Can I recover my YouTube channel after deletion?

No. YouTube channel deletion is immediate and permanent with no grace period or recovery option. Once you confirm deletion, all videos, comments, and channel data are permanently removed and cannot be recovered.

What happens to my videos when I delete my channel?

All your videos (public, unlisted, and private) are permanently deleted from YouTube immediately. They cannot be recovered. If you want to keep your videos, download them using Google Takeout before deleting your channel.

Will my comments on other videos be deleted?

Yes. All comments you've made across YouTube on any videos are permanently deleted when you delete your channel. This affects discussions on other creators' videos where you've participated.

Can I reuse my channel name or URL after deletion?

No. Your custom YouTube channel URL is permanently retired after deletion and cannot be reused by you or anyone else. Channel names can sometimes be reused, but custom URLs cannot. This prevents impersonation.

What happens to my YouTube revenue and monetization?

Any unpaid AdSense revenue below the payment threshold is forfeited. If you're above the threshold, YouTube will process your final payment. All monetization settings are canceled, and you'll need to reapply if you create a new channel.

How do I download my videos before deletion?

Use Google Takeout (takeout.google.com) to download all your YouTube data including videos, metadata, comments, and playlists. Select YouTube in the data selection screen and choose export format. Processing can take several days for large channels.

Can I delete YouTube but keep my subscriptions?

No. When you delete your channel, your subscription list is also deleted. However, you can create a new YouTube channel with the same Google account to start fresh with a new subscription list.

How to Delete Your YouTube Account - Step-by-Step Guide (2025)

Written & Verified By

Delete.Directory Content Team

Our team of privacy advocates and former social media employees verify every deletion process through hands-on testing.

This guide helps you permanently delete your YouTube account. We believe in digital autonomy: your right to leave any platform should be as easy as joining it. Follow these verified steps to ensure complete account deletion.

How We Verified This Guide

Methodology: Hands-on testing with live accounts

Quick Information

Time Required

10 minutes

Difficulty

medium

Steps

5 steps

Official Resources

YouTube Help - Delete Your YouTube Channel

Official deletion guide from YouTube

Additional Resources

[1]

Download Your YouTube Data

Official guide for downloading your complete YouTube data through Google Takeout

[2]

YouTube Privacy Policy

Understanding how YouTube and Google handle your data and privacy

[3]

Hide Your YouTube Channel

Alternative to deletion - temporarily hide your YouTube channel

Step-by-Step Guide

Access YouTube Studio

Sign in to YouTube and click your profile icon in the top right. Select 'YouTube Studio' from the dropdown menu. This is your channel management dashboard.

Tips

•YouTube Studio is separate from main YouTube interface
•Consider downloading your videos before deletion
•Note: This deletes your channel, not your Google account

Navigate to Advanced Settings

In YouTube Studio, click 'Settings' in the left sidebar (gear icon). Then select 'Channel' and click 'Advanced settings' at the bottom.

Tips

•Advanced settings contain the deletion option
•Make sure you're in the correct channel if you manage multiple

Initiate Channel Deletion

Scroll to the bottom of Advanced settings and click 'Remove YouTube content' or 'Delete channel'. YouTube will redirect you to a confirmation page showing what will be deleted.

Warnings

•This deletes your channel but keeps your Google account
•All videos, comments, playlists, and subscribers will be lost

Review and Confirm Channel Details

YouTube will show you exactly what will be deleted: videos, comments, messages, playlists, and history. You may need to re-enter your Google account password to verify your identity.

Warnings

•Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone
•Your channel URL becomes unavailable forever

Complete Channel Deletion

Check the boxes acknowledging you understand the consequences. Click 'Delete my content' or 'Delete channel' to permanently remove your YouTube channel. Your Google account remains active.

Warnings

•Videos are removed from YouTube immediately
•Some data may take time to clear from all Google systems

Important Warnings

Channel Deletion vs. Google Account Deletion

Deleting your YouTube channel does NOT delete your Google account. Your Gmail, Google Drive, Photos, and other Google services remain active. If you want to delete everything, you must separately delete your entire Google account. Most people only want to delete their YouTube channel.

All Videos Permanently Deleted

When you delete your channel, ALL your videos are permanently removed from YouTube and cannot be recovered. This includes unlisted and private videos. There is no grace period or undo option. Download your videos using Google Takeout before deletion if you want to keep them.

