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8.21.2012

Add Multiple Videos to YouTube Embed Without Creating a Playlist

I wanted to know how to embed multiple YouTube videos on my blog without having to create a unique playlist. The idea was to use the YouTube embed code to include multiple videos in a single player using a list of URLs or Video IDs.

It turned out to be really easy (after an hour of searching):

Step 1: Choose the first video you want and grab the embed code from YouTube.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hcdQnK84Pl4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Step 2: Add the playlist parameter after the first Video ID.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hcdQnK84Pl4?playlist=" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Step 3: To add to this embeded custom playlist, simply include the ID for each additional video separated by a comma.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/hcdQnK84Pl4?playlist=WnVbH7osG5U,7iw30sK2UCo,sYV5MTy0v1I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Step 4: Feel free to include the usual &rel=0 (this makes it so YouTube doesn't recommend other videos once yours are done playing). And if you want to show all the videos in the playlist on the start screen, include &showinfo=1 (play with this one to see what it does).

http://www.youtube.com/embed/hcdQnK84Pl4?rel=0&showinfo=1&playlist=-h6_49kfz-M,joUDSqGU2f4,qzr4wNeb-Xc,BF6DsE13w_Y,WnVbH7osG5U,nb7tGYRL-Zw,7iw30sK2UCo,sYV5MTy0v1I

Here's how my first attempt turned out:


I created it to show off some of the Assignment 1 samples from my free Filmmaking 101 course.

 ~Luke Holzmann
Your Media Production Mentor

P.S. If you are totally new to YouTube embedding, keep in mind:

1. The Video ID is (currently) a string of 11 letters, numbers, or other characters, like: 7XUdN1Q_v-0. If you're watching a video, it's typically the last string of random stuff in your browser's URL bar: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7XUdN1Q_v-0

2. When adding extra parameters to your YouTube embed, remember that the first one begins with a ? and all the rest start with an &. Basically, you're telling YouTube: Play this video, oh, I don't want you to show related videos and build me a playlist and start playing the video automatically, etc.

3. Anything else not making sense? Just ask!

*This tutorial will also be useful if you want to know:
  • How to make a sharable non-public playlist containing unlisted YouTube videos
  • Step-by-step instructions for creating unlisted playlists for YouTube
  • How to add videos to a playlist without creating one in your YouTube profile
  • ...and more!
Please leave a comment explaining what you were looking for if you found this tutorial helpful. I want to make sure everyone can quickly find this walk-through for how to embed multiple YouTube videos into a player for their blog or website.

19 comments :

Dan said...

I cannot begin to tell you how much I love you right now. I've been trying to make a sharable non-public playlist containing unlisted videos, but YouTube doesn't support unlisted playlists. This will save me making a wall of videos for people to click through.

Người vô hình said...

thank you, i love you

Anonymous said...

Thanks very much it worked on my website.

Anonymous said...

is any way to rotate videos in slider ,if video started the slider will stop or will contine

Anonymous said...

Thank you for your solution. It solves my half problem. I just want our visitors should not wait to finish four videos to see the fifth one. Is there any technique to choose the visitors what they want to see, just click the listed link & video should start play. Any one can reply on [email protected]

Once again Thank you very much.

Nicole said...

Is there any way to randomize the order that the videos play in?

Mario Morandi said...

Clever, but I'd have to know if the limit is the same of a normal playlist (200 videos).
Maybe I will try it out.

Anonymous said...

Hi and thank you for this.
I have a request.
There is a way to play videos not simply from a playlist but from an account?

Thanks in advance,
Marco

Anonymous said...

How do you get the name of each video to be listed in the playlist?

Unknown said...

You can give people direct links to videos if you want them to see a particular one. I'm pretty sure you can use javascript to call a specific video, but that's beyond the scope of this tutorial.

Randomization should be do-able with javascript, but I don't know much in that arena yet.

I have not tried to add more than 200 videos yet, Mario [smile].

That's an interesting idea, Marco. I'm not sure, and I haven't spent time trying to figure that out. Accounts do have unique IDs; the question is if YouTube allows you to call videos that way. I'm not sure.

YouTube shows the name of each video playing. I do not know of a way to get the titles on their own. That's something YouTube just does for us.

Glad this has proven helpful!

~Luke

Jon McMahel said...

This is very helpful information. I think you did a better job of explaining YouTube embed functionality than YouTube did. Great job.

Unknown said...

Thanks for your tutorials.now play list option is showing on click, but i want this option open by default with auto scroll .User can chose video to play from auto scroll. Please help me to solve this issue .

Unknown said...

Your Tutorial is very helpful for me.
please set next-prev option on top.


Thanks...

shan said...

How to embed multiple youtube playlists ?

Can you please help me on this and provide sample code. Searched several places but in vain.

Luke Holzmann said...

Did the sample code I included in the post above not work? I'm confused, Shan.

~Luke

Peter said...

Thanks, this is very helpful for me because I'm designing a CMS that will allow users to manage site-related video playlists right from the backend. I noticed today (2014) that the first video item is optional -- it can be the first playlist item rather than having the playlist play item #2 onwards.

Unknown said...

Good tip, Peter! Thanks!

~Luke

Anonymous said...

Nice code.Short and sweet.

Sarah said...

This is amazing! I had no idea this was even possible :)