When discussing YouTube private vs unlisted videos, there are five key differences to understand. At first, these differences weren’t clear to me, but after hours of research and experimenting, I finally understand the difference.
It’s for that reason that I put together this list of the key differences between YouTube private and unlisted videos.
1. You Can Share the URL of an Unlisted Video
Although your subscribers won’t get a notification when you upload an unlisted video, you can still share the URL with anyone you choose. Keep in mind that anyone with the link to an unlisted YouTube video can re-share it.
On the other hand, you cannot share the URL of a private video on YouTube.
2. Only Those You Choose Can See Private Videos
You can share a private video directly with another Google user. Therefore, only those who are invited to view the video can watch it.
In addition, the video link to a private video is not re-shareable. As a result, you must be signed into your Google account to view a private video.
You may see “This video is unavailable” if you try to access a private YouTube video that you don’t have permission to watch.
3. Comments Are Not Available for Private Videos
While unlisted YouTube videos are not easily accessible to the public, anyone with the link can comment on it.
That being said, comments are not available for private videos—even shared private videos.
As a result, users can only comment on public and unlisted videos.
4. Unlisted Videos Can Be Added to a Channel Section
Although unlisted videos won’t appear on your channel’s Videos tab, you can still add them to a section of your page.
This means when you are customizing your page, you will have the option to create a horizontal or vertical row containing an unlisted video. Additionally, you can also feature an unlisted video on your YouTube channel page.
5. Private Videos Will Never Appear in YouTube Search Results
YouTube guarantees that your private videos will never appear in search results.
On the other hand, an unlisted video has the potential to show up in search results in certain situations. For example, if you or someone adds your unlisted video to a public playlist, this video will appear in search results.
As a former daily vlogger on YouTube, most of the videos I uploaded were public. But in some cases, I simply couldn’t upload a public video. That’s why I put so much research into understanding Youtube private vs unlisted videos.
If you have any questions about the different YouTube privacy settings, check out YouTube Help for more information.
One Response
Great!