There are a few different reasons why a video may no longer be available when you try to access it online. Here are some of the most common causes and what you can do about it:
The video was removed by the creator
Often, videos are taken down by the original uploader. They may decide to remove the video for various reasons like:
- The content is no longer relevant or they no longer want it public
- There are privacy or legal concerns with the video
- It contained copyrighted material they did not have rights to share
- The account that uploaded it was deleted or terminated
If the video was removed by the creator intentionally, there is usually no way to access it anymore unless they decide to re-upload it. Unfortunately, the only option is to find another video on the same or similar topic if it was taken down permanently.
Copyright claim or terms of service violation
Video platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and others have guidelines about copyright and appropriate content. If a video violates their terms of service or gets a copyright claim, it may be taken down by the platform.
Some reasons a video service would remove content include:
- Infringing on someone’s copyrighted work like music, images, or video
- Hateful, dangerous, or abusive content
- Harassment, threats, or invasion of privacy
- Spam, scams, or other deceptive practices
In some cases, the uploader can edit the video to resolve the issue resulting in the takedown and have it restored. But if the guidelines were severely violated, the platform may permanently ban the video.
Technical issues or bugs
Less commonly, a video becoming unavailable is caused by technical problems rather than intentional removal:
- The video host is experiencing downtime or server issues
- There’s a bug or glitch affecting certain videos
- It was incorrectly flagged as violating policies
Malfunctions like these are usually temporary. Trying again later often resolves access when it’s a technical problem. Most platforms also have an appeals process if you think your video was removed by mistake.
Account termination
If the entire account that uploaded the video gets banned or deleted, all the videos associated with it will also become inaccessible to others. Reasons accounts can get terminated include:
- Multiple copyright or terms of service violations
- Inactivity for a long period of time
- Ban evasion with an alternative account
When an account is permanently deleted either by the user or the platform, the videos will remain unavailable unless they are re-uploaded from another account.
Limited access settings
Uploaders can also set restrictions on who can view their videos. If you get a message that a video is no longer available, it could be due to:
- Being made private or unlisted so only some people can access it
- Region blocking that makes it unavailable in certain countries
- Age restrictions that block underage users from watching
In these cases, the video may still be viewable to other authorized users or in allowed locations. You won’t have access if you don’t meet the criteria set by the uploader.
What should you do if a video is unavailable?
When you come across a notice that a video can’t be played, here are some tips on what to do next:
- Check if the video is unavailable for everyone or just you. If friends or other accounts can view it, you know it’s limited access settings rather than removal.
- Try again later in case it’s a temporary technical issue.
- Search for alternate uploads as people often re-share viral videos.
- Check the video creator’s profile to see if they explained why it was removed.
- Read the platform’s community guidelines to see if you violated any policies.
- Appeal the takedown if you believe it was a mistake or fair use.
While it can be frustrating when a video vanishes, there are usually valid reasons behind it. In many cases, there are at least some options to find the content re-uploaded elsewhere or watch alternative videos on the topic.
What happens to a video when it’s removed?
When a video file gets deleted or taken down, what actually happens behind the scenes varies between different platforms.
On YouTube
On YouTube, a few things occur when a video is removed:
- It’s no longer publicly viewable or findable on the platform
- The video URL redirects to an unavailable message
- It’s removed from the uploader’s video manager and channel
- The view count freezes at the time it’s deleted
However, YouTube states the original video files can remain on their servers for a period of time. This allows the uploader to appeal or restore the content if the takedown was a mistake.
After some time, likely a few weeks or months, the video files are likely deleted from YouTube’s servers permanently. But this is not immediate the moment a video is removed.
On Facebook
When a Facebook video gets taken down, here’s what users see:
- The video disappears from your profile, Page, or Group
- Any shares also disappear, so others can’t see it
- It’s removed from Video Manager in your account
For those who had the original video link, it redirects to a Page Not Found error. Facebook has not provided details on how long removed videos remain on their servers.
On other platforms
Policies can vary at other video services. But in general:
- The video is made private and inaccessible publicly
- It’s unlisted or removed from the uploader’s account and channel
- Analytics like views freeze as of the removal date
- The files stay on servers temporarily before eventual deletion
So you cannot see or find a deleted video, but remnants of it may still exist behind the scenes for a limited time. This gives the uploader a chance to undo the takedown if it was accidental.
Can you recover or re-upload a deleted video?
Whether an unpublished video can be recovered depends on a few factors:
- If you were the uploader – You may be able to restore deleted videos from your account for a limited time, unless the service banned you entirely.
- If you simply viewed it – Unfortunately, regular viewers cannot retrieve removed videos.
