Cancel YouTube Music Premium the easy way

Service summary

YouTube Music Premium is the paid music streaming service from YouTube that provides ad-free music, background play and offline downloads through the YouTube Music app. The service is managed under YouTube's paid membership terms and marketed to listeners who use YouTube for music discovery.

Main features

Key features include ad-free streaming, offline downloads, background play and access to the YouTube Music library which includes official tracks, remixes and user uploaded content drawn from YouTube's catalogue.

Who runs the service

YouTube Music Premium sits within YouTube and is owned by Alphabet Inc. The YouTube subscription business contributes to a subscriptions revenue stream reported at about $20bn annually.

Web cancellation (YouTube account)

1. Open a browser and sign in at YouTube using the account that has the subscription.
2. Click your profile picture and choose "Paid memberships".
3. Find YouTube Music Premium under memberships and click "Manage" then "Cancel membership".
4. Follow on-screen prompts to confirm. You will see a confirmation on screen and may receive an email.

Android cancellation (Google Play billing)

1. Open the Google Play Store app on the Android device signed into the paying account.
2. Tap your profile, then "Payments & subscriptions" then "Subscriptions".
3. Select YouTube Music Premium and tap "Cancel subscription".
4. Choose a reason if requested, then confirm "Yes, cancel". Keep the Play Store confirmation for proof.

iOS cancellation (billed by Apple)

1. Open Settings on your iPhone or iPad and tap your name to access Apple ID.
2. Tap "Subscriptions", find YouTube Music and tap "Cancel Subscription".
3. Confirm cancellation. Apple handles billing and refunds for subscriptions started through the App Store.

Phone cancellation (YouTube Support)

1. Use the YouTube Help contact page to find the support route for your account.
2. Request cancellation and ask for a confirmation reference or email.
3. If the subscription is billed via Google Play or Apple, support will direct you to the correct billing platform.

Email / Post cancellation

1. Send a detailed request including account email, subscription name and a clear statement that you want to cancel to the support channel shown in your YouTube account or to the postal address: YouTube Music Premium, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, 94043 Mountain View, USA.
2. Keep proof of sending (registered post receipt or support form reference).
3. Expect processing time; confirmation will be your proof of cancellation.

Moving abroad or change of residence

If you move and can no longer use a region-specific billing option, you can cancel your subscription from your account settings. YouTube does not publish a special relocation cancellation form, so cancellation follows standard account cancellation routes. Applicable law where relevant: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

Price increase

If the price of the paid service increases, you may cancel to avoid the new price by canceling before the next billing date. YouTube allows cancellation at any time and cancellation will prevent further charges. You should keep the price change notice and your cancellation confirmation as evidence. Applicable law where relevant: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

Death of the subscriber

YouTube does not publish a formal public policy on bereavement cancellations for YouTube Music Premium. To cancel a deceased person's subscription, contact YouTube Support and be prepared to provide proof such as a death certificate and proof of authority. The exact process is Not published by YouTube Music Premium so raise a support ticket and retain all correspondence.

Service no longer performs or defective content (legitimate ground)

If YouTube Music Premium is defective or does not perform as stated, you can request cancellation and a remedy under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 because services must be performed with reasonable care and skill. Required proof: examples of the defect (screenshots, dates, device info) and correspondence with YouTube support showing failed resolution. Applicable law: Consumer Rights Act 2015.

End of commitment

YouTube Music Premium has no minimum commitment in the UK and subscriptions renew monthly. To stop renewal, cancel at any time using account settings. No exit fee applies. Applicable law where relevant: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

Cooling-off rights (14 days)

Under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, for digital services you have a 14-day statutory right of withdrawal for a full refund if you cancel within 14 days of purchase, unless you expressly consent to immediate provision of the service and thereby waive the right. If the service was provided immediately and you consented, the 14-day right to withdraw is waived. Required proof: order date, evidence of consent if the service started immediately. Applicable law: Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013.

Before you cancel: negotiate

There are no public reports in the verified research of standard retention discounts or personalised offers from YouTube Music Premium. If you want to seek a better rate, ask support when you start cancellation: state that you are considering leaving, request available discounts or promotions and ask whether a trial to a lower-cost plan is available. If your subscription was started via Apple, request options through Apple support. If started via Google Play, request options via Google Play support. Keep any offer in writing as proof.

What cancelling saves you - yearly math

Compute yearly cost for the main plans:

• YouTube Music Premium Individual: £10.99 x 12 = £131.88 per year
• YouTube Music Premium Family: £16.99 x 12 = £203.88 per year
• YouTube Premium (includes Music Premium): £12.99 x 12 = £155.88 per year
• App Store listing price for YouTube Music (iOS) is £14.99 x 12 = £179.88 per year

Cheapest real alternative from the researched competitors: Spotify Premium or Amazon Music Unlimited at £12.99 per month, which equals £155.88 per year. If you cancel YouTube Music Premium individual (£131.88 per year) and move to Spotify at £155.88 per year you would pay £24.00 more per year. If you cancel the Family plan (£203.88 per year) and move to Spotify (£155.88 per year) you save £48.00 per year.

Your statutory rights in the UK

For digital services in the United Kingdom you are protected by the Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013 and by the Consumer Rights Act 2015. The Regulations provide a 14-day cooling-off right for many online contracts but that right is lost for digital content once the service is made available immediately and you consent. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires services to be performed with reasonable care and skill.

Auto-renewal and unfair practices

The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) treats hard-to-cancel subscriptions and unclear auto-renewal terms as potentially unfair. If you have difficulties cancelling, keep copies of all cancellation attempts, on-screen confirmations and correspondence. If the trader does not resolve the issue, escalate as below.

How to escalate a dispute

1) Complain to YouTube Support and keep records. 2) Contact Citizens Advice for next steps if unresolved. 3) Use the relevant ombudsman for your sector if applicable. 4) For card payments, consider Section 75 or a chargeback with your card issuer if you paid by a qualifying credit card and the conditions apply. Cite Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 and Consumer Rights Act 2015 when arguing legal rights.

Access and final billing

Once you cancel, auto-renewal is turned off and you will not be billed again. Benefits continue until the end of the current billing cycle (the paid month). There is no cancellation fee and you will receive confirmation on-screen or by email if paid through Google Play or Apple.

Data and re-activation

Your account and any saved likes or playlists remain associated with your Google/YouTube account. If you re-subscribe later, your library and preferences will be available again. If you need copies of receipts keep the confirmation email and check your payment history in Google Play or Apple ID for records.

Use this checklist immediately after cancelling to protect your finances and records.

• Save the on-screen cancellation confirmation or confirmation email from YouTube, Google Play or Apple.
• Record the cancellation date and the end of service date (end of billing period).
• Check your bank or card statement to ensure no further charges appear after the cancellation date.
• Decide if you need to re-download any offline music before the subscription end date.
• If you paid via a third party (Apple or Google Play) keep their receipts as proof of payment and cancellation.
• If you want a refund and think you are entitled (for defective service or within 14 days where allowed), open a support ticket and keep all correspondence.