You can delete a video from YouTube in less than a minute using your channel settings
To delete a video, sign into YouTube, go to your channel, find the video in your uploads, and click the delete option. YouTube removes the video within minutes, and the URL stops working immediately. Anyone who tries to watch it sees a "video unavailable" message. The video does not appear in search results or your channel anymore.
Deleting is permanent — YouTube does not keep a copy you can restore later. If you think you might want the video back someday, download it to your computer first, or move it to an unlisted or private video instead of deleting it outright.
Key Takeaways
- Sign into YouTube, click your profile icon, and select "Create a post or upload" to reach your channel dashboard.
- Go to the "Videos" tab on the left, find the video you want to remove, click the three-dot menu next to it, and select "Delete forever".
- Deletion is instant and permanent — the video disappears from your channel, search results, and all public links within minutes.
- If you might want the video later, set it to "Unlisted" or "Private" instead of deleting it, so only you or people with the link can see it.
- Deleted videos cannot be restored, so download the file first if you need to keep a copy.
How to find and delete a video step by step
Open YouTube and sign in with the account that owns the video. Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "Create a post or upload" from the dropdown menu. This takes you to your channel dashboard.
On the left side of the screen, click "Videos" under the "Content" section. You will see a list of all videos you have uploaded. Find the video you want to delete and hover over it. A three-dot menu icon appears on the right side of the video thumbnail. Click it.
A small menu opens with several options. Click "Delete forever" at the bottom. YouTube asks you to confirm — click "Delete" again in the popup window. The video is now deleted and cannot be recovered.
What happens after you delete a video
The video disappears from your channel within a few minutes. Anyone who has the old link to the video will see a message saying "Video unavailable". The video no longer shows up in YouTube search results, your channel page, or playlists it was added to.
If other channels embedded your video on their websites, those embeds will also show as unavailable. Comments, likes, and view counts tied to that video are gone. If you had monetization enabled on the video, any revenue it earned stops being counted toward your channel.
When to use unlisted or private instead of deleting
If you are not sure you want to delete the video permanently, consider changing its privacy setting instead. An unlisted video does not appear on your channel page or in search results, but anyone with the link can still watch it. A private video can only be watched by you and people you specifically invite.
To change a video's privacy setting without deleting it, click the three-dot menu next to the video in your Videos tab and select "Details". Click the privacy dropdown and choose "Unlisted" or "Private". You can change it back to public later, or delete it permanently if you decide you no longer want it.
How to download your video before deleting it
Before you delete a video, you may want to save a copy to your computer. YouTube does not offer a built-in download button, but you can download your own videos using a third-party tool or by requesting your data from Google.
The easiest method is to use a free online video downloader. Search for "YouTube video downloader" in your browser, paste the video link into the tool, and follow the on-screen steps to save the file. The download usually takes a few minutes depending on the video length and your internet speed.
Alternatively, you can request all your YouTube data through Google Takeout, which includes video files. Go to takeout.google.com, select YouTube, and follow the steps to download your data. This process takes longer but gives you a complete backup of your channel.
Deleting videos from a mobile device
You can delete videos using the YouTube app on your phone or tablet. Open the app, tap your profile icon in the top right, and select "Create a post or upload". Tap "Videos" to see your uploads.
Find the video you want to delete and tap the three-dot menu next to it. Select "Delete forever" and confirm. The process is the same as on a computer, and the video is deleted from all devices and the YouTube servers.
What to do if you cannot find the delete option
If the delete option does not appear, you may not be signed into the account that uploaded the video. Sign out and sign back in with the correct account. If you are the channel owner but still cannot see the delete button, try using a different web browser or clearing your browser cache.
If you are trying to delete a video from a channel you manage but do not own, you may not have permission. Only the channel owner or a manager with full editing rights can delete videos. Ask the channel owner to give you the necessary permissions, or have them delete the video themselves.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I undo a video deletion?
No. Once you delete a video, it is gone permanently and cannot be restored. YouTube does not keep deleted videos in a trash folder or recovery system. If you need the video back, you must re-upload it from a saved copy on your computer.
Will deleting a video hurt my channel's watch time or subscriber count?
Deleting a video removes the views and watch time it earned from your channel statistics. However, it does not affect your total subscriber count. Your channel will show fewer total videos and less total watch time after deletion.
What happens to comments and likes on a deleted video?
All comments, likes, and replies to a deleted video are removed. People who left comments will not see them anymore, and the engagement is no longer counted on your channel. This data cannot be recovered.
Can I delete just part of a video instead of the whole thing?
No. YouTube does not have a feature to trim or remove sections from a published video. You must delete the entire video. If you want to remove a specific part, download the video, edit it with video editing software, and re-upload it as a new video.
Does deleting a video remove it from playlists?
Yes. If your deleted video was added to any playlists — yours or other people's — it automatically disappears from those playlists. The playlist itself remains, but the deleted video no longer appears in it.