As a YouTube content creator, you can set the visibility for your uploaded content. For instance, for content creators between 13 to 17 years of age, any content they create is, by default, marked as private.
However, you can create your content and set it as private or unlisted. What does unlisted mean on YouTube? We will answer that question today.
YouTube allows you to set your video as “Unlisted” when uploading it. When you set a video as unlisted, you block it from being accessible from search results and the video can’t be recommended to anyone on the platform. Ideally, you are making your video inaccessible to the public. However, anyone with the video’s link can access it. Furthermore, they can share the video’s link and comment on it. Anyone who receives the link will view the unlisted video.
We will first understand the different visibility options provided by YouTube. Next, we will focus on understanding what unlisted means on YouTube and how to set your video as unlisted. Still, we will understand why you may wish to set your video as unlisted.
Understanding YouTube’s Video Visibility Options
YouTube supports creating content to be shared on the platform for others to see. As a content creator, you can join the YouTube Studio platform to comfortably create, upload, and monetize your content. Any content that doesn’t violate YouTube’s terms of service can be uploaded.
YouTube has three privacy settings to guide the uploaded video’s visibility. Let’s discuss what each option entails.
Public
This is the default option for YouTube videos uploaded by anyone above 17 years of age. When you go with this option, it means your video can be accessed from the search results or even recommended to people. Your video is available to anyone searching for it or coming across it.
Private
Only the person you share the invite link with can access the video here. Content creators between 13 to 17 years have this option enabled by default for their videos. When someone tries to share the invite link with another uninvited person, the video won’t connect.
It is a great option to use when you want to share confidential videos, as only selected people can access the video. The video won’t appear in your subscriber feed, and people can’t comment.
Unlisted
When a video is marked as unlisted, it is only accessed via a link. We will dig into unlisted videos in the next section.
What Does Unlisted Mean on YouTube?
When uploading a YouTube video, you can set it as “Unlisted” under the visibility section, but what does unlisted mean? When you want to hide your video from search results but still want it to be accessed by people via its link, you can set it as unlisted.
When you set a video to be unlisted, the video can only be accessed and shared by anyone with the video’s link. The unlisted video will be hidden from your channel’s homepage. Moreover, the video can’t appear in the search results or be recommended to anyone unless someone creates a public playlist.
Anyone can access the video provided with the link and without a Google account. Besides, people can comment on the video after viewing it. Setting your video as unlisted is to hide it from the public while making it accessible to a few people who know its link.
Here’s how to mark your video as “Unlisted.”
- Open your YouTube account and tap on your profile icon.
- Click on the “YouTube Studio” option.
- Open the “Content” tab.
- Locate the target video and select it.
- Click the “Visibility” option.
- Select the option for “Unlisted” from the displayed options.
- Lastly, click the “Publish” option.
Conclusion
When a video is marked as unlisted, it is only accessed by anyone with its link. We’ve explained the different privacy settings offered by YouTube and detailed what unlisted means on YouTube.
