Alex Ruben
How To Eradicate All Downloaded YouTube Videos from Your Phone in One Go
If your phone’s storage is feeling a bit cramped and you’ve got a ton of downloaded YouTube videos piling up, then this is a common situation. Sometimes the YouTube app makes it a bit tricky to clear everything at once, especially if you just want to do a quick cleanup without tapping through each video. Luckily, there are a couple of ways to wipe those downloads efficiently. This guide lays out some practical steps to get rid of all offline videos in one go. No, you don’t have to delete each one manually — that would be a nightmare. Expect to free up some space and maybe speed up the app a little afterwards.
How to Remove All Offline YouTube Videos in One Go
Method 1: Using the YouTube App’s Settings
This is the straightforward route, but be aware—sometimes it’s a bit hidden or can vary with updates. The goal is to find the “Delete Downloads” option directly within the app’s menus.
- Open the YouTube app on your phone. Make sure you’re logged into the account where the videos are stored. If you’re not, do that first.
- Tap on your profile picture in the top right corner. This takes you to your account menu.
- Scroll down and tap on Settings. Sometimes, it’s inside a submenu called General or Media.
- In the settings menu, look for Downloads. Hit it to see your offline videos list.
- In the Downloads section, tap the three dots (⋮) icon usually in the top right corner. A menu should pop up.
- Select Delete all downloads or similar phrasing — might be a button or option in the dropdown. Confirm the deletion when prompted.
This typically deletes every offline video at once, which is way easier than hitting delete on each clip. On some devices, the option to delete all might be a bit hidden or not appear immediately — so you might need to check app updates or restart the app and try again.
Method 2: Clearing App Data (a bit more of a brute force)
This hack is kind of a last resort, but works if the in-app option isn’t cooperating. Clearing app data resets YouTube’s offline cache, effectively deleting all downloaded videos. Be warned: it also resets your preferences and login info, so you’ll need to sign in again afterward.
- Go to Settings > Apps & Notifications > YouTube.
- Tap on Storage & Cache.
- Select Clear Storage or Clear Data. Confirm when asked.
- Reopen YouTube, and your downloads should be gone. You might see some reset prompts—just go through them.
This can be annoying because it resets some preferences or sign-in states, but on the flip side, it guarantees all offline videos are wiped out.
Extra tips & common pitfalls
If deleting still doesn’t work, make sure the app is fully updated—older versions sometimes mess with features. Also, after clearing data, check if you’re still signed in and update your preferences accordingly. If the offline download list is still stubborn, restarting your device might help reset things a bit.
And just as a heads up — sometimes, YouTube’s interface changes with updates, so menu paths or options might get shuffled around. That’s kind of annoying, but exploring the menus isn’t a bad idea either.
Wrap-up
Clearing out your offline videos can be a quick way to free up space and keep the app running smooth. If the built-in options aren’t cooperating, resorting to clearing app data is a solid fallback—that’s what worked on some phones, at least. Just remember, it’s a bit of a blunt instrument, so backup your preferences if needed.
Summary
- Open YouTube and go to Profile > Settings > Downloads.
- Look for an option like Delete all downloads, tap, and confirm.
- If not working, try app data clearing via Settings > Apps > YouTube > Storage.
- Reboot if needed and check if the offline videos disappeared.
Final thoughts
Hopefully this shaves off a few hours of tedious tapping. The app should really have a “delete all” button somewhere, but until then, these hacks come in handy. On a lot of phones, it’s a matter of just poking around a bit, but once it works, it’s such a relief to see that storage space freed up. Good luck, and may your downloads be ever i-less!