If you submitted a copyright removal request in error or you want to cancel it for any reason, you can retract it. Retracting a copyright removal request will:
- Clear the copyright strike from the uploader’s channel, unless other video(s) are associated with the strike.
- Restore the uploader’s content to YouTube, unless the uploader deleted the content.
There are 2 ways to retract a copyright removal request:
After a retraction is submitted, you’ll get an email notification to let you know the removal request was successfully retracted. The uploader will also be notified about the status of the associated copyright strike and the reinstatement of their removed content.
If your removal request has already been resolved and resulted in content removal, you can retract it in YouTube Studio:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio on a computer or mobile browser.
- From the left menu, select Copyright
.
- In the Removal requests tab, find the video you submitted the removal request for.
- Click "Expand"
to show more details about the video.
- If the video has already been removed, click Retract removal. If the video is pending removal due to a scheduled removal request, click Retract request.
- In the pop-up window, click Retract.
You can retract a removal request by email if it meets all of the following requirements:
- Email must be sent from the original claimant or an authorized representative (such as an attorney) on the claimant's behalf.
- Email must be sent from the same email address or company domain that was used to submit the original removal request.
- Email must include the following information:
- Formatted links to the content from your removal request: For videos, the valid URL format is
www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxxxxxx. For non-video content, use the URL format for the appropriate content type listed here. - Statement of retraction: For example, "I hereby retract my claim of copyright infringement." We can only accept a retraction of the removal request. We can’t accept a retraction of only the copyright strike such as “I retract my copyright strike.”
- Electronic signature: At the bottom of the email, the claimant, or authorized representative, must enter their full legal name as their signature. A full legal name cannot be a company name.
- Formatted links to the content from your removal request: For videos, the valid URL format is
- Email must be sent to copyright@youtube.com.
Request a retraction
If you believe your content was removed in error, you can ask the claimant to retract the removal request.
- Sign in to YouTube Studio on a computer or mobile browser.
- Select Active copyright strikes on the Dashboard.
- Find the video for which you want to request the retraction
Select action.
- Under Contact claimant, you can find the claimant’s contact info. Some creators also list ways they can be contacted in their channel.