What unlisted means and why you'd use it
An unlisted YouTube video is one that does not appear in search results, your channel page, or YouTube's recommendations — but anyone with the direct link can watch it. You control who sees it by choosing who you share the link with. This is different from private (only you and people you invite can watch) and public (anyone can find it).
Creators use unlisted videos for work-in-progress content, tutorials shared with a specific group, family videos, or material they want to keep off their main channel feed. The video stays on YouTube's servers and keeps its watch history and comments, but it does not broadcast your activity to your subscribers or the public.
Key Takeaways
- Unlisted videos do not show up in search, your channel, or recommendations, but anyone with the link can watch them.
- You set a video to unlisted when you first upload it or change an existing public video to unlisted in the video details.
- Unlisted videos still allow comments, likes, and sharing — the link itself is what controls access, not YouTube's permission system.
- If you want to hide a video from everyone except specific people you invite, use private instead of unlisted.
How to make a new video unlisted when uploading
When you upload a video to YouTube, the privacy setting appears before the video finishes processing. Click the Select visibility button, which usually shows "Public" by default. A menu opens with three options: Public, Unlisted, and Private. Click Unlisted.
The rest of the upload process stays the same — you add a title, description, thumbnail, and tags. Once you click Publish or Schedule, the video uploads with unlisted status. You can then copy the video link and share it with whoever you want to watch it. The link works when ready; you do not need to wait for YouTube to process the video fully before sharing.
How to change a public video to unlisted
If you already published a video as public and want to hide it from search and your channel, go to YouTube Studio. Click Content in the left menu, find the video in your list, and click the three-dot menu next to it. Select Details.
Scroll down to the Visibility section. Click the current setting (usually "Public") and select Unlisted from the dropdown. Click Save at the bottom right. The change takes effect when ready. The video disappears from your channel page and search results, but the link still works for anyone who has it.
What happens to comments, likes, and shares on unlisted videos
Unlisted videos work the same as public ones for engagement — people can like, comment, and share them if they have the link. Comments appear on the video page and in your comment section. Likes count toward your total engagement. If someone shares the unlisted link on social media or in a message, anyone who clicks it can watch the video.
This means unlisted is not a privacy tool in the sense that it stops people from sharing or discussing the video. It only stops YouTube from promoting it or making it discoverable. If you need actual privacy — where only specific people can access the video at all — use the Private setting instead, which requires you to invite viewers by their email address.
The difference between unlisted, private, and public
Public videos appear in search results, on your channel page, in recommendations, and in YouTube's browse features. Anyone can find them without a link. Private videos do not appear anywhere; only you and people you explicitly invite by email can watch them. Unlisted videos sit in the middle: they do not appear in search or recommendations, but anyone with the link can watch them, and you do not have to invite them individually.
Choose unlisted when you want to share with a group without broadcasting to the public. Choose private when you want to restrict access to specific people only. Choose public when you want YouTube to promote the video and help people discover it.
How to find the link to share
Once your video is unlisted, click Share below the video player. A box appears with the video's URL. Click the copy icon next to the link, or select and copy it manually. This is the link you send to people who should watch the video. You can paste it in an email, message, document, or anywhere else.
You can also find the link in YouTube Studio. Go to Content, click the video, and look at the URL in your browser's address bar — that is the link. Some creators also use YouTube's built-in sharing options to send the link directly through email or social media, though the link itself works the same way no matter how you share it.
Switching an unlisted video back to public or private
You can change the visibility setting anytime. Go to YouTube Studio, click Content, find the video, click the three-dot menu, and select Details. In the Visibility section, click the current setting and choose a new one. Click Save.
If you switch from unlisted to public, the video appears on your channel and in search results. If you switch to private, the video disappears from the link and only people you invite can watch it. People who had the unlisted link will no longer be able to access it if you make it private. There is no limit to how many times you can change the setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see who watched my unlisted video?
YouTube does not tell you which specific people watched an unlisted video. You can see total view count and basic analytics (like where viewers came from and what devices they used), but not individual names or email addresses. If you need to track who watched, you would have to ask them directly or use a custom link shortener that logs clicks.
What happens if I share an unlisted video link on social media?
Anyone who clicks the link can watch the video, even if they do not follow you. The link itself is public once you share it; YouTube does not restrict access based on where the link came from. If you want to limit who sees the video, do not post the link on public social media accounts.
Can I change an unlisted video back to public later?
Yes. Go to YouTube Studio, find the video in your Content list, click Details, and change the Visibility setting back to Public. The video then appears on your channel and in search results. All previous views, comments, and likes remain.
Is unlisted the same as hidden?
Unlisted and hidden are sometimes used interchangeably, but YouTube only uses the term "unlisted" in its official settings. Hidden usually means the same thing — the video does not appear in search or recommendations, but the link works. Private is different; it restricts access entirely.
Do unlisted videos count toward my channel's total views?
Yes. Views on unlisted videos count in your total view count and in your analytics. They appear in your channel statistics the same way public video views do. The only difference is that YouTube does not promote the video or make it discoverable.