Google makes old hidden YouTube and Drive links inaccessible

Google makes old links on YouTube and in Google Drive inaccessible if users had set them to ‘hidden’. As a result, links and embeds from uploads for 2017 will no longer work from next year, unless users fill out a form.

The move is necessary, according to Google, because links for files and videos that are hidden were created before January 1, 2017 with an older system and therefore may be less secure. Therefore, it adjusts the links and that ensures that links and embeds no longer work from that moment on. Videos and files uploaded in 2017 or later will remain available as they are now.

The move will take effect on YouTube on July 23. Channel owners can choose to stop the change for their videos by filling out this form. On Google Drive, users have until September to indicate their choice, after which the changes take effect.

The hidden links feature will remain, Google says. If users don’t do anything, Google will make the files private and only the uploaders themselves and people they’ve manually selected will be able to see the files and videos.