- iOS App Store ID
544007664- Domains we recognise
- youtube.com, youtu.be, m.youtube.com
Where it works — honestly
| Platform | Android | iPhone |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram (bio, stories, DMs) | Opens the app | Opens the web page — Meta blocks automatic app hand-off for every link tool; viewers can tap ••• → Open in external browser |
| Opens the app | Opens the web page — Meta blocks automatic app hand-off for every link tool; viewers can tap ••• → Open in external browser | |
| TikTok (bio/organic) | Opens the app after TikTok's Open prompt | Two taps: ••• → Open in browser, then the app opens |
| X, LinkedIn, Messages, email, QR codes | Opens the app | Opens the app |
Vayda records which in-app browser every click came from, so you can see exactly how many taps each platform costs you.
How it works
- STEP 1Paste your YouTube link
- STEP 2We detect the app and build iOS + Android links with store fallback
- STEP 3Share it in your bio, stories, ads, email or a QR code
FAQ
How do I make a YouTube link open in the app?
Paste your YouTube link into the generator above to get iOS and Android app links. For click analytics and in-app-browser handling, turn it into a free vayda.link.
What is the YouTube URL scheme?
YouTube uses youtube://. Vayda builds links with the template youtube://{url_no_scheme}.
Why does my YouTube link open in Instagram's browser?
Instagram, TikTok and Facebook open taps in their own in-app browser, which doesn't share the viewer's YouTube login. On Android, a smart link can hand off to the YouTube app. On iPhone, Meta blocks automatic app hand-off for every link tool, so viewers need to tap ••• → Open in external browser.
What happens if the YouTube app isn't installed?
On Android the link falls back to the YouTube web page via browser_fallback_url. On iPhone the link opens the YouTube website or the App Store.
Is the YouTube deep link generator free?
Yes. Generating raw app links is free with no signup. Trackable smart links are free up to 2,000 clicks/month.
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