How to Cancel YouTube Premium in 2026 (Web and App)

To cancel YouTube Premium, go to youtube.com/paid_memberships, sign in to the Google account that's billed, click Manage membership, then Deactivate, and follow the prompts until you see it confirmed. If you signed up through Apple on an iPhone, that won't work. You have to cancel in iPhone Settings instead. Either way, you keep Premium until the end of the billing period you already paid for, so cancel any time before the next charge.

Short answer: Cancel in the same place that bills you. Web and Android signups cancel at youtube.com/paid_memberships. Apple signups cancel in iPhone Settings. Google Play signups cancel in the Play Store. You don't get a refund for time left, but you keep access until the period ends.

The thing people miss: Where you cancel depends on who bills you, not on where you watch. If you tapped "Get Premium" inside the YouTube app on an iPhone, Apple is your biller and YouTube cannot cancel it for you. Look for "billed through Apple" or "billed through Google Play" on your membership page. Cancel there, or the charges keep coming.

Last updated: June 2026. Karen is not affiliated with YouTube, Google, or Apple. Verify current steps on YouTube's own Help pages, because menus and terms change.

How do I cancel YouTube Premium on the web?

The web is the cleanest path for most people, as long as YouTube (Google) is your biller and not Apple or Google Play. Use a browser on a computer or phone.

1. Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships and sign in to the Google account that pays for Premium.
2. Find your YouTube Premium membership and click Manage membership.
3. Click Deactivate.
4. Click Continue to cancel.
5. Pick a reason if asked, then click Next.
6. Click Yes, cancel. You should see a confirmation and an end date.

If you don't see a Deactivate option and instead see a note that you're billed through Apple or Google Play, stop. You need to cancel with that biller, covered below.

How do I cancel YouTube Premium in the app on Android?

On Android, you can cancel right inside the YouTube app, as long as you're not billed through Google Play or Apple for it.

1. Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture.
2. Tap Paid memberships (some versions show this as "Purchases and memberships").
3. Tap the membership you want to cancel.
4. Tap Continue to cancel.
5. Select a reason and tap Next.
6. Tap Yes, cancel.

If the app sends you to Google Play to manage the subscription, follow that, then open the Google Play Store app, tap your profile icon, tap Payments & subscriptions, then Subscriptions, pick YouTube Premium, and tap Cancel subscription.

I signed up through Apple on my iPhone. How do I cancel?

This is the one that trips everyone up. If you joined Premium from the YouTube iOS app, Apple bills you, and you cancel through Apple, not through YouTube. Canceling on the website will not stop an Apple charge.

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone or iPad.
2. Tap your name at the top.
3. Tap Subscriptions.
4. Tap YouTube Premium (or YouTube Music Premium).
5. Tap Cancel Subscription. You may need to scroll down.
6. Confirm. If there's no Cancel button or you see an expiration date in red, it's already canceled.

YouTube's own iOS help also points you to "Purchases and memberships," then Manage Apple Subscriptions, which lands in the same place. Note one catch: the pause option below is not available when Apple bills you. Apple subscriptions are cancel-only.

Can I pause YouTube Premium instead of canceling?

Yes, if you're billed by YouTube directly (web or Android), pausing is a real option and often the smarter move if you're only stepping away for a bit. Pausing stops billing temporarily and freezes your benefits, then picks back up when you resume.

1. Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships and sign in.
2. Click Manage membership.
3. Look for the Pause option and follow the prompts to set how long.

Pausing is not available if you're billed through Apple. If Apple is your biller and you want a break, you cancel and re-subscribe later. Verify the current pause length and rules on YouTube's site, because they've changed before.

Will I get a refund for the unused part of the month?

Usually no. YouTube's policy is that when you cancel, you won't be charged again, but your benefits continue until the end of the current billing period. So you keep what you already paid for and the auto-renew stops. There's no automatic prorated refund for the days left.

That said, if you were charged by mistake, charged after you canceled, or hit with a renewal you never agreed to, you have refund and dispute options. App-store purchases (Apple or Google Play) have their own refund channels, separate from YouTube. And if a biller stonewalls you, a card dispute is a real lever. See what to do when a company won't refund you.

