Guide on How to Delete a YouTube Channel

🗑️ Why Should You Delete or Hide Your YouTube Channel?

Our digital signature can be quite vast. It can also seem like we have no control over what happens to any of the apps we sign up for. The good news is that we do have control and not everything has to be permanently online.
If you want to delete a YouTube channel, it is actually quite easy. And, if you aren’t quite ready to delete your YouTube channel, you can choose to hide it instead.
There are many reasons to delete YouTube channels. To begin with, you may not have any extra time to devote to creating content.
Furthermore, you might decide to create a new channel. If this is the case, you can remove YouTube content so that it isn’t confusing for people when they look for other channels under your user name.
Some people may want to permanently delete their YouTube content because they are embarrassed about it. This is especially true if you created your content when you were younger.
Maybe you thought you would be the next YouTube sensation but found your ad revenue was pennies instead of millions.
No matter what your reasons are, just know that you are not alone. Many people choose to delete content from YouTube. As a result, the deletion process is fairly easy. In no time at all, you can get rid of all your content and delete your channel.

📌 How to Permanently Delete a YouTube Channel?

While the decision to delete your content permanently should not be taken lightly, it is possible and in fact, very easy to delete your YouTube channel.
This makes a lot of sense. There are over 1 billion people around the world who have YouTube accounts and millions of YouTube channels. The idea that somebody may want to delete their channel has certainly come up many times, so you are not alone.
Before you begin though, you need to fully understand that it doesn’t work if you just delete the YouTube app. In fact, deleting the app means you lose access to your settings, including the ability to delete your channel.
Instead, you need to follow certain steps to get rid of your content. This can be performed on a desktop browser or the app. We’ll even go over how to delete YouTube channel on phone.
Another consideration is that you also can’t just delete your Google account. Again, this will not delete your video content. Furthermore, you will lose access to your Google services and will have to start the whole process over again, which can take some time and be quite frustrating.

First Steps Before Deleting

Above all else, you need to be completely sure you want to delete all your videos. When you delete your YouTube channel, all of your content is also gone, which can entail a lot of hard work.
Furthermore, you will lose access to your YouTube channel name. If you have a lot of followers, all your hard work promoting your brand can be gone.
As long as you are sure about this, then you can begin the simple process. Those that have multiple channels should double-check everything as you don’t want to make the mistake of deleting the wrong channel.
Once you are completely sure about embarking on this action and you have selected the right channel, then you can follow the easy steps.

A Step-by-step Guide

First, sign into your YouTube Studio account. This is the hub for all your content.
Along the left sidebar, you should see an area entitled Channel Settings. Select it and then scroll through the drop-down menu to Channel Advanced Settings.
At the bottom of this section should be an area that says Remove YouTube Content.
From there, you can click to permanently delete my content. A set of boxes will be under this and you can then confirm your selection.
Finally, select Delete My Content.

Is The Process the Same on Your Mobile Device and Your Desktop Version?

Whether you want to have account access from your mobile or your computer, the steps to take are relatively the same.
Simply start by looking at the upper right corner of either device. There you will see the Settings icon. From there, follow the standard steps and your channel will be permanently deleted.
Most people find it slightly easier to navigate these steps from your desktop. After all, for such a momentous decision, you don’t want to leave anything to chance, including accidentally bumping your phone.
However, YouTube, like all applications, is app-based, so the process is still simple, even from your mobile device.

Will You Lose Access to YouTube Studio?

No, you will not lose access to YouTube Studio if you delete your channel.
In order to access the studio, you need a YouTube account. As long as you have your account, you will have access to the tool portal. This will allow you to create a new channel if you want to in the future.
If you do delete your YouTube account, you will lose access. However, all you need to do is create a new account in the future to be able to access the tools again.

🔍 What’s Better: Delete or Hide your YouTube Account?

Deleting your YouTube channel is pretty drastic. While there may be a chance to recover the account itself, all your important videos will be gone.
Instead of going to this extreme, there is the option to hide YouTube channel. When you hide content, you keep the videos but nobody else will be able to see them.
The benefit of hiding a YouTube channel versus when you delete a YouTube channel is that you can try out your decision. Then, at a later date, you can decide whether to unhide the content or permanently delete it.
It is especially wise to merely hide your channel if you have been getting revenue from your videos. Even if your revenue is not as much as it once was, passive income is always the goal of getting ahead.
In order to hide your YouTube channel select this option through the settings section. It will be in the same area as deleting your account.
After you hide your YouTube account from public access, take some time to think about your decision. This should be more than just a few hours. Go over the pros and cons of your decision. Maybe even talk to a friend.
After a few days or even weeks, then you can make your final decision. And, if you’re still not sure, you can simply keep your YouTube channel and all your videos hidden for as long as you need.

💔 Can You Recover a Deleted YouTube Channel?

Yes, you can recover your deleted YouTube channel, but only if it is linked to a brand account. Unfortunately, this means that most people won’t qualify for recovery.
A brand account means your Google account is linked to a specific business. In essence, if you build a business, you have access to other services, such as a brand account. If you’re not sure if you have this, it applies to people who have a business and usually have multiple people who manage their Google account, including a YouTube channel.
For those who simply have a personal YouTube channel, deleting it is a permanent action.
Those who have a brand account can easily recover their channel. To do so, head to the Google Brand Accounts from your internet browser. YouTube was bought by Google in 2006, so all these accounts are linked.
From this account section, navigate to the part that says Deleted Accounts. There will then be a restore icon that you can click.
After clicking, simply wait a few hours for the process to be completed. If you don’t see any changes after a few days, you can contact customer support to resolve the issue further.

⚖️ Is There a Difference Between Deleting a YouTube Channel and a YouTube Account?

There is a very big difference between deleting your YouTube channel versus deleting your account.
To begin with, simply deleting your account will not delete your channel or the videos associated with it. Those will continue to exist, even though the account associated with it has been deleted.
Furthermore, most people want to retain all the other services that exist within a YouTube account. This can include saved videos and even paid subscriptions. If you think you will want to watch YouTube videos in the future, then don’t delete your account. Otherwise, you will lose your history, your favorites, and all your settings.

✅ Conclusion

Looking for a fresh start with your online footprint? While you may have put a lot of hard work and effort into your YouTube channel, it may be time to move on. Permanent deletion of your YouTube channel should not be taken lightly. However, if you feel like you are making the right decision, the steps to follow are quite simple.
If you have a brand account, there is the option to recover your deleted channel. However, if it is just a personal account, then the channel and all your videos will be permanently deleted. At the end of the day, if you are comfortable with your decision, you can go ahead and delete whatever you want from the internet.