What Does Unlisted Mean on YouTube? – Completed Answer Here

Jack

By Jack

Update on

what does unlisted mean on YouTube

If you want to find the right answer to what unlisted means on YouTube? And information about another aspect of YouTube. Then you are in the right place; this article will provide you with all the details to answer your question.

YouTube can be a massive place for regular viewers to the people who create a video every single using the platform. There is always something more to know about this platform that blows people’s minds away.

YouTube has changed the lives of people and businesses worldwide. Here they will be able to create videos and add them to their personal playlist and public playlist.

A public playlist offers a video that is meant to be seen by as many as possible; that is the reason why that video is listed under public settings.

A private video is supposed to be bought by the chosen people on the internet. Who gets to be the viewer on those videos is decided by the owner of the video.

That is the basic concept of video policy on YouTube. Let’s shed some light on the question what does unlisted mean on YouTube?

What Does Unlisted Mean on YouTube?

People’s approaches to creating videos online are different, some of them do it to keep the memory of their life in a private folder, so they can only be seen by them, and some of them want the world to see everything they do.

Plenty of content makes follow these two ways of approach to YouTube. And sometimes, creators will create an unlisted video; it will be a video with the category Unlisted.

To better understand What Unlisted Means on YouTube? And how does it helps the creator? First, we have to know the basic concepts of YouTube videos. Both the private and public approaches and some of the downside to that category of videos.

Only from there, we will get to the core concept behind the Unlisted term. In order to know what Unlisted refers to in a YouTube platform, we have to know what private and public video categories are on YouTube; and how they differ from the Unlisted term.

PS: If you are looking for the top best YouTube to MP4 converter, just click to read more.

Private vs. Public Videos on YouTube

Public Videos

The reason why people switch to the public more is the whole world gets to see the video and share it. The title of the video will pop up on google if anybody searches it. Public videos are for people who want to grow their audience on YouTube.

Creating a public video will be the key to YouTube’s success. As more people start seeing the video, the more people will subscribe to the channel hoping to get the same quality video over and over again.

These are the videos that will have a YouTube Brand Account behind them. Most of these accounts want to grow on YouTube and expand their viewer base to other regions and other countries. YouTube brings the whole world to one place, for everyone to enjoy.

Pros

  • A great tool for businesses to expand
  • Making Money on YouTube
  • Growing a community around you
  • More subscribers
  • Name recognition
  • Ad sales as you start driving more people to your content

Cons

  • The content will be on the internet forever
  • Deleting won’t delete the content ever from the platform
  • If something offensive is posted on YouTube, then it will have an effect on your professional life.
  • Your opinion will generate scrutiny.

That’s what public videos are for.

Private Videos

Private videos can only be seen by specific people, which makes the video more secure than any other option offered by YouTube.

Since the public allows the video to be seen by anybody who searches the title of the video on google, private is much more conservative, even if somebody has the link to that video or went to the playlist and saw the video being in the private category.

They can click on that video, but they won’t have access to that video.

The video can’t be shared with others if the video is in the private category, which makes the video more secure than the alternatives available on YouTube.

There is a limitation to the number of people you can send that video to. Then the number stands at 50; YouTube limits the video to 50 users. If the video is in the private category, then it can only be shared with 50 other users.

So with that many preventions on the video, why even bother using a Private tag on a video, since the public allows restriction-free video watching? Here are the reasons why people switch to

  • Confidentiality
  • Private aspect
  • For a personal collection
  • Only meant for specific people
  • Family-friendly
  • Only for a group of friends

The primary reason for the private option on a YouTube video has always been to keep the content secure for the owner. One of the reasons being they want the videos to see only by them and not the entire internet.

Now let’s take a peek at the other side of the coin, what does unlisted mean on YouTube question.

Besides, get to know how to share a private YouTube video.

What Do Unlisted Videos Differ from Public/Private Videos on YouTube?

An unlisted video differs a lot from private videos and public videos. In private videos, only you will be able to see the video anytime you want on YouTube. If you happen to make that video available to others, then they will see that video as well.

In a public aspect of YouTube, anybody will be able to see the video. There is no restriction on who gets to view the video and vice versa.

An unlisted video falls between private and public video. So what does unlisted mean on YouTube? An unlisted video is where the video will be listed anywhere else on the internet. But that doesn’t mean the video will not get viewed by people. Confusing?

If a video doesn’t appear on the search result, it will get viewed less if your video has the word Dog in the title. But you don’t want your video to pop up on the internet every time somebody searches for something with the word Dog in the search.

Then Unlisted for you. If one happens to get a link to your video, then they will be able to share the video with the people they like. It is one of those categories that has both public and private aspects to it.