Which cancellation method actually works? (comparison)

What if they keep charging me after I canceled?

If a charge lands after you canceled, or you can't find a way to stop it, move in this order:

1. Confirm the biller. Check your bank statement and the YouTube membership page to see whether the charge is from "Google," "Apple," or "Google Play." Cancel with that exact biller.
2. Ask the biller for a refund. For an Apple charge, request a refund at reportaproblem.apple.com. For Google Play, use the Play Store's refund flow. For a direct YouTube charge, contact YouTube support.
3. Put it in writing. Email or message that you canceled, include the date and a screenshot of the confirmation, and ask for a refund plus written confirmation that auto-renew is off.
4. Dispute the charge with your card. If the biller stalls, contact your card issuer. See how to dispute a credit card charge, and know the difference between a chargeback and a refund before you start.

What are my rights if I get charged anyway?

Plain terms, not legal advice.

• Credit card billing errors: dispute in writing within 60 days. Under the federal Fair Credit Billing Act, you can dispute a billing error (including a charge you didn't authorize) in writing, and your issuer must receive it within 60 days of the statement that first showed the charge. The issuer generally must acknowledge within 30 days and resolve it within two billing cycles.
• App-store refunds are separate. Apple and Google run their own refund processes for purchases made through them, independent of any card dispute.
• Auto-renewal rules. Federal subscription-cancellation rules are in flux in 2026, but many states have their own auto-renewal laws requiring clear disclosure and an easy way to cancel. Check your state's rules and verify current terms on YouTube's site.

Illustrative example: a $13.99 Premium renewal hits the day after you thought you canceled, and your card issuer reverses it after you submit your cancellation screenshot. Illustrative example. Results vary and are not guaranteed.

Deadlines and gotchas to watch

• Cancel where you're billed. Apple-billed Premium cannot be canceled on the website. iPhone Settings only.
• Deleting the YouTube app does nothing. The membership keeps billing.
• Family plans cancel for everyone. If you manage a Premium family plan and cancel, Premium ends for all members.
• Free trial? Cancel a day early. If you're on a Premium free trial, cancel before it ends to avoid the first charge. The same "cancel where billed" rule applies. See our guide on canceling a free trial before it charges you.
• Screenshot the confirmation. A "canceled" screenshot with a date is the single most useful thing to have if you ever need a refund.

Want a hand with this?

If you'd rather not chase cancel buttons across YouTube, Apple, and Google Play, that's exactly the kind of runaround Karen is built for. Browse the full cancel a subscription playbook, or these companion guides:

• How to cancel Hulu and stop the next charge
• How to cancel Adobe (and the early-termination fee)
• How to cancel Amazon Prime and ask for a refund on unused time

Common questions

Do I lose YouTube Premium right away when I cancel?

No. When you cancel, you keep Premium benefits until the end of the billing period you already paid for. You just won't be charged again unless you re-subscribe.

Why can't I cancel YouTube Premium on the website?

Because Apple or Google Play is billing you, not YouTube directly. If you signed up through the iPhone app, cancel in iPhone Settings under your name, then Subscriptions. If you signed up through Google Play, cancel in the Play Store app.

Can I pause YouTube Premium instead of canceling?

Yes, if YouTube bills you directly. Go to youtube.com/paid_memberships, click Manage membership, and choose Pause. Pausing is not available if you're billed through Apple.

Does canceling YouTube Premium give me a refund?

Not automatically. You keep access until the period ends, but there's no prorated refund for the unused days. If you were charged in error or after canceling, you can ask the biller for a refund or dispute the charge.

Does deleting the YouTube app cancel Premium?

No. Uninstalling the app does not cancel your membership. You must cancel at youtube.com/paid_memberships, in iPhone Settings, or in the Google Play Store, depending on who bills you.

How do I cancel a YouTube Premium free trial before it charges me?

Cancel before the trial end date in the same place you signed up, and screenshot the confirmation. Cancel a day early to be safe, since the first charge can land right at the deadline.