Setting a video to public or private

By default, every video you upload is public. That means anyone with the link can watch it, and search engines can index the page. You can flip a video to private at any time.

Public versus private

Setting Who can watch
Public Anyone with the link. The page can be discovered through search and social shares.
Private Only the owner when signed in. The link still exists but won't show the video to anyone else.

Private videos are a paid plan feature. The Standard, Premium and Lifetime plans all include them. See Choosing the right plan for you.

How to switch the setting

  1. Open the video page.
  2. Find the privacy toggle in the video controls.
  3. Flip it on for private, off for public.
  4. The change takes effect immediately.

What "private" actually does

When a video is private:

  • The public watch page returns a not found message to anyone who isn't you.
  • Embeds will refuse to play for non owners.
  • The thumbnail and oEmbed endpoints stop returning data publicly.

You can flip it back to public at any time, with no effect on the video or its stats.

Last updated on May 14, 2026