- Unsubscribe from a YouTube channel in the app
- Unsubscribing from YouTube channels on a computer
- Clearing out lots of YouTube channels you follow
- What changes after you unsubscribe on YouTube
- YouTube unsubscribe vs Not interested and Don't recommend channel
- Does unsubscribing on one YouTube device work everywhere?
- If YouTube channels keep resubscribing you
- A YouTube unsubscribe lesson for business channels
- Frequently asked questions
To unsubscribe from YouTube channels, open any video from the channel, tap or click Subscribed under the video player, then choose Unsubscribe. A message at the bottom confirms it. It works the same in the app and on a computer. If channels you left keep coming back, YouTube says a browser extension may be subscribing you.
Over the years, most of us subscribe to channels we stopped watching long ago. A quick clear-out makes your feed far more useful, and it's a two-tap job once you know where the button is. I'll show you how YouTube's help centre says to do it on a phone and a computer, what changes after you leave a channel, and what's going on if channels keep reappearing on their own. If you run a business channel, there's a lesson in here for you too.
Unsubscribe from a YouTube channel in the app
YouTube's help page gives these steps for Android, iPhone and iPad:
- Sign in to the YouTube app.
- Open any video from the channel you want to leave.
- Under the video player, tap Subscribed.
- Tap Unsubscribe.
A notification at the bottom of the screen confirms you've unsubscribed. Menus vary by app version, so if the button looks a little different on your phone, go for the nearest match.
Unsubscribing from YouTube channels on a computer
- Sign in to YouTube in your browser.
- Go to a video from the channel.
- Under the video player, click Subscribed.
- Click Unsubscribe.
Again, you'll see a confirmation at the bottom of the screen. If you've changed your mind, click Subscribe to rejoin straight away.
Clearing out lots of YouTube channels you follow
YouTube's help page doesn't offer a select-all or bulk unsubscribe option, so you'll be working through channels one at a time. I'd make it quick by deciding on a rule first, such as leaving any channel you haven't watched in months, then working through the list of channels you follow in one sitting.
If a channel is fine but its uploads crowd your Home feed, you don't have to leave it. You can stay subscribed and change its notifications, or use Don't recommend channel on a video's More menu for channels you aren't subscribed to.
What changes after you unsubscribe on YouTube
- New uploads from that channel stop arriving with the channels you follow.
- You won't get notifications from it, unless something else is subscribing you (see below).
- If you subscribe again later, YouTube's help centre says your notification settings for that channel are reset, so set the bell again if you want alerts.
YouTube's help page doesn't say that creators are told who unsubscribed, so there's no need to worry about an awkward notification.
| YouTube option | What happens | Best when |
|---|---|---|
| Unsubscribe | You stop following the channel | You've lost interest in it |
| Change notifications | You stay subscribed with fewer alerts | You like it but it's noisy |
| Don't recommend channel | YouTube stops suggesting that creator | It's not one you follow |
YouTube unsubscribe vs Not interested and Don't recommend channel
Unsubscribing only deals with channels you follow. If your feed is full of channels you never subscribed to, leaving them won't help, because you weren't following them in the first place. YouTube's help page on recommendations describes two other tools for that. Not interested, from the More menu next to a video, tells YouTube you don't want that kind of video. Don't recommend channel stops suggestions from one creator altogether.
YouTube also says you can undo either of these later. Go to My Activity, open Other activity and delete the feedback entry. That's reassuring if you get a little carried away during a clear-out.
Does unsubscribing on one YouTube device work everywhere?
The channels you follow are tied to your Google Account rather than to one phone or browser, so leaving a channel while you're signed in should carry across wherever you use that account. If a channel still shows up on your TV or a family tablet, check which account that device is signed in to. It may be someone else's, or a second channel you manage.
If YouTube channels keep resubscribing you
This one's worth checking. YouTube's help centre says that if you're getting notifications from channels you didn't subscribe to, or from channels you've left, a browser extension may be subscribing you without your permission. It also says some extensions can unsubscribe you from channels.
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- Open your browser's extensions page.
- Remove any extension you don't recognise or didn't install on purpose.
- Go back to YouTube and unsubscribe from the unwanted channels again.
If YouTube itself is misbehaving rather than an extension, my guide on why YouTube isn't working covers the common fixes.
A YouTube unsubscribe lesson for business channels
Seeing this from the other side helps. People leave channels for all sorts of reasons: they've learned what they came for, their interests have moved on, or they're simply tidying up their feed like you are. It rarely means a creator did something wrong. Every channel loses subscribers now and then, and that's normal. If you run one for your business, it's more useful to watch the overall trend than to worry about a single unsubscribe. My guide on seeing your subscribers on YouTube explains where to look. And if Shorts are what's cluttering your own viewing, here's what YouTube lets you do about Shorts.
I keep every related walkthrough in the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I unsubscribe from a YouTube channel?
Open any video from the channel, tap or click Subscribed under the video player, then choose Unsubscribe.
Can I unsubscribe from all YouTube channels at once?
YouTube's help centre doesn't describe a bulk option, so you'll need to unsubscribe from channels one at a time.
Does a YouTube channel know when I unsubscribe?
YouTube's help page doesn't say that creators are told who unsubscribed.
Why do YouTube channels I left keep coming back?
YouTube says a browser extension may be subscribing you without permission. Remove any extension you don't recognise, then unsubscribe again.
How do I stop YouTube recommending a channel I don't follow?
Open the More menu next to one of its videos on Home or Watch Next and choose Don't recommend channel.
What happens to notifications if I resubscribe?
YouTube's help centre says your notification settings for that channel are reset when you subscribe again.
