Free up app storage

Free up YouTube Music storage

YouTube Music stores offline songs, albums, and playlists plus a streaming cache so tracks start quickly. Your library stays on the Google account. Removing a download only deletes the copy on this phone.

See how much space YouTube Music is using

iPhone

1. Open the iPhone Settings app.
2. Tap General > iPhone Storage.
3. Tap YT Music or YouTube Music.

Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps.
2. Tap YouTube Music.
3. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.

YouTube Music does not have a WhatsApp-style storage screen. Open Library > Downloads to see what is actually on the phone.

Remove songs from Library Downloads

1. Open YouTube Music and tap Library.
2. Tap Downloads.
3. Open a playlist, album, or song you do not need offline.
4. Tap the download icon to turn it off, or tap the menu and choose Remove download.

Liked songs and playlists stay in Library. Only the offline files leave this device.

Change Downloads and streaming settings

1. Open YouTube Music and tap your profile picture.
2. Tap Settings.
3. Tap Downloads and streaming.
4. Lower download quality, turn off Download over cellular if you see it, and review Don't play downloaded songs when online.

Audio and video downloads (if video is enabled) take much more space at higher quality.

Remove all downloads

1. Open Settings > Downloads and streaming.
2. Look for Remove all downloads or open Library > Downloads and remove each collection.

After this, YouTube Music streams again when you have a connection. Your library is unchanged.

Clear YouTube Music cache on Android

1. Open your phone Settings > Apps > YouTube Music.
2. Tap Storage or Storage and cache.
3. Tap Clear cache.

Do not tap Clear storage / Clear data unless you mean to reset YouTube Music on this phone. That signs you out and removes local downloads. Library and playlists stay on your Google account.

iPhone does not offer a separate YouTube Music cache button. Use Library > Downloads, or offload the app in iPhone Storage if the system total stays high.

Reinstall the app if storage is still high

If you already cleaned media and YouTube Music still looks huge, a fresh install can clear leftover cache and temp files that are hard to reach by hand.

1. Downloads will need to be re-downloaded after you sign in. Your Google account keeps the library, playlists, and likes.
2. Delete the app from your phone.
3. Restart your phone.
4. Install YouTube Music again from the App Store or Google Play.
5. Sign in and restore from backup if the app offers it.

This often frees a lot of space. You may need to download some media again after restore.

What to do next

After YouTube Music is lighter, check your photo library for duplicates and similar shots. That is what Dedupo is for.

More app guides: Free up app storage.