By the way, click here to learn more about the difference between YouTube Private vs. Unlisted videos.

Why Unlist YouTube Videos?

If the public allows you to watch your video by millions and millions of people and private is where you keep your videos safe. Then the question becomes why even both with unlist.

Since so many people can see your video if they get the link of the video. Which in this day and age, can be shared by millions of people if they get wind of the video on the internet.

There are reasons why people make their videos unlisted, the reasons being:

  • Sharing the videos with the family members
  • From a business perspective, sharing the video with the selected customers
  • When you are planning to delete the video but want the videos to be seen by the people who have access to the link or the embedded link.
  • It can be sued for research purposes.
  • Reviews of selective products.
  • Creating a portfolio for the job or resumes made for selective people to see.

Now that you know everything about Private, Public, and unlisted videos and what they have to offer to the creator behind YouTube. It’s time to take the subject a little deeper.

Since we all know that private videos are safe, public videos are sharable to everybody in the world who has an internet connection, and unlisted is for the specific people who have the link or are embedded in the link.

This other question delves into what are the other offerings of this category. What if they miss out on one function that they will get in the other? Not all the creators on YouTube create the same type of video; each of them offers something unique to the streaming platform, which includes private videos and unlisted videos.

Well, if you are thinking about starting in the industry and are confused about the whole aspect of the category of video that you should upload to your channel, the table below will make this clear for you.

In this table, you will see all the things that you can do under unlisted, private, and public. This will give you a much clearer answer to what unlisted means on YouTube. Question.

What Does Unlisted Mean on YouTube | Full Comparison

List of FeaturesPrivateUnlistedPublic
#1 URLCan’t watch your video from the URLCan watch your video from your URLCan watch your video from your URL
#2 Embedded LinkHere you can’t watch a video if it is embedded on a pageHere you can watch a video if it is embedded on a page

 

 

Here you can also watch a video if it is embedded on a page.

 

 

#3 YouTube SearchNobody will be able to search your video on YouTube.The same thing goes here; nobody will be able to search the videos.Anybody will be able to search your video by just typing a single word from your title.
#4 PostingYou can’t post it on the YouTube channel; somebody has to look for it in the playlist otherwise, it stays hidden from the public viewSame thing here; you can’t post the video on the YouTube channel as an Unlisted categoryYes, you will be able to post the videos on the channel.
#5 Notification to your SubscribersNope nobody will get a notification that you just uploaded a video with the Private tagSame here, nobody will know that you posted a video on the channel. There will be no notifications from your channel.Yes, all subscribers to your channel will get the notification that you just uploaded a video.
#6 PlaylistYes, the video will appear on your playlist, but it will not be seen by people.Unlisted won’t allow the video to be seen in the playlist.Yes, it will be seen from the playlist.
#7 Account RequirementYou don’t need a YouTube account to see the videosHere the same scene; you will not need a YT account to see the videoPublic videos can be seen without a YouTube account.
#8 SecurityHighly secure for people who want to preserve videos on YouTubeHere is less secure than private, since anybody can watch the video if they happen to have the link for that video.Nope, here everybody will have the right to watch your video and preserve it. In case you ever decide to delete the video.
#9 Business FriendlyIf you are trying to sell the product to a group of people. NopeNope, as only a handful of people will have the right to the videoYes, the more people see the video, the more people like to subscribe to the product
#10ViewsHere you will find no views to the video since there is no way to access the videosLimited access to the videos. You will get decent views.If your subscription is higher, then you will get more views.

These are the reasons that separate the YouTube category from one to another. These categories give the content creator an option to create a video that suits more to what they have in mind.

If they want to save a bunch of videos in a folder so only they and their friends and family members can see the videos, then private is the perfect place for them.

If they want the video to have access to people who has the link of the video, then unlisted is the right suit for them once you go beyond that, which will get you in the public aspect of the affair, where everybody can see your videos and share it with people.

How to Create Unlisted Video?

Now you know the perfect answer to what unlisted means on YouTube. Let’s learn how you can create videos that are in the unlisted category.

Just follow the guide to creating an unlisted YouTube video on your channel.

