Quick answer
In YouTube Studio, go to Settings > Channel > Advanced settings, and at the bottom choose to remove YouTube content. You may need to sign in again. Then choose hide my channel (you can re-enable it later) or permanently delete my content (it can’t be undone), tick the boxes, and confirm. YouTube says deleting may take some time, and thumbnails can still show briefly. Deleting the channel doesn’t delete your Google Account, but deleting the Google Account that owns the channel deletes the channel too.
Does this match what you see?
- You want to stop using YouTube without losing your videos.
- You want your channel and all its content gone.
- Your channel was hidden and you want it back.
Computer (browser)
Based on YouTube’s Delete or hide your YouTube channel page, read directly from support.google.com. The steps are in YouTube Studio. YouTube says you can’t currently delete a channel on mobile devices.
Why this happens: the possible causes
The difference between hiding and deleting, according to YouTube.
| Hide | Delete | |
|---|---|---|
| Lasts | Until you re-enable it | Permanent |
| Channel name, videos, likes, subscriptions, subscribers | Made private | — |
| Videos, comments, messages, playlists, history | — | Deleted |
| Google Account | — | Not deleted |
- Hiding is temporaryCheck this first
YouTube says hiding makes your channel name, videos, likes, subscriptions and subscribers private, and you can re-enable the channel.
- Deleting is permanentCheck this first
YouTube says deleting permanently removes your videos, comments, messages, playlists and history.
Try these 60-second checks first
- Not sure? Hide instead of deleting: YouTube says you can re-enable a hidden channel.
How to fix it, step by step
Work through these in order. They start with the quickest, safest checks and only move to steps that sign you out or remove data later.
Fix 1: Hide your channel (temporary)
YouTube says hiding keeps your channel recoverable while making its content private.
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Go to Settings > Channel > Advanced settings.
- At the bottom, choose to remove YouTube content. You may need to sign in again.
- Choose to hide your channel, tick the boxes to confirm what will be hidden, and confirm.
YouTube says your channel name, videos, likes, subscriptions and subscribers become private, and view counts may be inaccurate while it’s hidden.
Did it work? Your channel page no longer shows your videos to others.
Did Fix 1 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 1. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Fix 2: Delete your channel (permanent)
YouTube says deleting permanently removes your content.
- Sign in to YouTube Studio and go to Settings > Channel > Advanced settings.
- At the bottom, choose to remove YouTube content, signing in again if asked.
- Choose to permanently delete your content.
- Tick the boxes to confirm, then confirm the deletion.
YouTube says this deletes your videos, comments, messages, playlists and history, and removes the channel’s URL and name from YouTube Analytics. Deletion may take some time, and video thumbnails may still appear for a short while.
Did it work? Your channel URL no longer shows the channel.
Did Fix 2 solve it?
Great, you fixed it with Fix 2. Tell us it worked, or bookmark this page in case it happens again.
Bring back a hidden channel
YouTube says you can re-enable a hidden channel later. After you do, view counts can take up to a week to update.
Channel vs Google Account
YouTube says these steps only delete your YouTube channel, not your Google Account. But if you delete the Google Account that is the channel’s primary owner, the channel is deleted too.
Our note: deleting your Google Account also affects Gmail, Drive and other Google services. Check carefully before you do it.
How to know it worked
- Your channel is hidden or deleted, and your Google Account still works.
Still not working? Your next steps
- Want to hide only your handle? YouTube says that’s done by hiding or deleting the channel. See Change your channel name or handle.
- Leaving Facebook or Instagram too? See Facebook or Instagram.
Official help routes
SocialAppFix can’t see or change your account. For account decisions, recovery and appeals, only the platform’s own tools can help. These links go to the official sites.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between hiding and deleting a YouTube channel?
YouTube says hiding is temporary and makes your content private; deleting permanently removes your videos, comments, messages, playlists and history.
Can I recover a deleted YouTube channel?
YouTube’s page doesn’t offer a way to undo a deletion. You can re-enable a hidden channel.
Does deleting my YouTube channel delete my Google Account?
No. YouTube says it only deletes the channel. Deleting the Google Account that owns the channel does delete the channel.
How long does it take to delete a YouTube channel?
YouTube says it may take some time, and thumbnails may still show briefly.
Did this solve your problem?
Your answer stays in your browser — nothing is sent or stored. The “tell us” link opens your own email app.
Out of date or didn’t work? Email us — never include passwords or codes.
Sources and how we checked this guide
We base steps on the platforms’ own help pages and the phone makers’ official guides. Menu names change often and can differ by device, app version and region. Where a platform page could not be independently read, we link it so you can check the current wording yourself.
Last reviewed 28 October 2026 by the SocialAppFix editorial team against the sources above. Next scheduled review: 28 April 2027. How we write and review guides.
What changed
- 28 October 2026: First published.
SocialAppFix is an independent guide and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Google or YouTube. We never ask for passwords, login codes or payment to fix an account.