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Using YouTube or Vimeo video links

You can add a YouTube or Vimeo video to a Maglr publication by pasting the video's link into a Video element. The video stays hosted on YouTube or Vimeo and plays in that platform's embedded player, so it must be public or unlisted, and its owner must allow it to be embedded.


Adding a YouTube or Vimeo video


To add a YouTube or Vimeo video to your publication:


  1. On YouTube or Vimeo, open the video, click Share and copy the link. You can also copy the address from your browser's address bar.


Image: video sharing options in YouTube


  1. In the Maglr editor, click Add in the left panel and choose Video, or select a Video element that is already on the page.
  2. In the Video panel on the right, paste the link into the "Paste a video link" field.


The field changes into a row labelled YouTube or Vimeo, and Maglr fetches the video's thumbnail and title. For the Video element's other settings, such as playback and the thumbnail, see Video.


You can also paste a YouTube or Vimeo link directly onto the canvas (Ctrl+V or Cmd+V, while you are not editing text). Maglr then adds a new Video element with that video.



The "Paste a video link" field of the Video element accepts these YouTube and Vimeo links, with or without https://:


  • YouTube: a normal video link (youtube.com/watch?v=…), a short link (youtu.be/…) or a Shorts link (youtube.com/shorts/…).
  • Vimeo: a normal video link (vimeo.com/…), the full link of an unlisted video, or a player link (player.vimeo.com/video/…).
  • Embed code: the <iframe> code from the platform's Share or Embed option. Maglr converts it to the video's link.


Playlist and channel links don't work, because the link must point to a single video.


Privacy and embedding settings for YouTube and Vimeo videos


A YouTube or Vimeo video plays in a Maglr publication only when the platform allows it to be embedded on other websites:


  • Public and unlisted videos work. For an unlisted Vimeo video, paste its full link: Maglr keeps the extra code in that link, so the video plays without being made public.
  • Private videos can't be used. Maglr can't retrieve a private video's information, such as its thumbnail, and visitors can't play it.
  • Embedding must be allowed. On YouTube, the video's "Allow embedding" option must be on. If embedding is off, the editor still accepts the link, but visitors see YouTube's "unavailable" message in the preview and the published publication.


Vimeo has additional privacy settings that control where and by whom a video can be embedded, and these can stop the video from playing in your publication. If a Vimeo video doesn't load, check that its privacy settings allow it to be embedded anywhere. For an overview of these settings, see Vimeo: About video privacy settings.


Keeping a YouTube or Vimeo video available


Maglr doesn't copy a YouTube or Vimeo video into your publication. The publication always loads the video from YouTube or Vimeo, so the video stops playing in your publication when:


  • the owner deletes the video or makes it private,
  • the owner switches embedding off, or
  • YouTube or Vimeo removes the video, for example because it breaks the platform's content guidelines.


Frequently asked questions


Can I use an unlisted YouTube or Vimeo video in Maglr?


Yes. Unlisted YouTube and Vimeo videos work in a Video element, as long as embedding is allowed. Paste the unlisted link into the "Paste a video link" field. Private videos can't be used.


Why does my YouTube or Vimeo video say it's unavailable in my publication?


The platform is refusing to play the video on other websites. This happens when the video is private, when embedding is switched off for the video, or when the video has been deleted or removed by the platform. Check the video's privacy and embedding settings on YouTube or Vimeo. The editor doesn't warn about a YouTube video with embedding switched off, so check the video in the preview.



The link in the Video element's "Paste a video link" field isn't a supported video link, so Maglr doesn't save it. Use a link to a single YouTube or Vimeo video, or a link to a video file that ends in .mp4 or .webm. Playlist and channel links don't work.



Maglr couldn't retrieve the video's thumbnail from YouTube or Vimeo. This usually means the link points to a video that doesn't exist (for example, it was deleted or the link is incomplete), the video is private, or, for a Vimeo video, its privacy settings don't allow it to be embedded. Check the link and the video's privacy settings, then paste the link again.


How do I make a YouTube or Vimeo video start at a specific time?


Select the Video element. Under Playback, click the sliders icon next to Controls, and enter the number of seconds in the Start at (sec): field. A start time added to the link with YouTube's Share option isn't used in Maglr.


What can I use if my video can't be public or unlisted?


Upload the video to Maglr and choose it with Select from library in the Video element, or paste a link to a video file that ends in .mp4 or .webm. For more about video uploads, see Video.

Updated on: 20/10/2026