To post a YouTube video on Facebook, open the video on YouTube, select Share, copy the link, and paste it into a new Facebook post. Facebook turns the link into a clickable preview with the video title and thumbnail, and viewers who click it watch the video on YouTube. To make the video play inside Facebook instead, upload a video file you own.
Below you'll find how to post a YouTube video on Facebook from desktop and mobile, plus native uploads, embeds, timestamped links and thumbnail fixes. You'll end up with a post that shows the right preview and sends people where you want them. If you share every new upload, YouTube to Facebook crossposting can post them for you.
Quick answer
| Goal | Best method | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Send viewers to YouTube | Paste the YouTube link into a Facebook post | Facebook shows a link preview that sends viewers to YouTube |
| Get Facebook-native playback | Upload a video file you own | The video plays in Facebook's player |
| Promote a long YouTube video | Upload a short teaser and add the YouTube link | The teaser gets attention while the link drives YouTube traffic |
| Share every new upload repeatedly | Use a crossposting workflow | New source videos can be distributed to connected destinations |
Share a YouTube video on Facebook from desktop
- Open the YouTube video.
- Click Share under the video.
- Click Copy.
- Open Facebook.
- Start a new post on your profile, Page, or group.
- Paste the YouTube link.
- Wait for the preview card to load.
- Add a short caption that explains why people should watch.
- Publish the post.
After the preview appears, you can remove the visible URL from the text box. The preview should remain, which makes the post look cleaner.
Share a YouTube video on Facebook from mobile
- Open the YouTube app.
- Find the video.
- Tap Share.
- Choose Facebook or tap Copy link.
- If you copied the link, open Facebook and paste it into a new post.
- Add context, a question, or a short summary.
- Publish.
The built-in Facebook share option is fast, but copying the link gives you more control over the final caption.
Every new YouTube video, on Facebook too.Connect once. PostOnce copies each new post for you.See how →Videos PostOnce copied from YouTube to Facebook in the last 30 days.
Source: PostOnce posting data.
How to share a YouTube video on Facebook without a link
To share a YouTube video on Facebook without a link, upload the video file itself, because Facebook can't turn a YouTube URL into a native video. If you own the video, download the MP4 from YouTube Studio or export the original from your editor, then upload that file to Facebook.
Use a native upload when:
- You want the video to play inside Facebook.
- You want to use Facebook's video tools, captions, or thumbnail options.
- You are posting a short teaser made specifically for Facebook.
- You do not need every view to happen on YouTube.
Do not download and re-upload someone else's YouTube video without permission. If you do not own the content, share the original YouTube link.
Why the thumbnail sometimes looks wrong
Facebook pulls the preview from YouTube's metadata. If the thumbnail, title, or description looks wrong, check the YouTube video first.
Common causes:
- The YouTube thumbnail was recently changed and Facebook cached the old one.
- The video is private, age-restricted, or otherwise hard for Facebook to preview.
- The pasted URL has tracking parameters or a timestamp that changes how the preview loads.
- Facebook has not refreshed the link preview yet.
Try copying a clean YouTube share URL, waiting for the preview to load, and then publishing. If the preview still looks wrong, update the YouTube metadata and try again later.
Can you embed a YouTube video on Facebook?
No, you can't embed a YouTube video on Facebook with an embed code the way you can on a website. The closest option is pasting the YouTube link, which creates 1 preview card with the title and thumbnail. For a video that plays in Facebook's player, upload the file instead.
Link post vs native upload
| Question | YouTube link | Native Facebook upload |
|---|---|---|
| Does it send viewers to YouTube? | Yes | No |
| Does it play inside Facebook? | Usually no | Yes |
| Is it fastest? | Yes | No |
| Is it best for Facebook reach? | Usually no | Usually yes |
| Do you need rights to the video file? | No, if you are only linking | Yes |
If YouTube subscribers matter most, use a link. If Facebook engagement matters most, use a native upload or teaser.
Add a timestamped YouTube link
If the best part of the video starts later, share a timestamped link.
- Open the YouTube video on desktop.
- Move to the exact moment you want people to see.
- Click Share.
- Check Start at.
- Copy the updated URL.
- Paste it into Facebook.
This helps when a long YouTube video has one section that is especially relevant to your Facebook audience.
When to automate YouTube-to-Facebook sharing
Manual sharing is best for one-off promotion. Automation is better when every new YouTube upload should also go to Facebook or other channels.
Watch the YouTube-to-Facebook automation tutorial to see the complete setup step by step.
What the video shows
- 0:27 Connect YouTube and Facebook. Videos are uploaded natively, not shared as links.
- 0:55 Pick the YouTube channel as the source and a Facebook Page as the destination. Instagram or TikTok can be added too.
- 1:14 Choose new posts only, or existing videos too, either all of them or from a date.
- 1:28 Post existing videos on a regular schedule, or on the same date and time one year after the original, which suits seasonal content.
- 1:48 Review and create the workflow. PostOnce finds the channel's existing videos and lists when each will publish.
For owned content, a workflow like YouTube to Facebook crossposting can distribute new source videos without repeating the same copy-paste process. Use the manual steps above when you want full control over a single post, and use automation when consistency matters more.
Coaches who publish a weekly YouTube video for a Facebook audience can see that setup in PostOnce for coaches.
Final checklist
- The YouTube video is public or available to the audience you are targeting.
- The Facebook preview shows the correct title and thumbnail.
- Your caption gives people a reason to click.
- You chose link sharing for YouTube traffic or native upload for Facebook playback.
- You only upload video files you own or have permission to reuse.
