YouTube does not put every playlist delete control in the same place. A playlist you created, a saved playlist, a YouTube Music playlist, and Watch Later all use different controls. Start with the regular YouTube method, then move to the section that matches where the playlist lives.
Delete a YouTube playlist from a computer
The most common reason the delete option is missing is that the playlist page is not open. On YouTube.com, open one of your own playlists.
Click More, select Delete playlist, then confirm by selecting Delete. This works for playlists you own, not built-in playlists such as Uploads or Watch Later.
Remove a playlist in the YouTube app
Open the YouTube app on Android, iPhone, or iPad and tap your profile picture. Under Playlists, tap the playlist you want to remove.
On Android, tap More on the playlist, tap Delete playlist, then tap DELETE. On iPhone or iPad, tap Delete, then select DELETE. Use the account that owns the playlist before you start.
Clear a saved playlist from your Library
A saved playlist is not yours to delete from YouTube. Removing it only clears it from your Library. On a computer, go to the playlist you want to remove and click Remove in the playlist box.
On iPhone, iPad, or the YouTube mobile site, the remove control is tied to the playlist's saved state. In the YouTube app, open a video that belongs to the playlist, tap More, tap Save, then tap the check mark to remove it from your Library. On the mobile site, tap More, tap Add, then tap Add again to remove the saved playlist.
Use YouTube Studio for creator playlists
This fixes creator or channel playlists that you manage through YouTube Studio. On a computer, sign in to YouTube Studio. In the left Menu, select Content.
Open the Playlists tab. Hover over the playlist description and click Menu, then select Edit on YouTube.
On the playlist page that opens, click More, then choose Delete playlist. Confirm with Delete.
Delete creator playlists in the Studio app
The most common snag in the YouTube Studio app is looking at videos instead of the playlist tab. Open the YouTube Studio app on Android, iPhone, or iPad. From the bottom Menu, tap Content.
Tap the Playlists tab. Select Options next to the playlist you want to delete, then tap Edit.
Tap Delete, then confirm with Delete. Supervised accounts do not always get this Studio app feature.
Delete YouTube Music playlists
Use this method when the playlist was created in YouTube Music. YouTube Music playlists show in both YouTube Music and YouTube, so deleting one changes what appears in both places.
On YouTube Music web, find the playlist in your Library or select it from the side bar. Choose More, then select Delete playlist.
In the YouTube Music app for Android, iPhone, or iPad, find the playlist in your Library, tap More, then tap Delete. For a Taste Match playlist that you own, open the playlist page, tap the Menu icon, and select Delete playlist for everyone.
Empty Watch Later instead
YouTube does not treat Watch Later like a normal playlist with a delete button. The supported action is removing videos from it.
On a computer, open the Guide, click You, then open Watch Later. Under the video you want to remove, click More, then click Remove from Watch later.
In the YouTube app on Android, iPhone, or iPad, tap your profile picture to find the You tab. Under Playlists, select Watch later, tap More next to the video, then tap Remove from Watch later.
Remove every playlist by deleting the channel
The most common mistake here is deleting the whole channel just to clean up a few playlists. YouTube's channel removal option deletes the channel's content, including videos, comments, messages, playlists, and history. This option is available on a computer only.
To use it, sign in to YouTube Studio, then select Settings. Choose Channel, then open Advanced Settings.
At the bottom, select Remove YouTube Content, then choose I want to permanently delete my content. Select the confirmation boxes, then select Delete my content.
Delete playlists with the YouTube Data API
The YouTube Data API is for scripts, companion apps, integrations, and content partner workflows. The app or script must be authorized for the playlist owner with https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtube, https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtube.force-ssl, or https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtubepartner.
Send DELETE to https://www.googleapis.com/youtube/v3/playlists with the playlist id query parameter, and send no request body. A successful deletion returns HTTP 204 No Content.
For a YouTube content owner, authorize with a linked YouTube CMS account and include onBehalfOfContentOwner set to the content owner. This does not work for specified playlists such as the uploaded videos playlist.
If the request fails, read the error before you switch interfaces. A 403 playlistForbidden means the operation is forbidden or the request lacks proper authorization, a 404 playlistNotFound means no playlist matches the id you sent, and a 400 playlistOperationUnsupported means the API does not support deleting that playlist type.
When the playlist is a deletable one owned by the signed-in account, delete it from its YouTube playlist page or from YouTube Studio instead. The other errors have to be fixed in the request itself, because changing interfaces does not make a protected or missing playlist deletable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I delete a YouTube playlist I did not create?
No. You can remove a saved playlist from your Library, but deleting the playlist itself requires ownership of that playlist.
Why do I not see Delete playlist on Watch Later?
Watch Later is a built-in collection. YouTube supports removing videos from Watch Later, not deleting the Watch Later collection itself.
Does deleting a YouTube Music playlist also affect YouTube?
Yes. YouTube Music playlists show in both YouTube Music and YouTube, so deleting one changes what appears in both services.
Can I delete playlists from YouTube Studio on my phone?
Yes, for creator playlists. Open the YouTube Studio app, go to Content, open the Playlists tab, choose Options, then Edit and Delete.