How to Cancel YouTube Premium in 2026

Updated 2026-05-03 · 2 min read

Cancel YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium together. Web, Google Play, and Apple billing paths. Includes what happens to your Music library, how to handle a family plan, and whether to take Google's discount offer.

Quick answer

Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships, click Manage Membership, then Deactivate, then confirm. Both YouTube Premium and YouTube Music Premium end at the close of the billing period you've already paid for.

Overview

Two things end together when you cancel: ad-free YouTube and YouTube Music Premium. One subscription covers both. The ads don't come back until your paid period runs out, so you keep the ad-free experience through your last day. One common trip-up: if you subscribed on an iPhone, Apple billed you and only Apple can cancel it. Family plan managers: canceling removes access for everyone at once. Members can leave the plan without canceling the whole thing.

TL;DR

  • Web: youtube.com/paid_memberships > Manage Membership > Deactivate
  • YouTube Music Premium ends at the same time as YouTube Premium
  • Ads return when the paid period expires, not at the moment of cancel
  • iPhone subscribers must cancel through Apple Settings, not YouTube
  • Family plan members can leave the plan individually without canceling it for everyone

How to cancel YouTube Premium

Cancel on the web

Best for: Anyone billed directly by Google

Estimated time: ~2 min

  1. Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships and sign in. Your active memberships appear.
  2. Click Manage Membership under YouTube Premium.
  3. Click Deactivate at the bottom of the page.
  4. Review the end date shown and click Deactivate again to confirm. A confirmation page appears with the date your access ends.

Tip: Google may show a discounted rate (often 50% off for 3 months) on the Deactivate screen. It's a real offer, not a trick. Decide whether it's worth it to you, then either take it or click past it.

Cancel through Apple

Best for: iPhone users who subscribed inside the YouTube iOS app

Estimated time: ~1 min

  1. Open Settings on your iPhone.
  2. Tap your name, then Subscriptions.
  3. Find YouTube Premium in the list and tap it. If it's not there, Apple isn't billing you. Try the web method.
  4. Tap Cancel Subscription and confirm.

Cancel through Google Play

Best for: Android users whose subscription is tied to the Play Store

Estimated time: ~1 min

  1. Open the Google Play Store app.
  2. Tap your profile picture, then Payments and subscriptions, then Subscriptions.
  3. Find YouTube Premium and tap it. If it's not listed here, your billing goes through Google's YouTube system. Use the web method.
  4. Tap Cancel subscription and confirm.

Leave a family plan as a member

Best for: Family plan members who want to opt out without canceling for everyone

Estimated time: ~2 min

  1. Go to families.google.com and sign in.
  2. Click Leave family group. You're removed from the plan immediately and lose Premium access at the same time.

Tip: Only the family manager can cancel the plan for everyone. Members leaving the group doesn't affect other members' access.

Frequently asked questions

Does canceling YouTube Premium also cancel YouTube Music Premium?

Yes. They share one subscription. Cancel YouTube Premium and both services revert to free at the same time.

I subscribed on my iPhone. Why can't I cancel on the YouTube website?

If Apple processed the purchase, only Apple can cancel it. Open Settings on your iPhone, tap your name, then Subscriptions, then YouTube Premium, then Cancel.

Can I get a refund for the days left in my billing period?

Google doesn't prorate YouTube Premium in the US. You keep access through the end of the paid period, but unused days aren't credited back.

I manage a family plan. Does canceling remove everyone's access?

Yes. Canceling the family plan ends Premium for all members at the billing period close. Individual members can leave the group on their own at families.google.com without affecting anyone else.

Will my YouTube Music playlists and library be deleted?

Your playlists, liked songs, and history stay on the account. Offline downloads expire after 30 days. Playback reverts to the free tier with ads and some skip limits.

Can I pause YouTube Premium instead of canceling?

Google doesn't offer a pause option for YouTube Premium. Cancel when you're ready to stop, and resubscribe whenever you want it back.

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