YouTube channel memberships allow fans to pay a monthly fee for exclusive perks from their favorite YouTubers, such as access to members-only videos, custom emojis and badges in comments and live chats, and more. It’s a great way for creators to monetize their channels and reward their most loyal viewers.
But what if you sign up to be a member of a channel, and later change your mind and want to cancel? Don’t worry – it’s easy to cancel a YouTube channel membership, though the steps vary slightly depending on how you originally signed up.
How To Cancel A YouTube Channel Membership on Desktop
If you subscribed to a channel’s membership program directly on the YouTube website, here’s how to cancel:
- Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships and log into your YouTube account if prompted.
- Under “Active memberships,” find the channel membership you want to cancel.
- Click “Manage membership” next to the channel name.
- Under “Membership status,” click the option for “Deactivate.”
- On the confirmation pop-up, click “End membership.”
And that’s it! Your membership will remain active until the renewal date, at which point it will automatically cancel and you’ll no longer be charged.
Note that you can only cancel YouTube channel memberships on the YouTube website if you originally subscribed directly on YouTube. If you subscribed through the App Store or Google Play Store, keep reading for instructions on how to cancel.
How To Cancel A YouTube Channel Membership on Mobile
The way you cancel a YouTube channel membership subscription on a mobile device depends on whether you have an iOS or Android phone. Here’s how to do it for each:
Cancel YouTube Channel Membership on iPhone or iPad
If you subscribed to a channel membership using your Apple ID on an iPhone or iPad, here’s how to cancel:
- Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
- Tap your name at the top of the screen, then tap “Subscriptions.”
- Under “Active,” find the membership you want to cancel.
- Tap the channel name, then tap “Cancel Subscription.”
- Confirm cancellation on the pop-up message.
Again, your membership access will continue until the renewal date when the subscription will automatically end. You can see your upcoming renewal date on this screen before cancelling.
Cancel YouTube Channel Membership on Android
To cancel a channel membership on an Android device:
- Open the Google Play Store app.
- Tap your profile icon in the upper-right corner.
- Tap “Payments & subscriptions.”
- Under “Subscriptions,” find the membership you want to cancel.
- Tap the channel name, then tap “Cancel subscription.”
- Confirm cancellation on the pop-up.
As on iOS devices, your subscription will remain active until it’s time to renew, at which point cancellation takes effect.
Why You May Want To Cancel a YouTube Channel Membership
Why might you want to cancel your membership for a YouTube channel that you previously supported? There are a few potential reasons:
- Channel direction changed – Over time, some YouTubers evolve the types of videos they make as their interests change. If the channel no longer makes the kind of content you originally enjoyed, you may no longer want to pay for membership perks.
- Perks decreased in value – YouTubers may change the nature of the exclusive content or other perks offered to members over time. If you no longer find membership worthwhile, you can cancel.
- Can’t financially justify – If you’re cutting back on expenses, an ongoing channel membership payment may no longer fit into your budget, making cancellation necessary.
- Found a better channel – You may discover another YouTuber you like even more and decide to support them instead with your money each month.
- Accidental signup – Some people accidentally sign up for a channel membership, like by clicking the wrong button. If this happens, promptly cancelling is the way to go.
No matter the reason, the process for cancellation is quick and easy on both desktop and mobile.
What Happens When You Cancel A YouTube Channel Membership
What exactly happens when you cancel a YouTube channel membership? Here’s what to expect:
- You’ll continue to have access to member-only perks until the renewal date when cancellation takes effect. So if you cancel mid-month, you can still enjoy the exclusive videos and other benefits through the end of the billing period.
- Any custom badges, emoji or loyalty badges you earned will disappear once cancellation is processed. These member-only perks go away.
- You’ll no longer be charged the monthly or annual fee for that channel membership. No additional money will come out of your payment method on file.
- Any recurring billing authorized against your payment method will be stopped.
- The cancellation takes effect instantly on the renewal date, unless you reactivate your membership before then.
- You’ll revert to being a regular channel subscriber without access to member content. To get that access back, you’d have to resubscribe.
So in summary, enjoy your remaining time as a member up until renewal, and then perks go away unless you pay to subscribe again. Easy as that!
Can You Reactivate A Cancelled YouTube Channel Membership?
Yes, if you cancel a YouTube channel membership but later change your mind, you can reactive it. To do so:
- On the YouTube website, go back to the Memberships page and find the channel. The “Join” button will be available again instead of “Manage membership.” Simply click it to resubscribe.
- On mobile, go back into your subscription management on your device and find the cancelled membership. Tap to re-enable it.
- If it’s been more than 60 days since you cancelled, you may have to submit payment details again when reactivating as the original data gets deleted.
- You’ll have to pay the membership fee immediately when you rejoin and wait for the new perks to kick in.
So if you got caught up in a cancellation but now regret it, just head back and resubscribe – no harm done. The creator will be glad to have you back! Just act quickly if you want to preserve loyalty perks.
YouTube Channel Membership Cancellation FAQs
Still have questions about cancelling a YouTube channel membership? Here are answers to some commonly asked questions:
Can I get a refund if I cancel YouTube channel membership?
Unfortunately YouTube does not offer membership refunds in most cases. The only exception is if you subscribed by accident without using any member perks. In that case, you can request a one-time refund by contacting YouTube support.
What happens to my member badges and emoji if I cancel and resubscribe later?
Any loyalty badges, custom emoji, badges in comments, etc. will disappear when you cancel. If you resubscribe later, you’ll start over from the beginning earning those perks.
Can I cancel an annual YouTube channel membership partway through the year?
Yes, you can cancel an annual membership before the year is up. You won’t get a partial refund – cancellation takes effect at the next billing cycle. So you may want to wait for the new year unless you’re sure.
What if I subscribed on one device and want to cancel on another?
You need to cancel using the same payment method you signed up with. So if you subscribed on an iPhone, you have to cancel on that iPhone or another iOS device logged into the same Apple ID.
Will I lose access to a video I downloaded if I cancel membership?
Downloaded members-only videos will remain on your device. But you won’t be able to download more exclusive videos once you cancel.
Can I give away my remaining channel membership time to someone else when I cancel?
No, a canceled or inactive YouTube membership cannot be transferred to another user. The perks end when your access does.
How To Cancel Other Paid YouTube Memberships
In addition to individual channel memberships, YouTube offers other paid membership programs you may want to cancel, including:
- YouTube Premium – This paid subscription gives you ad-free viewing, background play, YouTube Music and more. To cancel a YouTube Premium membership, go into YouTube Settings > Memberships & subscriptions.
- YouTube TV – This live TV streaming service can be cancelled by going into YouTube TV Settings > Membership > Cancel membership. You’ll have access until billing date.
The process for cancelling these other YouTube paid programs is very similar to cancelling a channel membership. Just access the membership management section in Settings.
Choose Memberships Wisely
YouTube channel memberships can be a great way to get exclusive perks from your favorite creators for a monthly fee. But make sure any memberships you buy are worth the costs for your budget. And don’t be afraid to cancel memberships if a channel’s direction changes or your interests move on. Just be aware of how the cancellation process works.
With the steps above, you can easily cancel a YouTube channel membership on desktop or mobile, stop recurring charges, and prevent automatic renewal. Be an informed consumer when it comes to signing up for and cancelling subscriptions.
