Updated July 2025 – Find out exactly what your YouTube data archive includes and how to explore it step by step.
When you download your YouTube archive via Google Takeout, you get much more than a list of watched videos. You receive a complete, structured package of everything you’ve done on the platform — including searches, comments, playlists, likes, subscriptions, and even channel data if you’re a creator.
This article gives you a full overview of what’s inside your archive, how to open it, and how to get value from it.
✅ Why Explore Your YouTube Archive?
Understanding what YouTube tracks about you is useful for:
- 🧠 Privacy management and data awareness
- 🗂 Backing up years of activity
- 💬 Reviewing old comments and interactions
- 🎥 Exporting content from your channel
- 🔐 Storing key data before deleting your account
Once you download the ZIP file, here’s what you’ll find inside:
🗂️ YouTube Archive – Folder-by-Folder Breakdown
Your archive includes multiple folders and files. These vary depending on how you used the platform (viewer vs. creator). Most files are in .json, .csv, or .html format.
1. 👀 watch-history.json
A complete list of every video you’ve watched:
- Video title & ID
- Channel name
- Date/time of viewing
- Direct link to video
📌 Great for reviewing or organizing your past interests.
2. 🔎 search-history.json
Every search term you’ve typed into YouTube:
- Keywords
- Date of search
- Search location/device
Useful for identifying old interests or reviewing your behavior.
3. 💬 comments/
Includes all your:
- Video comments
- Replies to other users
- Comment timestamps
- Links to videos where you commented
✅ File format: .json and .csv (for spreadsheets)
4. 👍 likes.json / dislikes.json
Tracks all liked and disliked videos (if enabled):
- Video title & ID
- Channel name
- Date liked/disliked
⚠️ Dislike data may be incomplete due to YouTube’s limited access.
5. 🎞️ playlists/
Lists all playlists you’ve:
- Created
- Liked
- Saved for later
Includes playlist titles, video counts, and timestamps.
6. 📺 subscriptions.csv
Contains:
- All channels you currently subscribe to
- When you subscribed
- Channel URLs
📌 Useful for exporting or transferring your feed elsewhere.
7. 🎙️ channel/ (if you’re a creator)
If you have a channel, this folder contains:
- Video metadata (titles, descriptions, publish dates)
- Thumbnail images
- Engagement stats (views, likes, comments)
- Revenue reports (if monetized)
- Copyright claims or strikes
- Community post history
👉 This section can be massive — split into multiple subfolders.
8. 🎧 youtube-music/ (if used)
- Liked tracks
- Playlists
- Listening history
- Preferences
Only included if you’ve used YouTube Music.
🛠 How to Open Your Files
| File Type | Use |
|---|---|
.json | Use jsonformatter.org or Notepad++ for easy reading |
.csv | Open with Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice |
.html | Browse in any standard browser |
For most users, .csv and .html are the easiest to understand.
🔐 Where to Store Your YouTube Archive
To keep your archive private and accessible:
✅ WinZip
Extract your archive easily and manage large folders.
✅ pCloud
Secure 10 GB free cloud storage for backups — encrypted, accessible from any device.
✅ EaseUS
Optional tool for scheduled, local backups to external drives.
🧠 Final Tip: Use Your Archive Strategically
- Audit your viewing habits
- Save playlists and subscriptions offline
- Back up your entire channel if you’re a creator
- Use old data for content ideas or platform migration
- Clean up comments and public activity after reviewing
📌 Summary
Your YouTube archive isn’t just a list of videos — it’s a full log of your behavior, interests, and creative output. Explore it carefully and keep it protected.
🔘 Download Your YouTube Data Now →
🔐 Extract with WinZip | Store securely in pCloud