Submit a copyright counter notification

A counter notification is a legal request to reinstate content that was removed due to a copyright removal request. If you believe that your content was removed by mistake, you can submit a counter notification to resolve a copyright strike.

For videos, you can submit in YouTube Studio or by email, fax or post. For non-video content, such as channel banner images, submit by email, fax or post.

What to know before you submit:

• When to submit: Only submit a counter notification if you believe that your content was removed due to a mistake. This includes misidentifications of content that may qualify for a copyright exception, such as fair use, fair dealing or public domain.
• Other options: If you don't believe that the content removal was a mistake, you can wait 90 days and the copyright strike will expire, as long as you've completed Copyright School. You can also try to request a retraction to resolve the copyright strike.
• Evidence of ownership or permission: Confirm that you own the rights to all elements in your content, including any music (even if it's just playing in the background). If you've used someone else's copyrighted content, confirm that you have a licence or permission to use it.
• What info is shared: Legally, we're required to share the counter notification with the claimant. If disclosing personal information is a concern, an authorised representative (such as a lawyer) can submit on the uploader's behalf by email, fax or post.
• Who submits the notification: Counter notifications should be submitted by the original uploader of the content at issue. Alternatively, an authorised representative, such as a lawyer, can submit on behalf of the uploader.

Do not submit false information. Misuse of our processes, such as submitting fraudulent documentation, may result in the termination of your account or other legal consequences.

Submit in YouTube Studio

Copyright counter notifications for videos can be submitted in YouTube Studio from a computer or in the YouTube Studio app:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. From the left menu, click Content .
3. Click the filter bar Copyright.
4. In the Visibility column, find a video with 'Removed' status.
5. In the Restrictions column, hover over Copyright.
6. Click See details.
7. Under Content used, click Take action Submit a counter notification.
8. Read the counter notification requirements and tick the box to confirm Continue.
9. Enter your contact info Continue.
   • Make sure that you include your complete physical address and full legal name (usually a first and last name). Do not enter a company or channel name.
10. Enter your rationale. Clearly and concisely explain why you believe that the removal of your content qualifies as a mistake or misidentification.
11. Review the statements and tick the boxes to agree.
12. Enter your full legal name as your signature Continue.
13. (Optional) If other videos were removed as part of the same removal request and you also believe that they were removed incorrectly, you can select these videos and include all of them in the counter notification.
14. Click Submit.

Submit by email, fax or post

Copyright counter notifications for videos and non-video content, such as channel banner images, can be submitted by email, fax or post.

To submit by email, send all the required information below in the body of an email (not as an attachment) to [e-mail] or send it by fax or post:

1. Your contact info

To get in touch with you, or the representative authorised to act on your behalf, about your counter notification, include the following:

• Your full legal name: First name and surname, not a company name. If you're an authorised representative, also include your relationship to the uploader.
• Your physical address
• Your telephone number

2. Statement to the claimant

You must include a statement to the claimant, in your own words, that clearly and concisely explains why you believe that the removal of the content was a mistake or misidentification. Misidentification includes cases of copyright exceptions, such as fair use, fair dealing or public domain.

3. Links to the content

Counter notifications must include direct links to the content that was removed due to a copyright removal request. Links must be sent in a specific URL format, depending on the type of content:

