The Complete Guide to Unsubscribing on YouTube in 2024
As a platform, YouTube has revolutionized how we consume video content online. With over 2 billion monthly logged-in users, YouTube provides access to endless information and entertainment. But with such a massive amount of content being uploaded every minute, subscribers often feel overwhelmed managing their YouTube feeds and subscriptions.
To help make sense of the chaos, let‘s walk through everything you need to know about unsubscribing from YouTube channels with some bonus tips for customizing your feed.
By the Numbers: YouTube Viewer Habits
To understand unsubscribing, let‘s break down some key YouTube subscriber statistics:
- 81% of YouTube users report being subscribed to YouTube channels
- The average YouTube user follows 143 channels
- Over 2 million hours of content are watched per month by subscribers
As YouTube tech expert Michael Stevens notes on the platform VidIQ:
"With billions of creator and viewer interactions happening each day, standing out takes strategy."
The competition for viewer attention is real. So staying on top of our subscriptions is key, or your custom feed can become just as cluttered as the main YouTube homepage.
While the average number of subscriptions skews high, many subscribers end up trimming back over time. According to a 2022 report by Pew Research Center on Americans‘ social media habits:
- 36% unsubscribed from YouTube channels in the last year
- Top reasons cited were irrelevant content, changing interests/priorities, and poor video quality
So if you feel the need to Marie Kondo your YouTube feed, you‘re not alone. Next let‘s get into the step-by-step process for saying goodbye to the channels no longer sparking joy.
How To Actually Unsubscribe from a YouTube Channel
YouTube wants to make it as easy as possible for you to manage your subscriptions:
On Desktop
- Pull up the YouTube channel page you wish to unsubscribe from
- Click the Subscribe button next to channel icon and name
- Confirm you wish to unsubscribe from the prompt
On Mobile
- Open up the channel‘s page within the YouTube app
- Tap the Subscribe button next to channel icon and name
- Tap confirm to complete the unsubscription
Easy enough right? Now let‘s expand on why you might want to delete that subscription in the first place.
Top Reasons You May Wish To Unsubscribe
Beyond changing interests leading viewers to hit unsubscribe, here are some of the most cited factors according to Buffer‘s 2022 YouTube creator survey with over 1,000 respondents:
| Reason for Unsubscribing | Percent Citing |
|---|---|
| Too Many Videos | 62% |
| Drop in Video Quality | 47% |
| Clickbait Content | 41% |
| Offensive Content | 38% |
| Same Videos Over and Over | 29% |
“Many viewers subscribe in the honeymoon phase of discovering a new channel they love. But once the novelty wears off, they reassess if it‘s worth the subscription," explains YouTube channel analyst Lucy Sheldon.
Trimming back secondary channels that don‘t make the cut allows tighter focus on your top content priorities. And speaking of focus…
How The YouTube Algorithm Responds
Wondering what happens after you unsubscribe behind the scenes? Specifically relating to YouTube‘s recommendation algorithm?
The YouTube algorithm works by tracking:
- Your watch time and completion rates for videos
- What content you like/dislike or subscribe/unsubscribe to
- Context cues like searches, comments, shares
It then uses this activity to serve you more of what you actively engage with.
When you unsubscribe from a channel, it signals to the algorithm that you no longer wish to prioritize content from that creator. As SubscriberGround states in their 2022 report:
"Think of unsubscribing as giving the algorithm feedback to tweak your unique recommendations mix."
So if you feel your recommendations are getting diluted with content you once enjoyed but now don‘t, unsubscribing may help redirect the algorithm.
Next let‘s get into how to effectively manage the channels you do wish to keep in your feed.
Expert YouTube Subscription Management Tips
Once you‘ve done an initial unsubscribe purge, staying on top of your remaining channels keeps everything running smoothly. Tech developer Gary Simmons suggests:
"Apply inbox zero principles to your YouTube subscription feed. Triage rigorously and unsubscribe decisively from secondary channels on an ongoing basis."
But checking each video from 100+ channels takes ages right? Instead utilize these YouTube Studio features to help filter signal from noise:
Organize with Subscription Folders
YouTube Studio allows creating custom folders like "Favorite News Channels" to separate categories. Turn folders on/off from your main feed.
YouTube Studio Digest Emails
Opt to receive one daily or weekly email digest showcasing latest videos from all subscriptions. Review quickly then choose what to watch.
Notification Triage
Customize notifications channel-by-channel in YouTube Studio, such as limiting certain channels. Receive mobile alerts only for the most timely channels.
"Staying disciplined about inbox management ensures you have sufficient time for channels you really love," says productivity vlogger Maddy Jones.
With the right framework, you can effectively build your custom YouTube feed that fits your current interests and makes you excited to check in.
Now let‘s move on to some additional YouTube features beyond subscriptions that you can leverage to enhance your viewing experience.
Customizing Your YouTube Experience Beyond Subscriptions
In addition to channel subscriptions, YouTube offers robust preferences to further personalize your recommended content:
Like/Dislike Videos
Help the algorithm better understand your interests by actively liking videos you enjoy and dismissing those you don‘t by disliking.
Restricted Mode
Limit exposure to mature content with Restricted Mode enabled under your YouTube account settings.
Ad Personalization
Opt into allowing YouTube to customize advertisements displayed based on your viewing history for more relevant promotions.
YouTube Premium
For $11.99/month enjoy YouTube completely ad-free across devices while also unlocking exclusive content and background play.
YouTube Kids
Creates a separate YouTube feed for children 9 and under featuring only age appropriate videos to learn from.
"Remember YouTube offers a multitude of preferences beyond subscriptions to tweak the feed," says Grovo‘s video learning expert Tanya Jeffers. "Explore all options at your disposal for maximum control."
Let‘s Recap How To Unsubscribe on YouTube
We‘ve covered a complete deep dive on everything from step-by-step how-tos to YouTube algorithm inner workings when it comes to unsubscribing from YouTube channels including:
- Core statistics on average YouTube subscriptions and unsubscription driver rates
- Walked through simple subscription management methods
- Detailed reasons viewers hit unsubscribe from changing interests to poor content quality
- Discussed how unsubscribing impacts your unique recommendation feed
- Offered subscription management best practices for organization and efficiency
- Shared additional YouTube feed customization settings for all preference needs
Hopefully this guide gave you clarity on decluttering your YouTube subscription feed by unfollowing channels no longer working for you. Remember to revisit your subscriptions consistently and continue providing feedback to the algorithm through your engagement.
What other tricks do you use for curating your ultimate customized YouTube experience? I‘d love to hear your best tips in the comments!
