How to Watch Private YouTube Videos in 2024?

| Updated on March 1, 2024 |
Fact checked by Manpreet Kaur Sandhu

Being the only long-running video-streaming platform in the social media industry for so long, YouTube has truly come a long way.

But what if you want to look up something and the videos for it are private? That must be problematic.

In this article, we are going to discuss how to watch private YouTube videos with or without the owner’s permission. So without further talking, let’s get straight into it!

Why Can’t You Watch a Private Video on YouTube?

Here are some reasons why can’t you watch, like, or dislike a YouTube video that is private or facing issues like “something went wrong” on YouTube. These are:

  • Some YouTubers set their privacy settings as private so, the users can only watch private videos if the link of the channel or the videos gets shared.
  • The private videos don’t appear in the search results, as they can’t be seen, and will not appear as a recommended video either.
  • Subscribers will not be informed when private videos get uploaded, even to YouTube premium users. You can watch an unlisted video if someone shares the said link with you, but accessing a private video requires you to contact its owner and request permission to watch it. 

These private YT videos are more controlled by creators as they can restrict access to family and close friends. Doing this can also help business profiles post their videos ahead of time, which comes in pretty useful during a campaign move. Going public with the video can be done just at the right time and can be considered a good strategy as well. 

How to Watch Private Videos on YouTube?

Here are some easy methods to view Private YT videos.

Watch Private Videos in YouTube With Access or Permission

It’s easy to watch videos on YouTube that are private with the channel owner or the YouTuber’s permission:

  • Get in touch with the video owner and request them to send you the link to the video that you wish to watch.
  • And if they reach back to you and send you the link, then you can watch the video.

However, sometimes even after getting the link, we face problems in watching the private video. So, it can be due to the following reasons:

  • Make sure that you have a valid and authentic YouTube account.
  • You have more than one account or verified on YouTube.
  • The video might open only with a special link that is to be shared by the owner.

View Private YT Videos Without Access or Permission

Follow the steps given below to watch private videos on YouTube without the channel owner or the YouTuber’s permission:

  • Go to the private video that you wish to watch.
  • Remove delete watch? From its URL.
  • Now press the Enter key.
  • The use of this method will help the private video be unlocked, and you will be able to see it in the full window without signing in.

Similarly, you can also download private YouTube videos on Android, iOS, and PC by following the simple steps. 

Notes

The steps mentioned above might not work for all the users.

Check YouTube Watch History to Watch Private Video

You might not know, but YouTube records the history of the videos you watch and the time of it. So you can consider watching the videos which are no longer public from the account history. 

View Private YouTube Video Cache

The app’s cache saves all the data of the videos you have seen. In case the previously watched video changes its settings to private, consider watching the cached version of the video, if available.

The above-mentioned methods can help you view private videos on the platforms. However, some third-party apps claim to provide access to private videos, but they must be trusted in their own way. Consider using them at your risk.

How to Watch Private Videos Without Signing in?

If you have previously watched videos, and now they are marked as private, then follow the steps given below to view private YouTube videos:

  • Use a utility named VideoCacheView to get the video that was downloaded to your cache.
  • Then the video will be turned into a format such as Мреg-Dаsh.
  • After that, use software named GPAC to convert the video into an MP4 format.
  • Using the Video Сасhе View utility, you can play the cached version of the private video. 

Apart from the above-mentioned methods, you can also try using YouTube Video downloader sites.

How to Share a YouTube Private Video?

To share a private video on YouTube privately, you can do it easily via sharing the link through email. Follow the steps below to learn how:

  • Go to your profile icon on YouTube.
    Tap on the profile icons
  • Select YouTube Studio.
    Tap on YouTube Studio
  • Then select Content from the menu on the left side of the page.
    Press Content
  • Go to the video that you want to share and tap on its privacy-selected option (Private, Public, or Unlisted).
    Tap on the selected option
  • Tap on the selected option’s downward arrow, and you will see the option to Share Privately.
    Tap on Share Privately
  • Then press it and enter the email ID of the user that you want to share the video with, tick the box for Notify via email, and tap on OK.
    Enter the mail and tick the box, then press OK
  • You will be informed about whom you have shared the video with, and then save the changes by pressing Save.
    Tap on Save.

Now your video’s privacy settings won’t be impacted by sharing the video privately with the other user.

Notes

Even if your video is already uploaded, you can still change the privacy settings for each video, as well as DELETE your videos permanently. Go to your video manager under the drop-down menu, and change to whatever privacy settings you want.

Final Thoughts

To sum it up, the above-mentioned methods can help you to watch private videos on YouTube without any restrictions. 

However, this social media platform has billions of users base, which is why 

it is important to look after their privacy and security.

FAQ

Can a private video on YouTube be shared?

Yes, a private video on YouTube can be shared privately by the steps given in the article above.

Can You Watch YouTube Privately?

Yes, you can watch YT videos privately by using the Incognito mode which will let you browse that does not influence your YouTube search history.

How Do You View Private Videos on YouTube 2024?

You can watch private videos in 2024 by requesting access to them, third-party tools, joining memberships, and more. 

What does the invitee have to do to view the shared private video?

To watch the video that has been shared by the video’s owner via mail, the invitee has to do just one simple step to view the video: Click on the thumbnail of the three dots given in the mail. 

Sources


Janvi Panthri

Senior Writer, Editor


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