[2025] How to Watch Deleted YouTube Videos: 6 Top Methods

Videos get removed every day – sometimes due to copyright strikes, other times because creators delete them themselves. It happens on every video platform, including YouTube, the biggest streaming platform.

If you've ever tried to revisit a favorite YouTube video only to find it’s disappeared, you're not alone. You’re not the only one who’s wondering, “Is there a way to see those videos again?” or is searching, “How to find deleted YouTube videos” online. Thankfully, there are practical methods that may help you watch, find, or recover removed or old videos.

One of the most reliable ways to watch deleted YouTube videos is through archived versions of the video page. The Wayback Machine is the most well-known tool for the job. It crawls the internet regularly and saves records of pages, including many YouTube videos, if the URL was public at the time.

How to watch deleted YouTube videos with Wayback Machine

1. Visit https://archive.org/web/.
2. Paste the full URL of the deleted YouTube video into the search bar. This step only works with a URL, so having the original link is crucial.
3. If available, select a snapshot date when the video was still live.
4. Click the link in the calendar view and see if the video, description, or even embedded media is accessible.

If the video was archived after it was deleted or made private, it won’t be available. However, in many cases, you can still view the title, description, upload date, channel name, and sometimes thumbnails or captions.

If you don’t have the URL but know the channel or partial title, you can try entering that instead, but the results may be less specific.

Even if the Wayback Machine didn’t save it, search engines may still hold cached data temporarily or list related pages that lead to the missing content. This method works best shortly after the video is deleted before search engines update their index.

Google’s cached view for the entire URL

1. If you have the full YouTube URL, try searching it on Google like this: site:youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEOID
2. Click the small arrow (or three-dot icon) next to the result (if visible).
3. Look for a Cached link to view a saved version of the page.

Sometimes this will only show you the video title, uploader, or part of the comments section. It might not let you watch the video itself, but this information can help you track it down elsewhere.

Search for the title or keywords

If you don’t have the link but remember the title or a few unique keywords, type them into Google, Bing, or DuckDuckGo. Add “YouTube” to the query for better targeting.

For example, you can search: "how to build a PC in 2023" YouTube deleted video

Look through forums, reposts, or discussions where people may have mentioned, quoted, or linked to the video before it disappeared.

Use the watch ID

Every YouTube video has a unique ID in its URL (the part after “v=”). If you know the ID – even without the full link – you can still search for it.

Here’s what it looks like: “watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ”

Use this to search Google or archive sites. This ID often appears in Reddit threads, Discord logs, or mirrored versions of the video.

Some creators cross-post their videos to other sites, either to widen their audience or as a backup. That’s why it’s worth checking alternative platforms if a YouTube video goes missing.

You can use the following platforms to look for the deleted video:

• Vimeo: often used by professionals and filmmakers
• Dailymotion: hosts a large library of international content
• Facebook Watch: especially good for viral or short-form videos
• Instagram Reels/IGTV: some creators mirror content there
• TikTok: popular for clips or video summaries
• Personal blogs or Patreon: independent creators often share content with supporters outside YouTube

To search these platforms, use the video’s title, keywords, or the channel name. Some videos may be edited or slightly different, but the core content might still be intact.

You can also search Google using this structure:

• [video title or topic] site:vimeo.com
• [video topic] site:dailymotion.com

If you’re stuck, someone else may have already found the video – or even saved a copy. Communities that specialize in lost media or obscure internet content can be surprisingly effective.

Try these communities on Reddit:

• r/DataHoarder (known for archiving rare or lost content)
• r/LostMedia (focused on finding missing internet media)
• r/HelpMeFind (great for tracking videos using only vague details)
• r/TipOfMyTongue (if you only remember a quote or clip)

Alternatively, you can use online resources by consulting the following:

• Telegram channels: some niche or regional channels keep archives of video content and memes
• Discord servers: look for communities built around the video’s topic (gaming, education, internet history, etc.)

