Embedding a YouTube video in a Google Doc allows you to enhance your document with multimedia that helps illustrate your points. However, Google Docs does not have a built-in option to embed YouTube videos. This article explains two easy methods for adding a YouTube video to your Google Doc.
Find the YouTube Video Link
The first step is to get the link for the YouTube video you want to embed.
- Go to YouTube and find the video you want to embed
- Click the Share button below the video
- Select the Embed tab
- Copy the video link – it will be a long URL that starts with
https://www.youtube.com/embed/
Method 1: Use Google Slides
Google Slides makes it easy to embed a YouTube video that you can then copy over to Google Docs.
Add Video to Google Slides
- Open Google Slides and start a new presentation
- Select Insert > Video (or click the video icon)
- Paste the YouTube link you copied earlier into the search box
- Press Select to add the video
- Resize and position the video on the slide
Copy Video to Google Docs
- Click on the video thumbnail and press Ctrl+C (⌘+C on Mac) to copy it
- Open your Google Doc and press Ctrl+V (⌘+V on Mac) to paste the video
- Position the video where you want it in your document
The video is now embedded in your Google Doc!
Method 2: Use Google Drawings
An alternative method is to leverage Google Drawings to embed your video.
Add Video to Google Drawings
- Open Google Drawings and start a new document
- Click Insert > Video
- Paste your YouTube link into the search box
- Resize and position the video on the page
Copy Drawing to Google Docs
- Click on the video and press Ctrl+A (⌘+A on Mac) to select everything
- Press Ctrl+C (⌘+C on Mac) to copy it
- Go to your Google Doc and press Ctrl+V (⌘+V on Mac) to paste the content
- Delete any unwanted elements so just the video remains
- Position the video where desired in your document
And you’re done! The YouTube video is now embedded in your Google Doc.
Video Controls in Google Docs
Once embedded in Google Docs, your YouTube video includes basic playback controls:
- Click the play icon to start playing the video
- Click the pause button to pause playback
- Drag the slider to scrub through different parts of the video
Tips for Embedding YouTube Videos
- You can resize videos by clicking and dragging the corners
- For optimal viewing, make sure videos don’t take up more than 50-75% of the page width
- Don’t forget to include a title, caption, or transcript to summarize what the video is about
- Position videos close to relevant text for better context
- Use videos judiciously – too many can distract from the main content
Conclusion
Adding YouTube videos to Google Docs is easy once you know how. By leveraging Google Slides or Drawings, you can embed a video and copy it over into your document. Videos can enhance your documents by illustrating concepts dynamically. Just make sure not to overuse videos, keep them sized appropriately, and include descriptive captions.
