YouTube Premium: cancel, pause or downgrade?
Cancelling isn't always the only choice. Here is what each option does to your account, from YouTube Premium's own help pages. Applies in: All countries the help pages cover.
Official sources reviewed . How we review sources
| Topic | Cancel Available | Pause Depends on your plan | Downgrade Depends on your plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it does | Cancel from youtube.com/paid_memberships. If you joined from the YouTube iOS app, cancel from your Apple account. If you signed up through Google Play billing, follow YouTube's separate steps for cancelling through Google Play. | Pause a paid membership for 1 to 6 months from youtube.com/paid_memberships. Annual plans can't be paused, and pausing is not available if you are billed through Apple. | Premium Lite is a membership with fewer features than Premium, offered only in the locations YouTube lists. The help pages checked do not explain how to switch from Premium to Premium Lite. |
| What you keep | Not stated |
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| What stops or goes |
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| Billing | Benefits continue until the end of the billing period. You won't be charged again unless you re-subscribe. | The pause starts after the end of your current billing cycle. You are not charged while your membership is paused. | Not stated |
| Coming back | Not stated | Resume from youtube.com/paid_memberships at any time before your scheduled resume date. You can also cancel while paused. | Not stated |
| Source | Cancel YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium - Computer - YouTube HelpGoogle (YouTube Help). Reviewed | Pause or resume YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium - Computer - YouTube HelpGoogle (YouTube Help). Reviewed | Get a Premium Lite membership on YouTube - YouTube HelpGoogle (YouTube Help). Reviewed |
Cancel
Available- What it does
- Cancel from youtube.com/paid_memberships. If you joined from the YouTube iOS app, cancel from your Apple account. If you signed up through Google Play billing, follow YouTube's separate steps for cancelling through Google Play.
- What you keep
- Not stated
- What stops or goes
- Premium benefits, at the end of the billing period
- Billing
- Benefits continue until the end of the billing period. You won't be charged again unless you re-subscribe.
- Coming back
- Not stated
Cancel YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium - Computer - YouTube HelpGoogle (YouTube Help). Reviewed
Pause
Depends on your plan- What it does
- Pause a paid membership for 1 to 6 months from youtube.com/paid_memberships. Annual plans can't be paused, and pausing is not available if you are billed through Apple.
- What you keep
- Downloaded videos and music, though you can't play them until you resume
- What stops or goes
- All Premium benefits for you and any family members on your plan, while paused
- Billing
- The pause starts after the end of your current billing cycle. You are not charged while your membership is paused.
- Coming back
- Resume from youtube.com/paid_memberships at any time before your scheduled resume date. You can also cancel while paused.
Pause or resume YouTube Premium or YouTube Music Premium - Computer - YouTube HelpGoogle (YouTube Help). Reviewed
Downgrade
Depends on your plan- What it does
- Premium Lite is a membership with fewer features than Premium, offered only in the locations YouTube lists. The help pages checked do not explain how to switch from Premium to Premium Lite.
- What you keep
- Ad-free viewing of most videos, background play and downloads for most videos
- What stops or goes
- YouTube Music Premium
- Ads may still appear on music content, Shorts, and when you search or browse
- Billing
- Not stated
- Coming back
- Not stated
Get a Premium Lite membership on YouTube - YouTube HelpGoogle (YouTube Help). Reviewed
Cancelling? Check what depends on it first
Exports, sign-ins, linked services and billing through app stores: your cancellation checklist is built from your answers, in your browser.
Plans, prices and options differ by country and by how you pay (for example through Apple or Google). If you pay through an app store, cancel there. Names are trademarks of their owners; we aren't affiliated with YouTube Premium. Other services