How to delete YouTube from your TV
The steps to remove YouTube from your TV depend on what device you own and whether you want to uninstall the app entirely or just sign out of your account. On most smart TVs, you can uninstall YouTube through the settings menu the same way you would delete any other app. On streaming devices like Roku, Fire TV, or Apple TV, the process is similar but the exact menu path differs. If you only want to stop YouTube from appearing on your home screen without removing it completely, you can hide or disable the app instead.
The fastest route is usually to go to your TV's app store or settings, find YouTube in your installed apps, and select the uninstall or remove option. Some TVs let you do this directly from the home screen by highlighting the YouTube tile and pressing a delete button. Others require you to navigate through settings menus. If you cannot find an uninstall option, your TV may not allow app removal — in that case, you can sign out of your YouTube account or disable the app so it stops running in the background.
Key Takeaways
- Most smart TVs let you uninstall YouTube through the app store or settings menu, though the exact path varies by manufacturer.
- Streaming devices like Roku, Fire TV, and Apple TV have their own app removal processes that differ from built-in TV apps.
- If your TV does not allow app uninstallation, you can sign out of your YouTube account or disable the app to prevent it from running.
- Removing YouTube from your TV does not affect your YouTube account or any other device where you use it.
Uninstalling YouTube on Samsung, LG, and Sony TVs
Samsung and LG smart TVs let you remove YouTube through the app store. On Samsung, press the Home button on your remote, navigate to Apps, find YouTube, highlight it, and press the Options or Menu button (usually marked with three lines or dots). Select Uninstall or Remove. On LG, go to Home, then Apps, find YouTube, and press the Options button to select Uninstall.
Sony TVs use a similar path: go to Home, select Apps, find YouTube, and look for a Delete or Remove option. If you see only a Disable option instead of Uninstall, your TV does not allow removal of that particular app — you can disable it instead, which will hide it from your home screen and stop it from running automatically.
If you cannot find YouTube in your apps list, it may already be uninstalled, or it may be a system app that your TV manufacturer built in and locked against removal. In that case, signing out of your account is the best way to prevent YouTube from showing your personal data or recommendations.
Removing YouTube from Roku devices
Roku devices store apps in a channel list rather than a traditional app store. To remove YouTube, press the Home button on your Roku remote, scroll to find YouTube in your channel list, press the Options button (marked with a star or asterisk), and select Remove Channel. Roku will ask you to confirm the removal.
If you want to reinstall YouTube later, you can add it back through the Roku Channel Store at any time. Removing a channel from Roku does not delete your Roku account or affect any other channels you have installed.
Removing YouTube from Fire TV and Fire TV Stick
On Amazon Fire TV devices, go to Home, scroll to Apps, find YouTube, highlight it, and press the Menu button on your remote. Select Uninstall and confirm. On Fire TV Stick, the process is the same: navigate to Apps, find YouTube, press Menu, and select Uninstall.
If YouTube does not appear in your Apps list, it may already be removed. Amazon sometimes pre-installs YouTube, but you can remove it without affecting your Fire TV account or other apps. If you want to reinstall it later, you can read it again from the Amazon Appstore.
Removing YouTube from Apple TV
On Apple TV, press and hold the YouTube app icon on your home screen until a menu appears. Select Remove App, then confirm by selecting Remove again. Apple TV will delete YouTube from your device.
You can reinstall YouTube at any time by going to the App Store on your Apple TV, searching for YouTube, and selecting Get. Removing the app does not affect your Apple ID or any other apps on your device.
Signing out instead of uninstalling
If your TV does not allow app removal or you want to keep YouTube installed but prevent it from showing your personal account, you can sign out instead. Open YouTube, go to Settings or Account, and select Sign Out. This removes your login information from the TV but leaves the app installed.
Signing out is useful if you share your TV with others and do not want your watch history, subscriptions, or recommendations to appear. The next person who opens YouTube will see the app in its default state without any personal data. You can sign back in at any time using your YouTube or Google account.
Disabling YouTube if removal is not an option
Some TVs, particularly those with YouTube built in by the manufacturer, do not allow uninstallation. In these cases, you can disable the app through your TV's settings. Go to Settings, then Apps or Applications, find YouTube, and select Disable. This hides the app from your home screen and stops it from running in the background or sending notifications.
Disabling is not the same as uninstalling — the app files remain on your TV, but you will not see or interact with it. If you change your mind later, you can re-enable the app through the same settings menu. Disabling also does not affect your YouTube account on other devices.
What happens after you remove YouTube
Removing YouTube from your TV does not delete your YouTube account, your watch history, your subscriptions, or your playlists. All of that information stays in your Google account and will still be there if you sign in on another device or reinstall the app later.
Your TV's performance may improve slightly if YouTube was running in the background or using storage space, though the difference is usually small. Removing the app also means YouTube will not send notifications to your TV or collect viewing data from that device.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will removing YouTube from my TV delete my account?
No. Removing the app from your TV only affects that device. Your YouTube account, watch history, subscriptions, and playlists remain intact and will be there if you sign in on another device or reinstall the app on your TV later.
Can I hide YouTube from my home screen without uninstalling it?
Yes. Most smart TVs let you disable or hide apps without removing them. Go to your TV's settings, find the app management or applications menu, locate YouTube, and select Disable or Hide. The app stays on your TV but will not appear on your home screen.
What if my TV will not let me uninstall YouTube?
Some TVs have YouTube built in as a system app and do not allow removal. In that case, sign out of your account through the YouTube app settings, or disable the app through your TV's settings menu. Disabling hides it from your home screen and stops it from running automatically.
Do I need to sign out before uninstalling YouTube?
No, but it is a good idea if you share your TV with others. Signing out removes your personal data from the app before you uninstall it. If you do not sign out first, your account information will be cleared when the app is removed, but signing out first is cleaner.
Can I reinstall YouTube after I remove it?
Yes. You can reinstall YouTube at any time through your TV's app store or channel store. Your account and all your personal data will be waiting for you when you sign back in.