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YouTube API data does not have one universal retention period. Under YouTube’s standard rules, some authorized statistics may be kept as long as needed for the user-consented purpose, subject to an authorization check at least every 30 days. Most other authorized data and limited non-authorized data must be refreshed or deleted within 30 calendar days. If a user asks you to delete their stored data—or otherwise indicates they no longer want your API client to access it—you must delete it as soon as possible and within seven calendar days. A separate allowance of up to 36 calendar months applies only to developers with an audited, expressly approved analytics use case.
Which YouTube API data can you keep, and for how long?
YouTube’s retention rules depend on both the kind of data and whether it was authorized. The standard categories and deadlines are set out in the YouTube API Services Developer Policies.
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| Data category | Standard retention rule | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Authorized Analytics API data, Reporting API data, and statistics from other YouTube APIs | As long as necessary for the purpose covered by the active user’s consent and applicable law | Verify that authorization remains valid at least every 30 days; for a video view-count example, also check that the video has not been deleted. |
| Other authorized data | No longer than necessary for the consented purpose, and no more than 30 calendar days | Refresh or delete it within 30 calendar days. |
| Limited amounts of non-authorized data | Only as long as necessary for the API client’s purpose, and no more than 30 calendar days | Refresh or delete it within 30 calendar days. |
The policy’s longer standard allowance for certain statistics does not cover non-authorized statistics. For example, without the channel owner’s authorization, you cannot retain a channel’s subscriber count beyond 30 days.
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What does “refresh or delete within 30 days” mean?
For other authorized data and limited non-authorized data, YouTube’s policy says: “After 30 calendar days, the API Client must either delete or refresh the stored data.” A refresh is not a one-time extension: covered data must be refreshed again or deleted by the end of each applicable 30-calendar-day period.
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Keep stored API data reasonably consistent with the current information available through YouTube API Services. Make reasonable efforts to reflect changes to metadata and view counts as quickly as possible. When displaying data to users, show the most updated data available to you. You may show historical values if you clearly present them in their historical context.
When must you delete a user’s data?
If a user asks you to delete stored data related to them, delete it as soon as possible and within seven calendar days. The same deadline applies when a user otherwise indicates they no longer want your API client to access related data—for example, by deleting their account in your client. YouTube states this rule in its Developer Policies.
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Deleting your API client’s copy does not delete YouTube’s copy. The user must use YouTube, or an authorized client that provides deletion functionality, to request deletion from YouTube.
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A narrow amendment permits certain statistical data and derived metrics to be stored for up to 36 calendar months, but it is not a general retention option for API developers. Under YouTube’s Additional policies for derived metrics and data storage, a developer must be audited, have an analytics use case, apply through the standard quota-extension request process, and receive acceptance for the relevant use case. Using the Analytics or Reporting API, or building an analytics product, does not by itself qualify an application.
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For an accepted use case, the specified statistical data can include views, likes, subscriber counts, and comment counts from statistical endpoints, as well as derived metrics based on retrieved data. The exception does not extend to ordinary descriptive data: video titles, creator names, descriptions, comment text, and similar data remain subject to the standard 30-day refresh-or-delete policy. The amendment was added on May 4, 2026, with a clarification recorded on June 1, 2026, in YouTube’s Terms of Service revision history.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What if you cannot verify authorization?
YouTube’s compliance guide says that when a developer cannot verify authorization, deletion must happen within 30 days. That is distinct from a user-directed deletion request, for which the Developer Policies set the shorter maximum of seven calendar days. Act sooner when feasible and assess the exact circumstances against the current policy text.
The compliance guide explains YouTube’s approach to policy compliance. The YouTube API Services Terms of Service make the Developer Policies part of the API agreement; API clients must also publish a privacy policy describing relevant collection, storage, use, processing, and sharing.
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