How Can I Find Deleted YouTube Videos? Tested

Have you ever gone back to rewatch a YouTube video, only to find that it's unavailable?

Well, YouTube videos can be deleted by creators for personal reasons or by YouTube if they violate its terms and conditions. So, when you find a YouTube video has been deleted, can you still watch it? The answer is yes, and I'll show you how to do that in the next few minutes. Let's dive in!

4 Ways to Watch Deleted YouTube Videos

To watch deleted YouTube videos without any hassle, you're in the right place! In the following, I'll be testing each method using this deleted YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BA3JTWAeZ2A, so you'll see how effective each method is.

Method 1. Use the web.archive.org

This is the simplest and most effective way as long as you know the video URL. web.archive.org is an internet archive tool that saves snapshots of websites over time, including archived YouTube video pages. With it, you can easily view a deleted YouTube video.

However, if you use this tool as most blogs suggest, you won't get the deleted videos back. And according to a Reddit user, the tool works only when used with the following specific steps.

Method 2. Try a YouTube Video Finder

You can also use a YouTube video finder to locate deleted YouTube videos, especially if you have the link to the video.

Basically, there are numerous deleted YouTube video finders with different working principles. Let's take Techrobo's YouTube Video Finder as an instance.

This YouTube Video Finder retrieves deleted videos by scanning multiple archive sources, including wayback machine, Filmot, PreserveTube, and many more. Although this tool works similarly to the previous method, it can additionally help you get the metadata of the video, such as title, creators, and uploading date.

Here's how to find a deleted video on YouTube with this tool:

Method 3. Search for the Video Title

Even though a deleted YouTube video is no longer available on YouTube, it may have been re-uploaded by other users on social media platforms, or alternative video sites like Odysee, Vimeo, or Dailymotion.

As long as you know the video title, all things become easy. But what if you don't know? Just use the YouTube Video Finder that we recommended before to get the title of the deleted video.

After that, search for the title of the deleted video on search engines or other video sites and you can find available sources for the deleted video.

While this method isn't 100% foolproof, it's worth a try.

Method 4. Contact The Uploader

The truth is every YouTube video is uploaded by someone. This means the original uploader may still have the file even if the video has been deleted from YouTube. If you need the video back, your best option is to reach out to the uploader directly. To contact the uploader, you can try any of the following methods;

• Leave a comment on one of their recent videos, then ask them politely if they can share the deleted video.
• Check their YouTube channel for contact details since many creators often list their email or social media handles on their YouTube channel.

While there's no guarantee they'll respond, many uploaders will be willing to share their videos upon request, especially if they still have the original file.

Myth Busted: Methods That Don't Work

I know many methods claiming to recover deleted YouTube videos, but not all of them work as advertised. Here, we'll debunk some common myths so you can avoid wasting time.

Directly Enter the Video Link on Wayback Machine

If you simply use web.archive.org as usual by inputting the video link, Wayback Machine shows you this video was archived but no content is available to play.

So, to make WayBack Machine work, please follow the above steps we tested.

Search for the Video ID

Many posts suggest you search for the video ID on Google. This is because some bloggers embed deleted videos in their blog posts before the videos are deleted.

However, when I tested it with the above deleted video, most of Google's results only showed a description of the video. When I clicked the video link, it simply redirected me to YouTube, where I saw the message: "This video isn't available anymore."

Bonus: How to See Deleted History on YouTube

While searching for deleted YouTube videos, your watch history might be a goldmine—even if the videos are gone. For example, your viewing history could still hold details like the title, which gives you the power to find deleted videos more easily.

However, what if your viewing history was deleted? No worries, this part comes to help.

1Use Google Activity

Google Activity keeps a record of your YouTube watch history and your browsing history, even though they have been deleted. If you're wondering how to access them, follow these steps:

2Try AirDroid YouTube Tracker

A parental control app like AirDroid can help you track others' YouTube activity for the last 30 days, including videos they've watched and deleted. Wondering how to set up AirDroid, follow the steps below:

Conclusion

While it's frustrating to lose access to a YouTube video you've previously watched, there are still a few practical ways to retrieve it. Whether you use the Wayback Machine, a YouTube Video Finder, or reach out to the original uploader, each method offers a chance to recover valuable information, even if the video itself is no longer available.

To avoid this issue in the future, consider downloading important videos for offline viewing or screen recording content you don't want to lose. That way, you'll always have a backup, even if the original video disappears from YouTube.