How to remove a YouTube video
There are four ways to get a YouTube video removed: a privacy complaint, a Community Guidelines report, a copyright notice and a legal complaint; picking the right one decides the outcome.
Which route when
- Privacy complaint: your face, name, voice or personal details appear without consent. YouTube typically gives the uploader 48 hours to edit or remove the video before it reviews the case itself.
- Community Guidelines report: harassment, hate, violence or misleading content, via "Report" under the video.
- Copyright notice: your footage, music or content is used without permission. A valid notice removes the video and gives the channel a strike.
- Legal complaint: defamation, personality rights or a court order, through YouTube's country-specific legal forms.
Step by step
- Note the URL, channel, upload date and the timestamps that matter.
- Choose the form; you can use more than one route, but each needs its own grounds.
- In a privacy complaint, give the timestamps where you are identifiable.
- Report re-uploads and Shorts separately.
More detail in our YouTube removal guide.
Frequently asked questions
Will the Google thumbnail disappear too?
Usually within days; if not, use Google's Refresh outdated content tool.
Will the uploader see who complained?
In privacy complaints the uploader learns a complaint was made; in copyright notices your name and contact details can be passed on.