Comments Across YouTube Removed

All comments you've made on other people's videos across YouTube are permanently deleted. Your comments on your own videos are deleted along with the videos. This affects discussions on thousands of videos if you've been an active commenter.

Channel URL Permanently Retired

Your custom YouTube channel URL (youtube.com/c/yourname) is permanently retired and cannot be reused by you or anyone else. If you create a new channel later, you'll need a different URL. YouTube does this to prevent impersonation.

Monetization and Revenue Lost

If you're a YouTube Partner, all unpaid AdSense revenue below the payment threshold is forfeited. Active monetization settings are canceled. You'll need to reapply for the Partner Program if you create a new channel.

Subscribers and Playlists Lost

All subscribers to your channel are lost, and any playlists you created (including Watch Later) are permanently deleted. Your subscriptions to other channels are preserved since they're tied to your Google account.

Alternatives to Consider

Hide Your YouTube Channel Temporarily

easy

YouTube allows you to hide your channel instead of deleting it. This makes your channel and all videos invisible to others while preserving everything for potential reactivation.

Pros

•Fully reversible - unhide anytime
•All videos and data preserved
•Subscribers and playlists maintained
•No loss of channel URL or branding

Cons

•Channel still exists on YouTube servers
•Doesn't address privacy concerns about data
•Videos remain uploaded (just hidden)
•Still counts toward YouTube statistics

3 min

Make All Videos Private or Unlisted

medium

Instead of deleting, change all your videos to private or unlisted. This removes them from public view while keeping your channel active for watching content.

Pros

•Videos preserved for personal access
•Can selectively make videos public later
•Keep your channel for commenting and subscribing
•Maintain watch history and playlists

Cons

•Time-consuming for many videos
•Channel and data still exist
•Videos still stored on YouTube servers
•Doesn't free up Google account storage

30 min

Download Your YouTube Data via Google Takeout

easy

Before deleting, use Google Takeout to download all your YouTube videos, comments, playlists, watch history, and channel information for archival purposes.

Pros

•Keep complete backup of all content
•Includes video files and metadata
•Also backs up comments and interactions
•Free service from Google

Cons

•Very large file size for video creators
•Takes hours or days to process
•Doesn't remove content from YouTube
•Videos downloaded in uploaded quality

10 min

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Deleting your YouTube channel only removes your YouTube presence. Your Google account, Gmail, Drive, Photos, and all other Google services remain active. If you want to delete everything, you must separately delete your entire Google account.

References & Citations

[1]
Download Your YouTube Data
Official guide for downloading your complete YouTube data through Google Takeout
https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3024190
[2]
YouTube Privacy Policy
Understanding how YouTube and Google handle your data and privacy
https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/our-commitments/protecting-user-data/
[3]
Hide Your YouTube Channel
Alternative to deletion - temporarily hide your YouTube channel
https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/55759#zippy=%2Chide-your-channel-temporarily

All citations verified as of 11/8/2025. We regularly review and update all external links to ensure accuracy.

Found incorrect information?

We strive for accuracy. If something's outdated or wrong, let us know.

Report incorrect information

Quick Navigation

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Critical Warnings

Channel Deletion vs. Google Account Deletion
Deleting your YouTube channel does NOT delete your Google account. Your Gmail, Google Drive, Photos,...
All Videos Permanently Deleted
When you delete your channel, ALL your videos are permanently removed from YouTube and cannot be rec...
Comments Across YouTube Removed
All comments you've made on other people's videos across YouTube are permanently deleted. Your comme...

Last Updated

November 8, 2025

YouTube Account Deletion

How We Verified This Guide

Quick Information

Official Resources

Additional Resources

Step-by-Step Guide

Access YouTube Studio

Navigate to Advanced Settings

Initiate Channel Deletion

Review and Confirm Channel Details

Complete Channel Deletion

Important Warnings

Channel Deletion vs. Google Account Deletion

All Videos Permanently Deleted

Comments Across YouTube Removed

Channel URL Permanently Retired

Monetization and Revenue Lost

Subscribers and Playlists Lost

Alternatives to Consider

Hide Your YouTube Channel Temporarily

Make All Videos Private or Unlisted

Download Your YouTube Data via Google Takeout

Frequently Asked Questions

References & Citations

Found incorrect information?

Quick Navigation

Related Guides

Critical Warnings

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