You can delete a YouTube playlist in two taps on your phone or three clicks on a computer

Deleting a playlist removes it from your channel entirely — subscribers who followed it will no longer see it, and the videos themselves stay on YouTube but are no longer grouped together. The process is the same whether you're using the YouTube app, YouTube Studio, or a web browser. You need to be signed into the account that owns the playlist.

The fastest route depends on where you are. If you're already watching your playlists, you can delete one directly from the list. If you're in YouTube Studio managing your channel, you'll go through the playlists section there. Either way, YouTube asks you to confirm before the deletion happens — you can undo it for a short time afterward if you change your mind.

Key Takeaways

  • On your phone, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, select "Your playlists", find the one you want to delete, tap the three-dot menu, and choose "Delete playlist".
  • On a computer, go to youtube.com, click your profile picture, select "Your channel", click the "Playlists" tab, find the playlist, click the three-dot menu next to it, and select "Delete playlist".
  • YouTube shows a confirmation message before the deletion is final, and you can undo the deletion for a limited time if you change your mind.
  • Deleting a playlist does not remove the videos from YouTube or from your channel — it only removes the grouping.
  • If the playlist is public or unlisted, anyone who saved it to their own account will still have their copy, but they won't receive updates when you add new videos.

Delete a playlist from the YouTube app on your phone

Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. A menu appears with several options. Tap "Your playlists" to see all the playlists you've created.

Find the playlist you want to delete and tap the three-dot menu icon next to its name. A small menu pops up with options including "Edit playlist" and "Delete playlist". Tap "Delete playlist". YouTube shows a confirmation message asking if you're sure. Tap "Delete" again to confirm, and the playlist is removed from your channel.

If you change your mind within a few minutes, you can undo the deletion. A notification appears at the bottom of the screen with an "Undo" button — tap it to restore the playlist.

Delete a playlist from YouTube on a computer

Go to youtube.com and click your profile picture in the top right corner. A dropdown menu appears. Click "Your channel" to go to your channel page.

On your channel page, click the "Playlists" tab near the top. This shows all the playlists you've created. Find the one you want to delete and hover your mouse over it. A three-dot menu icon appears in the corner of the playlist card. Click it to open a small menu with options including "Delete playlist".

Click "Delete playlist". YouTube shows a confirmation dialog asking if you're sure you want to delete it. Click the "Delete" button to confirm. The playlist is now removed from your channel. You can undo this action by clicking the "Undo" button that appears in a notification at the bottom of the screen, but only for a short time after deletion.

Delete a playlist from YouTube Studio

YouTube Studio is the management dashboard for your channel. Go to studio.youtube.com and sign in with your account. On the left sidebar, click "Content" and then "Playlists".

You'll see a list of all your playlists. Find the one you want to delete and click the three-dot menu icon on the right side of its row. A menu appears with options including "Delete". Click "Delete" and confirm when YouTube asks if you're sure.

This method works the same way as deleting from your channel page — the playlist is removed, and you can undo it for a short time if you change your mind.

What happens to videos when you delete a playlist

The videos in the playlist remain on your channel and on YouTube. Deleting a playlist only removes the grouping — it doesn't remove the individual videos. If the videos were private, they stay private. If they were public, they stay public. Nothing changes about the videos themselves.

If you had a public or unlisted playlist and someone else saved it to their own account, they will still have their copy of the playlist. However, they won't receive updates when you add new videos to your version, because the playlists are now separate. Their copy remains exactly as it was when they saved it.

Recover a deleted playlist

YouTube gives you a short window to undo a deletion. After you delete a playlist, a notification appears at the bottom of your screen with an "Undo" button. Click or tap it to restore the playlist. This window closes after a few minutes, so act quickly if you change your mind.

If the undo window has closed and you still want to recover the playlist, you cannot restore it through YouTube's interface. The playlist is permanently deleted. Your only option is to recreate it manually by adding the videos back to a new playlist with the same name.

Delete a playlist you don't own

You can only delete playlists that you created. If someone else created a playlist and shared it with you, or if you saved it to your own account, you cannot delete the original. You can remove it from your saved playlists by clicking the three-dot menu next to it and selecting "Remove from your playlists", but this only removes your copy — the original playlist remains on the creator's channel.

If you want to remove a public playlist from your account because you no longer want to see it, removing it from your saved playlists is the only option available to you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I delete a playlist if it has videos in it?

Yes. You can delete a playlist whether it's empty or full of videos. The videos themselves are not deleted — only the playlist grouping is removed. All the videos stay on your channel and on YouTube.

What if I delete a playlist by accident?

Look for the "Undo" button that appears in a notification at the bottom of your screen immediately after deletion. Click or tap it to restore the playlist. This button is only available for a few minutes after you delete, so act quickly if you notice the mistake.

Will people who subscribed to my playlist know it's deleted?

People who followed your playlist will no longer see it in their subscriptions. YouTube does not send them a notification that the playlist was deleted — it simply disappears from their list. If they try to visit the playlist directly, they'll see an error message saying it no longer exists.

Can I delete multiple playlists at once?

No. YouTube requires you to delete playlists one at a time. You must go through the three-dot menu and confirm the deletion for each playlist individually. There is no bulk delete option for multiple playlists.

Does deleting a playlist affect my watch history or recommendations?

No. Deleting a playlist does not change your watch history, your subscriptions, or the videos YouTube recommends to you. It only removes the playlist itself from your channel.