What is ?si= in YouTube links?
It's a share ID. Since September 2023, YouTube adds si= to every link made with the Share button, with a new value each time. The video doesn't need it. Because every share gets its own ID, a click on your link can be traced back to your share.
youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?t=42
&si=Q3pT1xYc8Zkshare ID
youtu.be/dQw4w9WgXcQ?t=42Same video, same start time.Free, no ads, no tracking.
What to keep and what to drop
| Part | What it does | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
v= | The video, on youtube.com/watch links | Yes |
t= | Where the video starts | Yes |
list= index= | The playlist and the position in it | Yes |
si= | Share ID | No |
pp= | Extra data YouTube adds when you open a video from search | No |
feature= | Which YouTube button made the link | No |
Spotify uses the same name, si, for the same job on shared songs and playlists.
How to clean it
Paste the link in the link cleaner above. You get the plain link back, ready to copy.