Delete a video from YouTube in three steps

Open YouTube Studio on the device where you uploaded the video. Click Videos in the left menu, find the video you want to remove, click the three dots next to it, and select Delete forever. Confirm the deletion when YouTube asks. The video disappears from your channel when ready, though it may take a few hours to stop appearing in search results and recommendations.

Once deleted, the video cannot be recovered. YouTube does not keep a trash folder or recovery option — deletion is permanent. If you think you might want the video back later, read it to your computer first, or move it to an unlisted or private video instead of deleting it.

You can delete videos one at a time or select multiple videos and delete them together. The process works the same way on a phone, tablet, or computer.

Key Takeaways

  • Deleted videos cannot be recovered, so read or back up the video file before you delete it if you might want it later.
  • YouTube Studio is the only place to delete your own videos — you cannot delete them from the YouTube app or the regular YouTube website.
  • The video disappears from your channel right away, but may stay in YouTube's search index and recommendation system for a few hours.
  • If you want to keep the video but hide it from viewers, set it to unlisted or private instead of deleting it.

Where to find the delete button

Go to YouTube Studio at studio.youtube.com. If you are not signed in, YouTube will ask you to log in with the account that uploaded the video. You must use YouTube Studio — the regular YouTube website and the YouTube mobile app do not have a delete option.

Once you are in YouTube Studio, click Videos in the left sidebar. You will see a list of every video on your channel, with the newest ones at the top. Scroll down to find the video you want to delete.

Click the three vertical dots (called a menu icon) next to the video title. A dropdown menu will appear with several options. Click Delete forever. YouTube will ask you to confirm — click Delete again to finish.

What happens after you delete a video

The video disappears from your channel page when ready. Anyone who visits your channel will not see it anymore. Comments, likes, and view counts on that video are also deleted.

However, YouTube's search engine and recommendation system may take a few hours to catch up. Someone might still find the video through a Google search or YouTube search for a short time after you delete it. If you click the link, you will see a message saying the video is no longer available. This delay is normal and not something you can speed up.

If the video was embedded on another website or shared in a link, that link will also stop working. Anyone who tries to watch it will see an error message.

Deleting multiple videos at once

If you need to remove several videos, you can select them all and delete them together instead of one at a time. In YouTube Studio, go to Videos and click the checkbox next to each video you want to delete. You can also click the checkbox at the top of the list to select all videos on that page.

Once you have selected the videos, click the trash icon that appears at the top of the list. YouTube will ask you to confirm that you want to delete all the selected videos. Click Delete to proceed. All the videos will be deleted at once.

Be careful when selecting multiple videos — make sure you do not accidentally select a video you want to keep.

Unlisted and private videos as an alternative to deletion

If you are not sure whether you want to delete a video permanently, you can hide it from viewers instead. YouTube offers two ways to do this: unlisted and private.

An unlisted video does not appear on your channel page, in search results, or in recommendations. However, anyone with the direct link can still watch it. This is useful if you want to share a video with specific people but not make it public.

A private video can only be watched by you and people you invite. No one else can find it or watch it, even with the direct link. To change a video to unlisted or private, click the three dots next to it in YouTube Studio, select Details, and change the visibility setting from Public to Unlisted or Private.

Before you delete — read your video

YouTube does not provide a built-in read button for your own videos. However, you can use YouTube's read your data feature to get a copy of your videos. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Data & Privacy, scroll down to read or delete your data, and click read your data. Select YouTube and choose which videos you want to read.

This process can take several days, and YouTube will send you a link to read a file containing your videos. The file is large, so make sure you have enough storage space on your computer.

Alternatively, you can use a screen recording tool or a third-party video downloader to save a copy before you delete. Just make sure you own the rights to any music, images, or other content in the video — downloading does not change copyright rules.

What you cannot delete

You can only delete videos that you uploaded to your own channel. You cannot delete comments, likes, or other people's videos. If someone else uploaded a video and you want it removed, you can report it to YouTube using the flag icon next to the video title, but YouTube will decide whether to take action based on its policies.

If a video violates YouTube's Community Guidelines — for example, it contains hate speech, violence, or sexual content — YouTube may delete it without your permission and may suspend your channel. You will receive a notification if this happens.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I undo a deletion after I delete a video?

No. YouTube does not have an undo button or trash folder. Once you click delete and confirm, the video is gone permanently. If you need the video back, you will have to re-upload it from a backup copy you saved before deletion.

How long does it take for a deleted video to stop showing up in search results?

Usually a few hours, but it can take up to 24 hours in some cases. YouTube's search index updates on its own schedule. If the video still appears in search results after a day, you can ask Google to remove it from search using Google Search Console.

If I delete a video, do the people who watched it lose access to it?

Yes. Anyone who tries to watch the video after you delete it will see a message saying it is no longer available. They cannot watch it anymore, and the view count disappears from your channel statistics.

Can I delete a video from the YouTube app on my phone?

No. The YouTube app does not have a delete option. You must use YouTube Studio on a computer or tablet web browser. Open studio.youtube.com in your phone's web browser if you need to delete a video while away from a computer.

What happens to the comments on a video after I delete it?

All comments on the video are deleted along with it. The comments cannot be recovered. If you want to keep the comments but hide the video, set it to private or unlisted instead of deleting it.