YouTube API returns thumbnail URLs that are valid only temporarily












0














Since about three weeks ago, YouTube API is returning thumbnail URLs that are valid only temporarily. After a few days, those URLs return 404.



I have an integration to YouTube API to get the thumbnails of a video given its ID. Several of my customers use that function since a long time ago. This started happening a few weeks ago, without any change to my app code.



For example, for this video:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COYm2FeVQ1U



The API returned this URL as the max resolution thumbnail:



https://i9.ytimg.com/vi/COYm2FeVQ1U/maxresdefault.jpg?sqp=CLTQ0t8F&rs=AOn4CLBaBo2ec_JB72afzLoV0_eZ7_ec4A



That URL worked a few days, then started returning 404. At that point, if I ask the API again about the thumbnail URLs, then it returns the correct thumbnail URL:



https://i.ytimg.com/vi/COYm2FeVQ1U/maxresdefault.jpg



This is happening intermitently with several of my customers, and I can't figure out why. I thought maybe this could happen because thumbnails aren't ready yet, but if that's the case, shouldn't Youtube redirect automatically to the valid URL?



Has anyone else experienced this? I've found this post:
Has the Youtube thumbnail URL changed?
where someone says that the URL returned in the first place corresponds to a private video. But I haven't been able to reproduce the error: I uploaded a video as private, and the API doesn't return that type of URLs for thumbnails. Where else should I look? Thanks in advance!










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    0














    Since about three weeks ago, YouTube API is returning thumbnail URLs that are valid only temporarily. After a few days, those URLs return 404.



    I have an integration to YouTube API to get the thumbnails of a video given its ID. Several of my customers use that function since a long time ago. This started happening a few weeks ago, without any change to my app code.



    For example, for this video:



    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COYm2FeVQ1U



    The API returned this URL as the max resolution thumbnail:



    https://i9.ytimg.com/vi/COYm2FeVQ1U/maxresdefault.jpg?sqp=CLTQ0t8F&rs=AOn4CLBaBo2ec_JB72afzLoV0_eZ7_ec4A



    That URL worked a few days, then started returning 404. At that point, if I ask the API again about the thumbnail URLs, then it returns the correct thumbnail URL:



    https://i.ytimg.com/vi/COYm2FeVQ1U/maxresdefault.jpg



    This is happening intermitently with several of my customers, and I can't figure out why. I thought maybe this could happen because thumbnails aren't ready yet, but if that's the case, shouldn't Youtube redirect automatically to the valid URL?



    Has anyone else experienced this? I've found this post:
    Has the Youtube thumbnail URL changed?
    where someone says that the URL returned in the first place corresponds to a private video. But I haven't been able to reproduce the error: I uploaded a video as private, and the API doesn't return that type of URLs for thumbnails. Where else should I look? Thanks in advance!










    share|improve this question

























      0












      0








      0







      Since about three weeks ago, YouTube API is returning thumbnail URLs that are valid only temporarily. After a few days, those URLs return 404.



      I have an integration to YouTube API to get the thumbnails of a video given its ID. Several of my customers use that function since a long time ago. This started happening a few weeks ago, without any change to my app code.



      For example, for this video:



      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COYm2FeVQ1U



      The API returned this URL as the max resolution thumbnail:



      https://i9.ytimg.com/vi/COYm2FeVQ1U/maxresdefault.jpg?sqp=CLTQ0t8F&rs=AOn4CLBaBo2ec_JB72afzLoV0_eZ7_ec4A



      That URL worked a few days, then started returning 404. At that point, if I ask the API again about the thumbnail URLs, then it returns the correct thumbnail URL:



      https://i.ytimg.com/vi/COYm2FeVQ1U/maxresdefault.jpg



      This is happening intermitently with several of my customers, and I can't figure out why. I thought maybe this could happen because thumbnails aren't ready yet, but if that's the case, shouldn't Youtube redirect automatically to the valid URL?



      Has anyone else experienced this? I've found this post:
      Has the Youtube thumbnail URL changed?
      where someone says that the URL returned in the first place corresponds to a private video. But I haven't been able to reproduce the error: I uploaded a video as private, and the API doesn't return that type of URLs for thumbnails. Where else should I look? Thanks in advance!










      share|improve this question













      Since about three weeks ago, YouTube API is returning thumbnail URLs that are valid only temporarily. After a few days, those URLs return 404.



      I have an integration to YouTube API to get the thumbnails of a video given its ID. Several of my customers use that function since a long time ago. This started happening a few weeks ago, without any change to my app code.



      For example, for this video:



      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COYm2FeVQ1U



      The API returned this URL as the max resolution thumbnail:



      https://i9.ytimg.com/vi/COYm2FeVQ1U/maxresdefault.jpg?sqp=CLTQ0t8F&rs=AOn4CLBaBo2ec_JB72afzLoV0_eZ7_ec4A



      That URL worked a few days, then started returning 404. At that point, if I ask the API again about the thumbnail URLs, then it returns the correct thumbnail URL:



      https://i.ytimg.com/vi/COYm2FeVQ1U/maxresdefault.jpg



      This is happening intermitently with several of my customers, and I can't figure out why. I thought maybe this could happen because thumbnails aren't ready yet, but if that's the case, shouldn't Youtube redirect automatically to the valid URL?



      Has anyone else experienced this? I've found this post:
      Has the Youtube thumbnail URL changed?
      where someone says that the URL returned in the first place corresponds to a private video. But I haven't been able to reproduce the error: I uploaded a video as private, and the API doesn't return that type of URLs for thumbnails. Where else should I look? Thanks in advance!







      youtube-api-v3






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      asked Nov 22 at 12:23









      Lisandro

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