A counter notification is a legal request to reinstate content that was removed due to a copyright removal request. If you believe 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 mail. For non-video content, such as channel banner images, submit by email, fax, or mail.
What to know before you submit:
- When to submit: Only submit a counter notification if you believe 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 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 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 you have a license 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 authorized representative (such as an attorney) can submit on the uploader's behalf by email, fax, or mail.
- Who submits the notification: Counter notifications should be submitted by the original uploader of the content at issue. Alternatively, an authorized representative, such as an attorney, can submit on behalf of the uploader.
Submit in YouTube Studio
Copyright counter notifications for videos can be submitted in YouTube Studio from a computer or in the YouTube Studio app:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- From the left menu, click Content
.
- Click the filter bar
Copyright.
- In the Visibility column, find a video with “Removed” status.
- In the Restrictions column, hover over Copyright.
- Click See details.
- Under Content used, click Take action
- Read the counter notification requirements and check the box to confirm
- Enter your contact info
- Make sure you include your complete physical address and full legal name (usually a first and last name). Do not enter a company or channel name.
- Enter your rationale. Clearly and concisely explain why you believe the removal of your content qualifies as a mistake or misidentification.
- Review the statements and check the boxes to agree.
- Enter your full legal name as your signature
- (Optional) If other videos were removed from the same removal request and you also believe they were incorrectly removed, you can select these videos and include all of them in the counter notification.
- Click Submit.
Submit by email, fax, or mail
Copyright counter notifications for videos and non-video content, such as channel banner images, can be submitted by email, fax, or mail.
To submit by email, send all the required information below in the body of an email (not as an attachment) to copyright@youtube.com or send it by fax or mail:
1. Your contact infoTo get in touch with you, or the representative authorized to act on your behalf, about your counter notification, include the following:
- Your full legal name: First and last name, not a company name. If you're an authorized representative, also include your relationship to the uploader.
- Your physical address
- Your telephone number
In your own words, you must include a statement to the claimant that clearly and concisely explains why you believe 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.
| 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 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 (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 (page will reload) right-click the address bar Copy. |
|
Effects (Shorts)
|
www.youtube.com/effect/xxxxxxxxxx Keep 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 (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 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. |
Agree to and include the following 2 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."
Complete and valid copyright counter notifications require the physical or electronic signature of the uploader or a representative authorized to act on their behalf.
To meet this requirement, the uploader or authorized 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 and last name, not a company name.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
What happens after I submit a counter notification?You can check the status of a counter notification from your YouTube Studio dashboard or follow those steps:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- From the left menu, select Content
- Click the filter bar
- Find the video in question.
- In the Restrictions column, hover over Copyright.
- Click See details.
- Look under the Content used section to find the status of the counter notification.
- 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.