How to remove or replace claimed music on YouTube

You see a Content ID claim for music in a video and want to fix the audio without deleting the upload. In YouTube Studio, check whether that claim offers Replace song or Erase song. Before saving, keep the original source file: since June 2025, Editor changes can no longer be reverted to the original.

Check your backup and the claim first

Download or locate the source file on your computer before you start. If you need to recover a copy from Studio, you can download a video you uploaded to YouTube, subject to its limits; that MP4 is not necessarily your source file. YouTube says you cannot make other edits while a change is processing, and processing time can vary.

If your channel is not in the YouTube Partner Program and the video has over 100,000 views, you may not be able to save these changes. Check which actions the notice on your video offers first. Follow YouTube Help on claimed content and confirm that these actions appear for the claim on your video.

Replace the claimed song

1. Go to YouTube Studio and open Content.
2. Find the video, click its copyright notice, and select View details.
3. On the relevant claim, open Take action and choose Replace song. This option is for audio claims.
4. Browse recommended tracks or search All tracks. Play a preview and select Add when you find a suitable track.
5. Drag the new track’s box to position its start and drag its edges to adjust how much of it plays.
6. Open the original track’s menu and check Mute all sounds in the claimed segment. With it off (the default), Studio removes the original music across the entire claim and adds the new track only to the segment you choose. If you turn it on, the original music is removed only where the new track covers it; make sure the track covers the whole claim or the claim will not be released.
7. Preview the interval, select Save, and confirm Save.

Tracks in this tool come from YouTube’s Audio Library. If any claimed audio remains, the claim will not be removed. YouTube explains these differences in its replace-song steps.

Erase or mute the claimed audio

Return to Take action and select Erase song. If Studio can separate the song, it leaves other sounds such as dialogue and effects. The tool may fail when a song is difficult to remove. In that case, you can choose Mute all sound in the claimed segments: this mutes all audio during that segment, not just the music.

Adjust the start and end of the muted segment if needed. Check that the muted segment covers all claimed audio: if any remains, the claim stays. Preview the change, then click Save → Mute. After processing, reload the page and check whether the claim is gone. YouTube says muting all sound is usually faster and more likely to remove the claim automatically. If you want to remove footage instead of editing audio, see how to trim an uploaded YouTube video.

If you believe the identification is wrong and want to challenge the claim instead of editing the audio, review how to dispute a Content ID claim, including its conditions and consequences, before submitting.

Before making your next video public, review YouTube’s copyright checks.

If the problem appears when uploading a Short with Shorts library music on a commercial channel, see what to do when that Short fails to upload.