Whatever your reasoning, in order to delete a playlist on YouTube, simply follow the steps listed below to do so on either your PC or on the mobile app.
Table of Contents
How to delete a playlist on the YouTube website
- Open your preferred web browser and navigate to the YouTube website, if prompted, log-in
- From the YouTube homepage, in the left-hand sidebar where you’ll find the Library and History tabs (among others), click Show More, located beneath Liked Videos (to first reveal these options, you may need to click the hamburger menu icon at the top-left of the page)
- You should now see a list of your saved and created YouTube playlists, select the one you wish to delete
- You will be navigated to your playlist, and be given various editing options. To delete your playlist, click the three horizontal grey dots, located beneath the name of your playlist
- From the drop-down menu, select Delete Playlist
- You will be prompted to confirm the deletion of the selected playlist. Before you confirm by clicking Delete, take a moment to make sure you really do want to delete your playlist. The choice is irreversible
- You have successfully deleted your YouTube playlist
Note: If you cannot find the YouTube playlist you wish to delete from the homepage sidebar (once you’ve clicked Show More, then click on Library instead. From there, scroll down to the Playlists section, where you’ll find your full range of playlists. Below the name of the playlist, click VIEW FULL PLAYLIST and then return to step 4 above, and continue to step 7 to successfully delete your playlist.
How to delete a playlist on the YouTube mobile app
- Open up the YouTube mobile app on your mobile or tablet device, and if prompted, log-in
- Tap the Library icon in the very bottom-right of the screen
- Scroll down to the Playlists section and locate the playlist you wish to delete, tap on it
- Next, tap the three vertical black dots in the uppermost-right corner
- From the drop-down menu, select Delete Playlist
- You will be asked once more if you really do wish to delete your playlist, if you are absolutely certain, tap Delete to confirm the deletion
- You have successfully deleted your YouTube playlist
Note: If the playlist you wish to ‘delete’ is not your own, then you will of course not be able to ‘delete’ it. Still, you can choose to remove it from your library, so that it no longer shows up in your list of YouTube playlists. To do so, repeat steps 1-3 (of either PC or app tutorial), and then below the name of the playlist, click the icon with the three horizontal grey bars and the tick, which when you hover over it says ‘Remove playlist from library’ (or, if on the mobile app, tap the black ticked box). This will remove the selected playlist from your YouTube library. You can re-add it at a later date if you change your mind.
And there you have it! In just a few simple steps, you can clean up your YouTube Library by deleting the playlists you no longer use or have otherwise no need for. Happy watching!
Frequently asked questions
What is YouTube and why would I need YouTube playlists?
YouTube is one of the world’s most popular sites (and apps), with over 30 million unique users visiting the site every day. It is a hub of creation, entertainment, and business, and the go-to when you have a clip in mind, but you’re not sure where you first saw it, or exactly what it’s called.
With an absolutely staggering number of videos on the website, it’s simply pragmatic to find user-created playlists which contain videos to your liking. Similarly, creating your own playlists, as you might with your music on Spotify, for example, is an excellent way of keeping track of your favorite videos, arranging them by theme, and ensuring that you know exactly where and how to find that specific video you wanted to show your friend, the next time you see them.
Why would I want or need to delete a YouTube playlist?
However, as with all such mediums, you may well find yourself bogged down by an unwieldy number of playlists. Perhaps you’ve outgrown your playlists, and wish to start afresh, or have created two playlists which are almost identical, and having combined them, wish to delete the original.