- If you have a copy saved – Having the video file on your own computer or drive allows you to re-upload it anywhere.
- Using internet archives – Websites like The Wayback Machine sometimes have cached, outdated copies of deleted videos.
Here are some options that may work to recover a lost video depending on the situation:
- Check your video manager. YouTube, Facebook, and others give uploaders a window where they can undo deletions and restore removed content.
- Appeal the takedown if you believe it was a mistake or you have the rights to use the content. The platform may reinstate the video after reviewing.
- Search Google, archive sites, or fandom wikis to see if copies exist online you could re-upload.
- Use “View Page Source” on video pages to try finding the direct .mp4 file location and save it.
- Try searching your web history and caches for the video filename to recover it.
But without the original files or cooperation from the platform, regular viewers have limited options if the uploader does not restore the content themselves.
Why do videos get deleted?
Videos get taken down from online platforms for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common causes include:
- Copyright violations like unauthorized music or movie clips.
- Hate speech, harassment, incitement of violence, or other dangerous content.
- Pornography or sexually explicit material that violates policies.
- Impersonation of someone else through stolen videos or images.
- Scams, spam, and other misleading or deceptive videos.
- The account that uploaded it was banned or deleted.
- Government request for illegal or censored material.
Video services like YouTube, Facebook, TikTok, and Twitch all have Community Guidelines that prohibit certain types of content. Violating their rules often results in video removal.
Uploaders may also choose to delete their own videos for other reasons like:
- No longer relevant, outdated, or old content they no longer wish to share publicly.
- Wanting to take a break from creating videos or closing their account.
- Negative feedback or too many dislikes on a video.
- Concerns over privacy, embarrassment, or personal information revealed.
- Removing content as part of re-branding or changing creative direction.
So both platform enforcement and voluntary removal by users results in a lot of video deletions every day.
How can you tell if a video was removed or deleted?
When a video is no longer available, how can you tell if it was removed by the creator, taken down for violations, or deleted for other reasons?
Here are some clues on what may have happened:
- The video page says it was removed for a Community Guidelines violation like nudity, hate speech, etc. This indicates the platform took it down.
- The uploader’s account is deleted or terminated. This suggests they were banned or closed their account.
- The video is gone, but the uploader is still active. They likely chose to unpublish it.
- It says the video is private, restricted, or not available in your region. This means access is limited.
You can also look for explanations from the video creator for why it became unavailable:
- Check their social media accounts for any posts mentioning deleting videos.
- Read video descriptions for updates on removed or private content.
- See if they uploaded a farewell or explanation video about leaving the platform.
In some cases, the reason remains unclear. But context clues like these can reveal if it was removed by the platform, creator, or set to limited access.
Preventing your own videos from being removed
If you are uploading videos, here are some tips to avoid having your content taken down:
- Read the platform’s content policies and follow their guidelines.
- Avoid copyrighted material like songs, clips from TV shows and movies, etc. without permission.
- Be respectful and avoid hateful, dangerous, or abusive speech.
- Fact check your content to avoid spreading misinformation.
- Add watermarks and logos to help prevent stolen creations.
- Dispute any false copyright claims through the proper appeals process.
Staying within the rules and Terms of Service of any video platform reduces the likelihood of removals. Having original creations and getting licenses where needed also keeps your work safer.
And if a video does get taken down improperly, acting quickly to appeal it can get the content restored before it’s permanently deleted.
Famous examples of deleted or banned videos
Over the years, many hugely popular videos faced removal or got banned from YouTube, Facebook, and other platforms. Here are some noteworthy examples:
Charlie bit my finger
This classic YouTube video amassed over 870 million views since 2007. But in 2021, the family who uploaded it decided to remove the original and sell it as an NFT instead.
Despacito
In 2017, this music video became the most viewed ever on YouTube. But videos for the song were temporarily deleted due to multiple copyright claims before being restored.
Innocence of Muslims
This anti-Islamic film caused worldwide protests in 2012. It was banned in many countries and removed from YouTube over Terms of Service violations.
Webdriver Torso
This mysterious YouTube account uploaded random test videos which racked up millions of views. It was eventually shut down by YouTube.
Cocomelon nursery rhymes
Over a dozen of these popular kids songs were permanently banned on YouTube in 2020 over child safety concerns.
These and many other controversial, viral, or problem videos faced removal over the years. While it caused outrage from fans at the time, most platforms stand by their decisions to take down content that violates policies.
Conclusion
There are many reasons a video may become unavailable when you try to access it – from creator deletion to technical issues. Usually there is a valid cause, and the best options are to find alternative uploads or similar content on the topic if it was permanently removed. With creative and educational videos constantly being produced and shared, the internet has no shortage of media to view even when individual files disappear.