How to Delete a YouTube Short (App and Computer)

Maybe the hook fell flat, the audio's wrong, or you've rebranded and an old Short no longer fits. Whatever the reason, a Short that doesn't represent you is worth taking down. Before you do, though, there's one thing to understand: YouTube says deleting is permanent.

YouTube's help pages don't have a separate Short-only deletion process. A Short is an uploaded video, so you delete it with the same steps as any video. Below you'll find each device in turn, plus the side effects people forget about.

Deleting a YouTube Short from a computer

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. Open Content from the left menu.
3. Hover over the Short and open its options.
4. Choose Delete forever.
5. Tick the box confirming you understand the video will be permanently deleted.
6. Click DELETE FOREVER.

If you can't see the Short in the list, check you're on the Shorts tab of the Content page, or search by its title. Menus vary by version, so use whichever filter your Studio shows.

Deleting a YouTube Short in the Android app

1. Open the YouTube app and sign in.
2. Tap your profile picture, then open Your videos.
3. Next to the Short, tap More, then Delete.
4. Confirm by tapping Delete.

Deleting a YouTube Short on an iPhone or iPad

1. Log in to your YouTube account.
2. Tap your profile picture, then Your videos.
3. Beside the Short, tap More and choose Delete.
4. Tap Delete again to confirm.

What happens when you delete a YouTube Short

The help page is blunt: when you delete a video, it's permanently deleted, and it advises making sure you have a backup if you might want to see it again. I'd take that seriously, because I haven't found any way described in the help centre to restore one.

• The Short is no longer searchable on YouTube, and the removal process begins immediately.
• Watch time and other data still count toward aggregate reports, but aren't attributed to the deleted Short.
• Anything you want to keep, such as the footage or the caption text, needs saving before you delete.

Deleting a YouTube Short that other people have remixed

This is the part most guides miss. YouTube lets others make Shorts from your video or its audio, and deleting the original has knock-on effects. The help page says:

• Audio remixes are muted, set to Unlisted and scheduled for deletion in 30 days after the original creator deletes their work or limits remixing from it.
• Video remixes are deleted after the original creator deletes their video or restricts its use.

Creators are emailed when this happens, and can download their video without the remixed audio and re-upload it with a different soundtrack. So if a Short of yours has been widely reused, think about the people building on it before you delete.

Turning off remixing instead of deleting a YouTube Short

If your worry is people reusing the Short, deleting isn't your only choice. Shorts are opted in to remixing by default, and you can opt out:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. Click Content.
3. Click the Short's title or thumbnail.
4. Click Show more.
5. Find Shorts remixing and choose whether to allow it.
6. Click Save.

Be careful, though. YouTube's remix page says remixes are also affected if you limit remixing, so the same clean-up applies.

Before you delete a YouTube Short: a quick checklist

• Keep the original footage somewhere safe, because the deleted Short can't be brought back.
• Copy the title and description if you may reuse the wording.
• Note any links you shared to the Short on social profiles, newsletters or your website, since they'll stop working.
• Check whether other creators have used your sound or video, as explained above.

Business owners should look at that third point twice. A dead link in a pinned post or an email footer looks careless, and it's an easy fix if you catch it first.

Should you delete the YouTube Short, or fix it?

A Short with no views isn't always a failure of the content. Sometimes it just needs a day. If yours seems stuck, read my piece on why a Short's view count can stay at zero before you delete it. And if the problem is a long video rather than a Short, my guide to deleting a YouTube video or hiding it instead explains the gentler options.

Changing your mind about visibility is far easier than recovering a deleted upload. Setting a Short to private keeps the file in your content list while it's out of sight. I'd also keep the original footage on your phone or computer, since that's the only copy that survives.

If you can't delete the YouTube Short

1. Check you're signed in to the channel that owns the Short, since many people have more than one account.
2. Make sure you're looking at Your videos or the Content page, not the Shorts feed.
3. Update the app and try again.
4. If the Short was removed for a policy reason and has a strike, note that deleting it won't resolve the strike, according to YouTube's help centre.
5. Still stuck? Use the help or feedback option inside YouTube to tell the platform.

I keep every related walkthrough in the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How do I delete a YouTube Short?

Go to Your videos in the app, or Content in YouTube Studio, find the Short, choose Delete and confirm. A Short is deleted the same way as any video.

Can I get a deleted YouTube Short back?

YouTube's help says a deleted video is permanently deleted and advises keeping a backup. It doesn't describe a way to restore one.

What happens to remixes of my Short if I delete it?

Audio remixes are muted, set to Unlisted and scheduled for deletion in 30 days. Video remixes are deleted.

Can I stop people remixing my Short instead?

Yes. In YouTube Studio, open the Short from Content, click Show more, find Shorts remixing and choose whether to allow it, then Save.

Does deleting a Short remove a copyright strike?

No. YouTube's help page says deleting a video with a strike won't resolve the strike.