YouTube career not taking off? Here is how to delete your YouTube channel

Did you decide your dreams of YouTube stardom aren’t quite panning out? Maybe the catalog of videos on your channel haven’t garnered enough views and subscribers for you to quit your full-time job. Whether you simply want to put your channel on pause or shut it down completely, YouTube makes it fairly simple to do both. But you will need a computer, as YouTube doesn’t allow users to delete their channels on mobile devices.

You might want to consider the finality of deleting your YouTube channel as you weigh whether to delete or hide. You won’t be able to recover any of its contents and any subscriptions to YouTube TV or YouTube Premium associated with the channel will be canceled.

This file photo taken on October 12, 2021, shows the Youtube logo on a smartphone screen in Moscow, Russia. Google announced Tuesday that it's blocking the YouTube channels of Russian-state media outlets in Europe "effective immediately."
This file photo taken on October 12, 2021, shows the Youtube logo on a smartphone screen in Moscow, Russia. Google announced Tuesday that it's blocking the YouTube channels of Russian-state media outlets in Europe "effective immediately."

How to delete your YouTube channel

  1. Sign into YouTube Studio.

  2. Click the settings icon in the left sidebar.

  3. Click on “channel” and go to “Advanced settings.”

  4. Scroll down to the bottom and click on “Remove YouTube Content.” You may be asked to sign in again.

  5. Click “I want to permanently delete my account.”

  6. You will be asked to check two boxes, each explaining exactly what will be deleted.

  7. Click “delete my content.”

How to hide your YouTube Channel

To temporarily hide your channel or its content, follow the same steps and click "I want to hide my channel" at step five.

More YouTube tips

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How to delete your YouTube channel: An easy step-by-step guide