Content type	Valid URL format	Where to find the URL
Channel banner images	www.youtube.com/channel/UCxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx OR www.youtube.com/user/xxxxxxxxx	Go to the channel page right-click the address bar Copy.​
Channel descriptions	www.youtube.com/user/xxxxxxxxx/about	Go to the channel's About section right-click the address bar Copy.​
Clips	www.youtube.com/clip/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	Click the clip's title right-click the address bar Copy.​
Comments on posts	www.youtube.com/channel/xxxxxxxxxxx/community?lc=xxxxxxxxxxxx&lb=xxxxxxxxxxxx	Click the posted date above the comment (the page will reload) right-click the address bar Copy.​
Comments on videos	www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxxxxx&lc=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	Click the posted date above the comment (the page will reload) right-click the address bar Copy.​
Effects (Shorts)	www.youtube.com/effect/xxxxxxxxxx Bear in mind: Videos that have already used the effect aren't affected by the removal of the effect.	Click the effect chip located above the channel name in the Short right-click the address bar Copy.
Membership badges, emoji or creator's perk descriptions	Beginning with yt3.ggpht.com/xxxxx	Right-click the image Copy image address.​
	Also include the channel URL: www.youtube.com/channel/UCxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx OR www.youtube.com/user/xxxxxxxxx	​Go to the channel page right-click the address bar Copy.​
Playables	www.youtube.com/playables/xxxxxxxxxxxxxx	Go to the game page right-click the address bar Copy.​
Playlist descriptions	www.youtube.com/playlist?list=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	Click the playlist title right-click the address bar Copy.
Playlist image	Beginning with https://i.ytimg.com/xxxxxxxxxx	Right-click the image Copy image address.​
	Also include the playlist URL: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxxxx	Click the playlist title right-click the address bar Copy.
Posts	https://www.youtube.com/post/xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx	Click the posted date of the post (the page will reload) right-click the address bar Copy.
Profile pictures	Because Google hosts channel profile pictures, copyright removal requests for profile pictures must be submitted through Google's form.
Super Stickers	Beginning with lh3.googleusercontent.com/xxxxx	Click the dollar sign in a live chat Super Sticker right-click the image Copy image address.​
	Also include the channel URL: www.youtube.com/channel/UCxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx OR www.youtube.com/user/xxxxxxxxx	Go to the channel page right-click the address bar Copy.​
Videos	www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxxxxxxxxxx	Go to the video page right-click the address bar Copy.​

4. Legal statements

Agree to and include the following two legally required statements:

• 'I consent to the jurisdiction of the Federal District Court for the district in which my address is located, or if my address is outside of the United States, the judicial district in which YouTube is located, and will accept service of process from the claimant.'
• 'I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled.'

5. Your signature

Complete and valid copyright counter notifications require the physical or electronic signature of the uploader or a representative authorised to act on their behalf.

To meet this requirement, the uploader or authorised representative should enter their full legal name as their signature at the bottom of the counter notification. A full legal name should be a first name and surname, not a company name.

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What happens after I submit a counter notification?

After a counter notification has been submitted, it's forwarded to the claimant if it meets all of the requirements, including a clear explanation of why you believe that the content was misidentified or removed in error. Counter notifications that don't meet all of the requirements may be rejected.

The claimant has 10 US working days, as required by copyright law, to respond to the counter notification. They must respond with evidence of legal action taken to keep your content from being reinstated to YouTube.

If the claimant doesn't do this within this 10-day time period, your content will be reinstated to YouTube (unless you have deleted it) and the associated copyright strike will be cleared from your channel.

How do I check the status of a counter notification that I have submitted?

You can check the status of a counter notification from your YouTube Studio dashboard or follow these steps:

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio.
2. From the left menu, select Content .
3. Click the filter bar Copyright.
4. Find the video in question.
5. In the Restrictions column, hover over Copyright.
6. Click See details.
7. Look under the Content used section to find the status of the counter notification.

Can I cancel a counter notification that I have submitted?

If you want to cancel a counter notification, you can do so as long as the claimant hasn't responded to the counter notification yet.

To cancel it, reply directly to YouTube's confirmation email (the email that confirmed that the counter notification has been received). In your reply, explain that you want to retract your counter notification. You can also email [e-mail] with this information.

What happens if my counter notification is rejected?

If your counter notification is missing any required information, it may be rejected. You'll be notified by an email sent to the email address associated with your YouTube channel. The email will have more details on the reason for the rejection.

What you can do next:

• Reconsider if your content has been removed due to a mistake or misidentification of copyrighted content. If not, you can consider other options to resolve a copyright strike.
• You can submit a new counter notification that includes all legally required information.

Can I submit one counter notification for multiple videos?

Yes, if multiple videos belong to the same copyright strike and you believe that they were incorrectly removed, you can submit one counter notification for all videos.

If my channel is terminated, can I submit a counter notification?

Yes. You'll need to submit by email, fax or post since you won't have access to YouTube Studio.

How do I submit a counter notification as an EU DSA Article 86 designated organisation?

Counter notifications from EU DSA Article 86 designated organisations should be submitted by email, fax or post.

Additional requirements:

1. Use an email domain associated with an EU DSA Article 86 designated organisation.
2. State the country of primary residence of the content owner.
3. Include the phrase 'I am submitting this appeal on behalf of a YouTube user in the European Union. I represent an organisation that is authorised to exercise rights conferred by the Digital Services Act Regulation 2022 (EU) 2022/2065.'