  • First, you need to create your own channel. If you do have it, then great. If you don’t have a YouTube channel, then don’t worry; you can just click on the sign-in button, where you have to input your Google id and password to create an account on YouTube.
  • The second step would be to log in to your YouTube account and upload a video by clicking on the add video button on the top right corner of the window. You will find the logo of a video camera. That is the upload button, just click on that button.
What Does Unlisted Mean on YouTube
  • Once you click on the upload button, you will be on the Upload page of YouTube. Here you have to click on the drop-down menu you will see below the ‘Select files to upload’ title.
  • In the drop-down menu, you will see – Private, Public, scheduled, and Unlisted. Just click on Unlisted.
How to Create Unlisted Video
  • Now the only thing you have to do is to upload the YouTube video by clicking on the ‘Select files to upload’ title or dragging a video over the title. You will see a processing bar on the top depicting how much uploading has been done and how much of it still remains. Once it finishes, you will see the Processing done message in the bar. And on the button right next to the bar will have the ‘Publish’ option to it.
How to Create Unlisted Video
  • When the uploading is done, the video will be automatically saved to draft, just in case you want to upload the video later.
  • Before you hit publish, on the right side, you will see the same drop-down menu below the premiere option. Here you have to select unlisted again from the drop-down list.
  • The same thing you have if you are uploading the video through your phone.
How to Create Unlisted Video
  • After you are done with the Unlisted setting, you can click on the Done button next to the Processing done bar. And upload the video.
How to Create Unlisted Video
  • Then share the link with your friends. And if you change your mind afterward, you can change the setting of the video to Public or Private, as you see fit.
How to Create Unlisted Video

How to Unlist a YouTube Video

Here is another important question that arises from the initial question what does unlisted mean on YouTube? Suppose you upload a video on youtube, but then later, you change your mind about the video’s privacy settings.

There is an option to change the privacy setting of a video even after you upload that video on Youtube.

  • Sign in to your YouYube Studio.
Unlist a YouTube Video
  • Here go to the videos on your left menu.
Unlist a YouTube Video
  • Select the video that you want to update the privacy settings. If you want to see your live uploads, then click on the Live tab.
  • Now you have to make your way to the Visibility option; here, you will get Public, Private, and unlisted.
Unlist a YouTube Video
How to Unlist a YouTube Video
  • Choose Unlisted, then Save.
How to Unlist a YouTube Video

If you are using your phone (iPhone & Android), then follow the process below.

  • Sign into your YouTube app.
  • Next, go to the Library > My Videos.
  • Here select the video you want, make it unlisted, then tap on more > edit.
  • In the privacy drop-down menu, choose Unlisted out of public or private.
  • Now save the changes.
Unlist a YouTube Video

How to See Unlisted YouTube Videos

As you know, unlisted videos can be accessed from the playlist; you need to have the link to the video to see the actual video.

If you are having trouble finding your unlisted youtube videos on youtube, follow the rules below.

  • Go to your YouTube Studio.
See Unlisted YouTube Videos
  • Then click on the Video on the left side of the studio.
See Unlisted YouTube Videos
  • Here you are going to see all the videos you have ever uploaded on youtube.
  • Under the Visibility tag, you are going to see the privacy of those videos. If they are set to public, then you are going to see the Public privacy settings under the visibility section.
See Unlisted YouTube Videos
  • The same goes for unlisted; if you have made the video unlisted, then you are going to see unlisted privacy settings under the visibility category.
  • If you click on the unlisted or private, or public, you can again make changes to the privacy setting of that video.
  • After changing it, just hit save again.

FAQs

1. Can unlisted videos be monetized on YouTube? No, unlisted videos do not generate revenue through YouTube’s monetization programs. They are not eligible for ads or monetization features.

2. Can unlisted videos be made public later? Yes, creators have the option to change the visibility settings of an unlisted video to make it public at any time. However, once a video is made public, it becomes searchable and discoverable through YouTube’s search function.

3. Can I see the number of views on my unlisted videos? Yes, as the creator of an unlisted video, you can see the number of views on your videos. However, keep in mind that views from the same user may only count once within a 24-hour period.

4. Can unlisted videos be embedded on any website? Yes, unlisted videos can be embedded on any website or platform that supports YouTube video embedding. This allows creators to share their unlisted videos beyond the YouTube platform.

5. Can I share unlisted videos on social media? Yes, you can share unlisted videos on social media platforms by providing the direct link to the video. Keep in mind that the video will only be accessible to those who have the link, and it will not be discoverable through social media search functions.

Conclusion

Now you know the perfect answer to what unlisted means on YouTube. Why do creators go for unlisted over private and public categories?

It always comes down to the creator on what kind of video they want to upload on YouTube.

It is up to them because each of these settings brings something new to the table. If they want personal, then they will choose private, if they want to spread the word further, they will go public.

Finally, unlisted are people who have specific people to see the video and nobody else.

Jack
Jack

Ten years of experience in information and computer technology. Passionate about electronic devices, smartphones, computers, and modern technology.

THERE’S MORE TO READ.