When posting, include all parts of the title you remember, such as the topic or keywords, the approximate upload date or when you last saw it, and, if possible, the channel name. You may also mention the URL or watch ID.

You’d be surprised how often someone responds with a mirror link, an alternate title, or even a Dropbox link to a saved version.

This method doesn’t work in every situation, but if the video in question was yours or was removed due to copyright or privacy complaints, there’s a slight chance YouTube support can help clarify what happened.

Here are the only situations where this might work:

• You uploaded the video and lost access to your account.
• You’re a YouTube Partner with a channel that qualifies for direct support (usually 10,000+ subscribers).
• You’re trying to recover content you own for backup or business/legal purposes.

To contact YouTube support:

1. Go to the YouTube Help Center.
2. Scroll to the bottom and select Contact Us.
3. Use the virtual assistant to explain your issue, or click Need more help? for live chat/email options (if eligible).
4. Be ready to prove ownership or provide the original video’s metadata (upload date, watch ID, title, etc.).

Important: if the video was taken down due to a violation of YouTube’s policies (e.g., the Digital Millennium Copyright Act or DMCA, privacy strikes), they won’t restore or share the content, but you may be able to clarify the reason and ask the original creator to reupload it with changes.

This guide on how to see deleted videos on YouTube isn’t complete without this tip. Sometimes, the fastest way to recover a deleted video is to go straight to the source. If you know who uploaded the video and they’re still active online, the last resort is to reach out directly and in a polite way.

Here are some methods.

YouTube channel “About” tab

Many creators list a contact email for business inquiries. Scroll to the bottom of their About page and click View Email Address.

Social media links

Most YouTube channels are linked to Twitter/X, Instagram, Threads, or TikTok. Look for the same username across platforms.

Comment sections

If the creator is still uploading, leave a polite comment on a recent video. Be respectful and include as much context as possible.

What to say

• Mention the title or general content of the deleted video.
• Share the original URL or watch ID if you have it.
• Briefly explain why you're trying to find it (e.g., it was helpful, personal, or important to a project).

Creators may have deleted the video intentionally, but many are open to sharing it again, especially if it was removed due to music licensing or minor copyright issues that can be fixed.

If you saved it on your device

If you’ve ever downloaded the video (legally) or if it was part of a project you were working on, it might still be hiding somewhere on your hard drive. Even if you accidentally deleted it, there are still ways to recover it.

Start by checking these places:

• Recycle bin or trash: deleted files often stay here unless manually removed.
• Downloads folder: if you used a video downloader or browser extension, check here first.
• Browser history or extensions: some browser extensions keep logs of downloaded or viewed media files. You may be able to re-download it if the cache hasn't expired.
• Cloud storage: check OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud if you’ve synced files.
• File recovery tools (if it’s been deleted): if you’re sure the video was on your device but you deleted it by mistake, consider recovery software tools. These programs scan your hard drive for recoverable files. They work best if you haven’t written over the deleted data with new files.

If you're a content creator trying to republish or remake a deleted video, Movavi Video Editor is worth considering. It's a lightweight yet powerful editing suite that helps you create, customize, and export high-quality videos without a steep learning curve.

Key features include:

• Drag-and-drop interface that's beginner-friendly
• Special effects, filters, and transitions
• Ready-made YouTube intros and title screens
• Chroma key support
• Audio cleanup and beat detection tools

Movavi Video Editor also lets you export videos directly to YouTube from inside the editor. That means you can streamline your publishing process while keeping everything synced and backed up.

Trying to figure out how to watch removed YouTube videos can feel like hitting a dead end, but there are ways around it. Whether you're using the Wayback Machine, digging through cached search results, or searching other platforms, the odds of success go up if you have the video’s URL, watch ID, or even just some keywords.

If you can’t recover the video online, don’t forget to check your own devices or reach out to the content creator. A surprising number of deleted videos still exist, just not always in the same place you first saw them.

For content creators looking to avoid future loss, tools like Movavi Video Editor offer a simple way to create and back up projects while keeping everything ready for upload.