YouTube launches 'Erase song' tool for deleting copyright music while keeping the voices

YouTube has introduced a new tool called "Erase song" to help creators manage copyright claims on their videos. This feature allows creators to remove copyrighted audio while keeping other sounds, such as voice-overs and sound effects, intact. Previously, creators had to replace the audio with a YouTube Library song, trim the segment, or mute the entire audio to address copyright issues.

Initially launched as a beta feature, "Erase song" faced performance issues, but YouTube has now improved it with an AI-powered algorithm for better accuracy in identifying and removing copyrighted content. To use the tool, creators need to click "Select Action" on the video copyright summary page and choose the "Erase song" option. They can then decide whether to remove copyrighted audio from all claimed segments or mute the audio in those segments. The tool will be available on both desktop and mobile versions of YouTube Studio in the coming weeks.

The tool may still struggle to remove certain songs, in which case replacing the song or muting all claimed segments might be quicker alternatives. YouTube has also noted that processing times for edits can vary and advised that no other edits should be made while the video is being processed. Additionally, if a video has over 100,000 views and the channel is not in the YouTube Partner Program, changes made using the tool might not be saved. The platform has also introduced features allowing users to report AI-generated videos that attempt to mimic them a few days ago.