Claim or strike: what to do when you get a copyright notice on YouTube

After their first copyright notice, many channel owners ask: “I got a copyright notice on a video, will my channel be shut down?” or “I got a strike, what do I do?” The answer depends entirely on the type of notice, so we start with the difference.

What is the difference between a claim and a strike?

A YouTube claim and a strike differ in three ways: where they come from, what happens to the video, and the effect on the channel. A claim is automatic and concerns one video; a strike is legal and counts against the whole channel.

How do you tell which notice you got?

The type of copyright notice shows in YouTube Studio, in the Restrictions column of the Content page, and strike notices also arrive by email.

1. Open YouTube Studio, then Content in the left menu. For Shorts, open the Shorts tab.
2. In the filter bar choose Claims, then find the video.
3. Hover over the Restrictions column: “Claims” means a Content ID claim, “Copyright – Takedown” means a removal request.
4. Click See details to see the claimant, the matched segment and your options.

Strike notices also arrive by email from no-reply@youtube.com, which tells you whether it is a scheduled removal with a 7-day window.

Got a claim? What are your options?

When a Content ID claim arrives, YouTube gives the uploader six options, depending on whether the claim is valid and what content is claimed:

• Leave it if it is valid; the video stays according to the owner's policy.
• Mute the claimed audio, where that is available.
• Trim out the claimed segment.
• Replace the song with audio from the YouTube Audio Library.
• Share revenue with the music owner if your channel is in the YouTube Partner Program.
• Dispute if you own the rights or have permission to use the content.

Do not dispute without a valid reason: the claimant can submit a removal request at any point during a dispute, which turns it into a strike.

How do you dispute a wrong claim?

A Content ID claim is disputed from YouTube Studio; the claimant has 30 days to respond, then 7 days to respond to an appeal if it gets that far.

1. From the claim details page choose Dispute and state your reason clearly: ownership, licence or an exception.
2. The claimant has 30 days to respond. If they do not, the claim expires.
3. If they reject your dispute you may be able to appeal, and they have 7 days to respond to the appeal.
4. If they reject the appeal they may submit a removal request: the video is removed and the channel gets a strike, and you can still file a counter notification if you think it is invalid.

For claims that block a video, an Escalate to Appeal option skips the dispute step and speeds things up.

Got a strike? What happens to your channel?

A copyright strike means the video was removed because of a legal removal request. It stays active on the channel and only expires after 90 days if you complete Copyright School and the channel has fewer than three strikes. Three strikes within 90 days put the account and its associated channels at risk of termination, and you cannot create new channels.

How do you get rid of a strike?

A YouTube copyright strike can be resolved in only three ways:

1. Complete Copyright School and wait 90 days for it to expire.
2. Contact the party who submitted the removal request and ask for a retraction.
3. Submit a counter notification if you believe the removal was a mistake.

Deleting the video does not resolve a strike. The only exception is a scheduled removal: you have 7 days to delete the video yourself and avoid the strike.

When should you file a counter notification?

A counter notification is a legal process, so file one only if you believe the content was removed by mistake or your use falls under an exception such as fair use. YouTube is legally required to share it with the claimant, so an authorised representative such as a lawyer can file it for you. The claimant has 10 US business days to show evidence of legal action; otherwise the video is reinstated unless you deleted it. False information can lead to account termination.

What if you are the rights owner?

Owners of recitation and nasheed channels are often on the other side: “someone keeps re-uploading my recitations.” The Quran text belongs to no one, but a recording and its production are protected. Once your recordings are in Content ID, claims are placed automatically on every copy, so their revenue returns to you or they are blocked, without chasing each video yourself.

FAQ