YouTube has removed all of its popular Rewind videos from public view, so you can no longer watch the originals.
Year-end summaries tailored to individual users are now a major trend on social media. Spotify’s “Wrapped” is a prime example, and other platforms like Twitch and YouTube have quickly followed suit by creating similar features.
YouTube first became known for its popular year-end Rewind videos. Though not tailored to individual viewing habits, these videos were fun summaries of the year’s biggest trends, viral memes, and featured many of the platform’s top creators.
After viewers complained, Rewind was cancelled in 2019, but the videos stayed online for anyone to see.
YouTube’s official Rewind videos disappear in 2026
In late 2025, YouTube made its Rewind videos harder to find by removing them from search results. While the videos weren’t deleted, they became hidden unless you had a direct link to them.
As of January 8, 2026, people have observed that Rewind videos are no longer publicly available – the original uploads have been set to private, so you can’t view them.
YouTube Rewinds are now private.
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One viewer expressed disappointment, saying the previous YouTube Rewind videos felt like a nostalgic look back at early 2010s internet culture they’d enjoyed. Another wondered if YouTube was ashamed of its history.
Viewers believe the videos may have been taken down because of copyright problems or expired licensing agreements. Some also mentioned a past conflict between YouTube and Ryan Higa, who felt he wasn’t told the truth about the Rewind videos he helped create.
So, even though YouTube took down Rewind 2021, people are still re-uploading it! It’s kinda funny – a lot of the re-uploads are getting edited with titles like “YouTube Rewind 2021, but it actually exists” – basically, a little dig at YouTube for removing it in the first place. I managed to find a few and it’s wild to see the community react like this.
Since YouTube is now removing its own content, it’s unclear how long these re-uploads will stay online, as the platform could request they be taken down.
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2026-01-08 15:48