How to Delete a YouTube Playlist on Any Device (2026)

Playlists pile up faster than anyone admits. There's the one you made for a single workout, the half-finished list of client tutorials, and the collection of recipe videos you haven't opened in ages. I'm all for clearing them out, because a tidy channel is easier for you to use and easier for visitors to browse.

If you run a business channel, old playlists can also send viewers to videos that no longer reflect what you offer. Below are the exact routes YouTube's own help pages describe for computer, phone and the YouTube Studio app, plus what's left behind once a playlist is gone.

Deleting a YouTube playlist on a computer

The desktop site keeps this simple. You'll need to be signed in to the account that owns the playlist.

1. Go to youtube.com and open one of your playlists. Your playlists sit in your library and on your channel.
2. Click More (the three dots) on the playlist panel.
3. Select Delete playlist.
4. Confirm by selecting Delete.

There's no recycle bin for playlists, so check you've opened the right one before you confirm. The videos inside it aren't touched: only the list that groups them disappears.

Removing a YouTube playlist in the phone app

On iPhone and Android the route starts from your profile picture. YouTube's help page lists it like this:

1. Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture.
2. Under the Playlists section, tap the playlist you'd like to remove.
3. Tap More on the playlist (on Android this step sits before the delete option).
4. Tap Delete playlist, or Delete on iPhone.
5. Tap DELETE to confirm.

Menus vary a little by app version, so if the wording on your screen is slightly different, look for the three dots on the playlist's own page rather than on a single video.

Clearing out playlists from the YouTube Studio app

If you manage a channel, the YouTube Studio app is often quicker, especially when you're working through several lists at once.

1. Open the YouTube Studio app.
2. From the bottom menu, tap Content.
3. Open the Playlists tab.
4. Tap Options next to the playlist you'd like to delete.
5. Tap Edit, then tap Delete, then Delete again to confirm.

Studio is also where you'll see playlists you created for your channel rather than for your own viewing, so it's handy for a business clear-out.

What still shows after a YouTube playlist is deleted

Deleting a playlist isn't quite the same as making it vanish from every corner of YouTube. According to YouTube's help page:

• Your old playlist may continue to exist in viewers' watch histories.
• The playlist's URL and title will no longer be visible or searchable in YouTube Analytics.
• Watch time from that playlist still counts in your wider reports. It just isn't attributed to the deleted playlist any more.

That analytics point matters if you report on channel performance. Make a note of anything you'd like to keep from the playlist report before you delete, because you won't be able to search for it afterwards.

Deleting a YouTube playlist vs hiding it

Sometimes you don't need to delete at all. If you'd simply like a list out of public view, changing its privacy does the job and keeps everything in place. YouTube's help page says that if a playlist is private, only you can view it.

What you'd like	Best move
Never see the list again	Delete the playlist
Keep it for yourself	Set it to private
Share it with a few people only	Set it to unlisted and share the link
Remove one video from a list	Edit the playlist and remove that video

If you'd like to pass a list to friends or clients instead of hiding it, my guide to sharing a YouTube playlist walks through the link options.

Playlists you can't delete on YouTube

Some lists in your library aren't yours to remove. Watch Later and Liked videos are built into every account, so you'll clear videos out of them rather than delete the lists themselves. Playlists you've saved from other channels are a different case too: removing a saved list from your library doesn't delete it for its creator.

• Saved playlists from other people: open the list and remove it from your library.
• Watch Later and Liked videos: remove individual videos from them instead.
• A playlist made on a different channel you manage: switch to that channel first.

Tidying a business channel's YouTube playlists

For a small business, playlists act like the shelves in a shop. Too many half-empty ones and visitors leave. Before you delete, I'd ask three quick questions:

1. Does this list still match something you sell or teach?
2. Could two thin lists be merged into one stronger one?
3. Is a video in this list linked from your website or emails?

Deleting a list never deletes the videos in it. If you're clearing out old uploads as well, that's a separate job, and my walkthrough on deleting a YouTube video covers it. When you're ready to rebuild, here's how to make a new playlist on YouTube from scratch.

If the delete option for a YouTube playlist won't show

• You're signed in to the wrong account. Tap your profile picture and switch to the one that created the list.
• It's someone else's playlist you saved. You can only remove it from your library.
• It's Watch Later or Liked videos, which can't be deleted as lists.
• Your app is out of date. Update YouTube from your app store and try again.

If none of those fit, YouTube's help centre is the place to go next, since its team can see account details you can't.

Frequently asked questions

How do I delete a YouTube playlist?

On a computer, open the playlist, click More, select Delete playlist and confirm with Delete. In the app, tap your profile picture, open the playlist, tap More or Delete, then tap DELETE.

Does deleting a YouTube playlist delete the videos in it?

No. Deleting a playlist only removes the list. The videos stay on YouTube, and any of your own uploads stay on your channel.

Can people still see a playlist after I delete it?

YouTube's help page says your old playlist may continue to exist in viewers' watch histories, even though it's gone from your channel.

Can I get a deleted YouTube playlist back?

YouTube's help pages don't describe a way to restore a deleted playlist, so you'd need to rebuild it. Setting a list to private is safer if you're unsure.

Why can't I delete Watch Later on YouTube?

Watch Later and Liked videos are built into every account. You can remove videos from them, but you can't delete the lists themselves.