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Why won't my YouTube video embed on my Presence® website?

  • May 22, 2026
  • Knowledge

Title
Why won't my YouTube video embed on my Presence® website?
URL Name
Why-won-t-my-YouTube-video-embed-on-my-Presence-website
Answer

Why won't my YouTube video embed on my Presence® website?

Fix the "YouTube refused to connect" error and learn why YouTube Shorts and other common embed issues occur on your Presence® website.

Overview

If your YouTube video isn't appearing on your website or you're seeing a "YouTube refused to connect" message, the cause is almost always one of three things: you're using a YouTube Shorts URL, the video is set to Private, or you're pasting the wrong URL format. This article covers each cause and how to fix it.

YouTube Shorts are not supported

YouTube Shorts URLs — links that contain /shorts/ — cannot be embedded in the Presence® Website Builder. This is the most common cause of the "YouTube refused to connect" error. Only standard YouTube videos can be embedded.

How to tell which type of URL you have:

How to re-upload as a standard YouTube video

  1. Open the YouTube app or YouTube Studio on your phone or computer.
  2. Upload the same video as a regular YouTube video. When uploading, do not select the Short format.
  3. Set the video visibility to Public or Unlisted.
  4. Copy the standard video URL from your browser's address bar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXXXXXX
  5. Paste that URL into the video element in the Presence® Website Builder.
  6. Click Save.

Tip: You can also host the video on Vimeo and paste the Vimeo URL instead — Vimeo embedding is fully supported and has no equivalent to YouTube Shorts.

Other reasons a YouTube video won't embed

Video is set to Private

Private YouTube videos cannot be embedded anywhere. Change the video's visibility to Public or Unlisted in YouTube Studio before adding it to your website.

Wrong URL format

Only standard YouTube watch URLs work in the embed field. Do not use a YouTube share link (https://youtu.be/XXXXXXXXX) or a playlist URL. Use the URL from your browser's address bar when watching the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXXXXXXXX

Embedding is disabled on the video

YouTube lets video owners disable embedding in YouTube Studio. If the video belongs to you and it still won't embed, go to YouTube Studio > [your video] > Details > More options and confirm that Allow embedding is turned on.

How to add a YouTube video to your website

  1. Navigate to the Presence® Platform.
  2. Click Websites from the left-hand menu, then hover over the site you want to edit and select the pen icon.
  3. Click the Edit button in the top-right corner to enter edit mode.
  4. Navigate to the page where you want to add the video.
  5. In the left sidebar, locate and add a video element. The elements available depend on your page type — see Which video element should I use in the Presence® Website Builder? for the full list.
  6. Paste your standard YouTube URL into the embed field.
  7. Click Save.

Note: The Property Video and Virtual Tour elements only work on property detail pages and property websites. If you add either of these elements to a general page, the video will not display.

FAQs

Can I use YouTube Shorts on my Presence® website?

YouTube Shorts cannot be embedded in the Presence® Website Builder. If you try to use a Shorts URL, you will see a "YouTube refused to connect" error. To use that video on your website, re-upload it as a standard YouTube video and paste the standard youtube.com/watch?v= URL into the video element instead.

My video is on YouTube but it still won't embed. What's wrong?

Check three things: (1) The video's visibility must be set to Public or Unlisted — Private videos will not embed. (2) The URL must be a standard YouTube watch URL (youtube.com/watch?v=), not a Shorts URL or a share link. (3) Embedding must be turned on in YouTube Studio under the video's Details > More options settings.

Does Vimeo work instead of YouTube?

Yes. Vimeo embedding is fully supported in the Presence® Website Builder. Paste the Vimeo URL into the video element the same way you would a YouTube URL. Vimeo has no equivalent to YouTube Shorts, so that limitation does not apply.

What URLs does the Virtual Tour element support?

The Virtual Tour element accepts any external URL, including YouTube, Vimeo, Matterport, or other tour platforms. The same Shorts restriction applies: if you are embedding a YouTube URL in the Virtual Tour element, it must be a standard youtube.com/watch?v= URL — not a Shorts link.

I've checked everything above and it still isn't working. What should I do?

If you've confirmed the video is a standard YouTube video set to Public or Unlisted with embedding enabled and you're still seeing the error, please contact our support team: