Guide
How to Delete a YouTube Channel: Hide It or Remove It
You can delete a YouTube channel for good, or hide it and bring it back later. They are different steps in the same place in YouTube Studio, and deleting cannot be undone. This guide shows both and what each removes.
Choose hide or delete first
Hiding makes your channel name, videos, likes, subscriptions and subscribers private. You can turn it back on, though counts may take a while to update. Deleting removes your content for good.
If you only want a break, hide it. If you are sure, delete it.
Steps to delete a YouTube channel
Open YouTube Studio on a computer and choose Settings, then Channel, then Advanced settings. Under Remove YouTube content, choose the option to permanently delete your content and follow the prompts. YouTube asks you to confirm.
The process may take a little time to finish. Menus move, so check YouTube's help page if yours looks different.
What is removed, and what stays
Deleting removes your videos, comments, messages, playlists and history on the channel. Your Google account is not deleted, so your email and other Google services stay as they are.
Before you delete a channel
Download copies of your videos from YouTube Studio or your own files, and note any links on websites or in bios that point to the channel. If the channel earns money, check any pending payments first.
If a team manages the channel, tell them before you remove it.
Sources
Questions
How to delete a YouTube channel on a phone?
The deletion option sits in YouTube Studio's settings and is easiest on a computer, or in the mobile browser's desktop view. The phone app focuses on hiding and basic settings.
Can I recover a deleted channel?
Deleting is permanent, and YouTube says it cannot be recovered. Hiding is the reversible choice.
Does deleting my channel delete my Google account?
No. Your Google account stays, and you can create a new channel from it later.
How do I delete my YouTube channel for good?
In YouTube Studio, from the same place you would hide it: follow the steps above and choose delete only if you never want it back, because it cannot be undone.
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