How to Delete a YouTube Channel (or Hide It Instead)

Deleting a YouTube channel is final, so it's worth pausing for two minutes before you click anything. I've seen business owners remove an old channel in a tidy-up and lose videos that were still embedded on their website. YouTube gives you a gentler option too, hiding the channel, and for most people that's the safer first move. Here's how both work, according to YouTube's own help centre.

Hide or delete your YouTube channel: the difference

	Hide the channel	Delete the content
Can you undo it?	Yes, you can turn the channel back on later	No, it's permanent
What happens to videos?	They become private	They're permanently removed
Other things affected	Your channel name, likes, the channels you follow and your subscribers become private	Comments, messages, playlists and history are removed too
Your Google Account	Stays as it was	Stays as it was

YouTube's help page is clear that deleting the channel doesn't delete your Google Account, so your Gmail, Drive and other Google services carry on as normal.

Should you hide or delete your YouTube channel?

My honest view: hide first, delete later if you still want to. Hiding gets the channel out of sight straight away, which is usually what people want when a channel feels out of date or embarrassing. If you change your mind in a month, you can bring it back. Deleting only makes sense when you're sure nothing on the channel is useful to you or your business any more, or when you want the content gone for privacy reasons. For a business, an old channel can still carry videos that customers find in search, so think about whether a refresh would serve you better than removing it.

Steps to delete a YouTube channel on a computer

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. In the left sidebar, select Settings.
3. Select Channel, then Advanced settings.
4. At the bottom, select Remove YouTube Content. You may be asked to sign in again.
5. Select I want to permanently delete my content.
6. Tick the boxes to confirm you understand what will be removed.
7. Select Delete my content.

Steps to hide a YouTube channel instead

Follow the same route to Remove YouTube Content, then:

1. Select I want to hide my channel.
2. Tick the confirmation boxes.
3. Select Hide my channel.

YouTube's help centre says that when you turn a hidden channel back on, it can take up to a week for counts to update, and view counts may look inaccurate while it's hidden.

Can you delete a YouTube channel on your phone?

No. YouTube's help page says you can't currently delete a channel on a mobile device. If you're only on a phone, open YouTube Studio in your phone's browser, request the desktop site, and follow the computer steps. Or wait until you can get to a laptop, which I'd recommend anyway for something this permanent.

What happens after you delete a YouTube channel

• YouTube's help page says deletion can take some time, and you may still see video thumbnails on the site for a short while.
• Your channel's URL and name stop being visible or searchable in YouTube Analytics.
• Watch time from the channel still counts in aggregate reports, but it isn't attributed to the deleted channel.
• Any videos you've embedded on your website or shared in emails will stop playing.
• Your Google Account stays, unless you delete that separately. YouTube's help page notes that deleting the primary owner's Google Account does delete the channel.

Before you delete a business YouTube channel

If the channel belongs to your business, run through this quick list first:

1. Save a copy of anything you want to keep, such as your original video files, before you start.
2. Check your website, email templates and old blog posts for embedded videos.
3. Tell your team, and any agency or VA who manages the channel.
4. Consider handing it over rather than deleting it. If someone else will run it, my guide on moving a YouTube channel to a different email walks through that.
5. Ask yourself whether hiding it would do the job for now.

If what you're after is a fresh start rather than no channel at all, you can delete or hide the old one and then follow my guide on creating a new YouTube channel from scratch. And if you only want to clear what you've been watching or searching, you don't need to touch the channel: clearing your YouTube search history is a much smaller job.

If you can't delete your YouTube channel

• Make sure you're signed in to the right channel. If you manage several, click your profile picture and switch to the one you want to remove.
• Check you're the owner. Managers and editors on a Brand Account may not see the Remove YouTube Content option.
• Use a computer. The option isn't available in the mobile apps, according to YouTube's help centre.
• Be ready to sign in again. YouTube may ask you to confirm your password before it shows the delete options.
• Give it time. Deletion isn't instant, and old thumbnails can linger for a short while.

For the rest of the series, see the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

Is deleting a YouTube channel permanent?

Yes. YouTube's help page says deleting removes your videos, comments, messages, playlists and history permanently. Hiding the channel is the option you can undo.

Will deleting my YouTube channel delete my Google Account?

No. YouTube's help centre says deleting the channel doesn't delete your Google Account.

Can I delete a YouTube channel from the app?

No. YouTube's help page says you can't currently delete a channel on mobile devices. Use a computer, or your phone's browser in desktop mode.

How long does it take to delete a YouTube channel?

YouTube's help page says deletion can take some time, and video thumbnails may still appear on the site for a short while.

Can I get a hidden YouTube channel back?

Yes. You can turn a hidden channel back on. YouTube says counts can take up to a week to update afterwards.