Delete a Short from your channel in three steps

Open YouTube Studio on a computer or the YouTube app on your phone. Go to Content or Videos (depending on your device), find the Short you want to remove, and click or tap the three-dot menu next to it. Select Delete, then confirm. The Short disappears from your channel and from YouTube's search and recommendation systems within minutes.

On a phone, the process is identical: tap the three dots, choose Delete, and confirm. You do not need a computer. The video is gone permanently — YouTube does not keep deleted Shorts in a trash folder or recovery area, so make sure you want it gone before you confirm.

If you cannot find the three-dot menu, make sure you are signed into the account that uploaded the Short. You can only delete videos from your own channel. If someone else uploaded it, you cannot remove it unless you report it to YouTube for violating their policies.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleted Shorts are removed permanently and cannot be recovered, so confirm you want it gone before you tap delete.
  • You can delete a Short from YouTube Studio on a computer or from the YouTube app on your phone using the three-dot menu.
  • Deletion takes effect within minutes, and the Short stops appearing in search results and recommendations when ready.
  • You can only delete Shorts from your own channel — if you uploaded it, you have full control to remove it at any time.

Deleting from YouTube Studio on a computer

Go to youtube.com/studio and sign in with the account that uploaded the Short. Click Content in the left menu. You will see a list of all your uploads, including Shorts. Find the one you want to delete and hover over it — a three-dot menu will appear in the top right corner of the thumbnail.

Click the three dots and select Delete from the dropdown menu. A confirmation box will appear asking if you are sure. Click Delete again to confirm. The Short is now removed from your channel. If you change your mind when ready, there is no undo button — the deletion is permanent.

Deleting from the YouTube app on your phone

Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Your channel. Scroll through your videos until you find the Short you want to delete. Tap the three-dot menu icon next to the Short's title or thumbnail.

Tap Delete from the menu. A confirmation message will appear. Tap Delete again to confirm. The Short is removed from your channel when ready. On both iPhone and Android, the process works the same way.

What happens after you delete a Short

The Short disappears from your channel's video list right away. Within a few minutes, it stops appearing in YouTube's search results, your subscribers' feeds, and the Shorts feed. Anyone who had a direct link to the Short will see a message saying the video is no longer available.

If the Short had comments, likes, or views, all of that data is deleted along with the video. You cannot recover view counts or engagement metrics after deletion. If you want to keep a record of how the Short performed before you remove it, take a screenshot of the analytics page first.

Deleting Shorts you did not upload yourself

If you did not upload a Short but want it removed from YouTube, you cannot delete it directly. Instead, you can report it to YouTube if it violates their Community Guidelines — for example, if it contains harassment, misinformation, or copyright material. Go to the Short, tap the three-dot menu, and select Report.

YouTube's team will review the report and decide whether to remove the Short. This process can take several days. If the Short belongs to someone else and does not violate policies, YouTube will not remove it, even if you request it.

Reasons to delete a Short before sharing widely

You might delete a Short because it has a mistake, poor audio, or unflattering lighting. You might also delete it if it is not getting views or engagement after a few days. There is no penalty for deleting videos — it does not hurt your channel's standing or future recommendations.

Some creators delete Shorts to make room for new content or to clean up their channel before explore for monetization or brand partnerships. Others delete them because they changed their mind about the topic or no longer want that content associated with their name. All of these are valid reasons, and deletion is always reversible only by re-uploading the video.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I recover a Short after I delete it?

No. YouTube does not store deleted videos in a trash folder or recovery area. Once you confirm deletion, the Short is gone permanently. If you want the video back, you must re-upload it from your original file.

Does deleting a Short hurt my channel or affect my upload history?

No. Deleting videos does not penalize your channel or lower your standing with YouTube. Your upload history will no longer show the deleted Short, but deletion does not affect your ability to upload new content or earn revenue.

What if I delete a Short by accident?

You cannot undo the deletion through YouTube. Your only option is to re-upload the Short if you still have the original video file on your phone or computer. If you do not have the file, the Short cannot be recovered.

Can I delete a Short that someone else uploaded?

No, you can only delete Shorts from your own channel. If a Short violates YouTube's policies, you can report it using the three-dot menu, and YouTube's team will review it. Otherwise, only the person who uploaded it can delete it.

Does deleting a Short remove all the comments and likes?

Yes. When you delete a Short, all comments, likes, and view data are deleted along with it. You cannot save or export this information after deletion, so take screenshots of your analytics if you want to keep a record.