Where to find and cancel your YouTube subscriptions
YouTube subscriptions come in two types, and you cancel each one differently. A YouTube Premium subscription is the paid service that removes ads and lets you read videos — you cancel this through your Google Account settings. A channel membership is a recurring payment to a specific creator for perks like exclusive videos or badges — you cancel these from your YouTube purchases page.
The confusion happens because both renew automatically and both show up in your payment history, but they live in different places. This guide walks you through finding and stopping each one.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube Premium cancellations happen in your Google Account settings under Payments & Subscriptions, not in the YouTube app itself.
- Channel memberships are cancelled on the YouTube website under your Purchases page, and you lose access to member perks when ready.
- Both types of subscriptions stop charging on your next billing date, not the day you cancel.
- If you cancel and then resubscribe within a month, YouTube may restore your previous settings and preferences.
How to cancel YouTube Premium on desktop
Open a web browser and go to myaccount.google.com. Sign in with the Google Account that pays for YouTube Premium. On the left side of the page, click Payments & subscriptions.
You will see a section called Subscriptions with a list of active payments. Find the one that says YouTube Premium (or YouTube Premium Family if you have the family plan). Click on it. A panel will open showing your renewal date and plan details. At the bottom, click Cancel subscription. Google will ask you to confirm — click Yes, cancel. Your Premium access stops on the date shown, usually your next billing date.
If you cannot find Payments & subscriptions on the left menu, scroll down — it may be below the fold on smaller screens. If you subscribed through an app store (Apple, Google Play, or Amazon), the cancellation happens in that app's settings instead, not in Google Account settings.
How to cancel YouTube Premium on mobile
On iPhone, open the Settings app, tap your name at the top, then tap Subscriptions. Find YouTube Premium in the list and tap it. Tap Cancel Subscription. On Android, open Google Play, tap your profile icon in the top right, tap Payments and subscriptions, then Subscriptions. Find YouTube Premium and tap it, then tap Cancel subscription.
If you subscribed through the YouTube app itself rather than through an app store, you must cancel through your Google Account on a computer using the steps above. The YouTube app does not have a built-in cancellation button.
How to cancel channel memberships
Channel memberships are separate from YouTube Premium. You may have paid a creator directly for perks like early video access or a custom badge. To see and cancel these, go to youtube.com on a computer and sign in. Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select Purchases and memberships.
You will see a list of all active channel memberships under the Memberships tab. Find the creator whose membership you want to cancel and click the three dots next to their name. Select Cancel membership. The membership stops when ready, and you lose access to member-only content right away. Unlike YouTube Premium, there is no waiting period.
On mobile, tap your profile picture, then tap Purchases and memberships. Tap the Memberships tab. Swipe left on the membership you want to cancel (iPhone) or long-press it (Android), then select Cancel.
What happens after you cancel
When you cancel YouTube Premium, your account keeps all your subscribed channels, playlists, and watch history. You straightforward lose the Premium features — ads return, you cannot read videos, and you cannot use YouTube Music or YouTube Studio features that require Premium. If you resubscribe within a month, your settings restore automatically.
When you cancel a channel membership, you lose access to that creator's member-only content when ready. Your regular subscription to their channel (the free kind) stays active, so you will still see their public videos in your feed. Some creators offer a grace period before removing member perks, but this is their choice, not YouTube's policy.
If your subscription won't cancel
If you see the cancel button but it does not work, try these steps: First, make sure you are signed into the correct Google Account — the one that actually pays for the subscription. Second, clear your browser's cache and cookies, then try again. Third, try cancelling on a different browser or device.
If you subscribed through an app store (Apple, Google Play, or Amazon) but are trying to cancel in Google Account settings, the cancellation will not work. You must cancel in the app store where you subscribed. Similarly, if you subscribed through YouTube's website but are trying to cancel in an app, it will not work.
If none of these steps work, you can contact Google Support through your Google Account. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Help & support in the left menu, then Contact us. Describe the issue and Google will investigate why the cancellation button is not responding.
Preventing accidental recharges
After you cancel, check your email for a confirmation message from Google. This confirms the cancellation and shows your final billing date. Save this email in case you need to reference it later. If you see a charge after the cancellation date, contact Google Support with the confirmation email and the unexpected charge.
If you want to avoid resubscribing by accident, remove your payment method from your Google Account after cancelling. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Payments & subscriptions, then Payment methods. You can delete or disable cards here. Without a payment method on file, YouTube cannot charge you even if you accidentally click subscribe.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a refund after I cancel YouTube Premium?
YouTube does not refund unused portions of your subscription. If you cancel mid-month, you keep Premium access until your next billing date, but you will not receive money back for the days after cancellation. If you were charged twice by mistake, contact Google Support with your receipt and they may issue a refund.
What is the difference between YouTube Premium and YouTube Music?
YouTube Premium includes YouTube Music as part of the same subscription. If you cancel YouTube Premium, you lose both ad-free YouTube and ad-free YouTube Music. You cannot cancel just the Music part while keeping Premium.
Do I lose my YouTube history if I cancel?
No. Your watch history, subscriptions, playlists, and saved videos stay on your account forever. Cancelling Premium only removes the Premium features like ad removal and offline downloads. All your personal data remains.
Can I cancel a family member's membership from the family plan?
No. Only the person who manages the family plan (the account holder) can cancel the entire plan. Individual family members cannot remove themselves. The manager must go to myaccount.google.com, find the YouTube Premium Family subscription, and either cancel the whole plan or manage members from there.
Why am I still seeing ads after I cancelled YouTube Premium?
If you cancelled but your cancellation date has not arrived yet, you still have Premium access and should not see ads. If you do see ads before your cancellation date, try signing out and signing back in, or clear your browser cache. If ads persist after your cancellation date has passed, your cancellation worked correctly — Premium access has ended and ads have returned to normal.