How do I cite a website in APA 7th edition?

To cite a website in APA 7th edition, use this format: Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL. Start with the author (person or organization), followed by the publication date in parentheses. Write the page title in sentence case and italics. Then add the website name (omit it if the author and site name are the same). End with the full URL — no period after it. If no author is listed, begin with the title. If no date is available, use (n.d.). Only add a retrieval date if the content changes frequently, such as a social media profile or wiki page. APA 7 dropped the "Retrieved from" phrasing that APA 6 required, so simply place the URL at the end of the reference.

Do I need an access date for websites in APA?

In most cases, no. APA 7th edition only requires a retrieval date when the content is designed to change over time — for example, a Twitter or Instagram profile page, a Wikipedia article, a dictionary entry, or any page without an archive. For static content like news articles, government reports, or organizational fact sheets, do not include an access date. The rule of thumb: if the page has a fixed publication date and is unlikely to be edited, omit the retrieval date. If you do include one, format it as "Retrieved March 15, 2024, from URL" — but note that this phrasing is rarely needed under APA 7.

How do I cite a website with no author in APA?

When a website page has no identifiable individual or organizational author, move the page title to the author position. Italicize the title and keep it in sentence case. Follow it with the date, site name, and URL as usual. For in-text citations, use a shortened version of the title in italics inside parentheses — for example, (*Climate Change Overview*, 2024). If the page also has no date, combine both: (*Climate Change Overview*, n.d.). Be careful to check whether the website itself (the organization running the site) can serve as the author before defaulting to title-first format.

Template + Example

APA Website Citation Template

Learn how to cite websites in APA format with examples. Includes author, date, title, and URL formatting rules for APA 7th edition.

Copy-ready template

Author, A. A. (Year, Month Day). Title of page. Site Name. URL

Filled example

Reference

World Health Organization. (2024, March 15). Climate change and health. WHO. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health

In-text citation

(World Health Organization, 2024)

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Field mapping

author: World Health Organization
title: Climate change and health
site: WHO
year: 2024, March 15
url: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/climate-change-and-health

Common mistakes

⚠Adding a period after the URL
⚠Forgetting to italicize the page title
⚠Including "Retrieved from" (not needed in APA 7)
⚠Using access date for static content

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