YouTube Copyright Claim vs Copyright Strike: The Definitive Guide

  • Do you know the talk between YouTube copyright claim and strike?
  • Do you know what to do if you receive a copyright claim or strike on your video?

If not, then read this step-by-step copyright claim vs strike processed definitive guide.

Copyright claim vs strike

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Copyright provides ownership to the creator for their original work (creations)โ€”the creations such as video, music, photograph, artwork, movies, books, etc.

More specifically, the one who creates a digital or other product becomes a copyright owner.

So, it helps to protect their creativity from content robbers. Furthermore, it’s not compulsory to register copyright ownership, but it’s the best plan of attack to protect from infringement usage.

The place to register the copyright ownership is here (https://www.copyright.gov/).

On YouTube, Copyright claim is also referred to as Content ID claim. 

It’s an automated tool to scan the YouTube videos and notifies the copyright owner that their audio, video, or image has been used without their permission.

Hence, the violation user gets a copyright claim.

As I said, it’s an automated tool scan (not human scanning). So, there is a chance that the claim might be wrong. In the further below topic, let me explain how to remove the claim from your videos.

The copyright owner summons a copyright strike on someone’s YouTube video, not automated tools.

When copyright owners find out that someone uses their work without permission (violation), they request a copyright strike. Eventually, it will remove the video from YouTube.

Now, you understand what copyright claims and copyright strikes are. Let’s see the impacts you’ll face on your YouTube channel.

Check out the below copyright claim vs strike table.

S.NoCopyright Claims
Copyright Strikes

1Claim gives less impact on YouTube channel and monetization.Strike gives more effect on YouTube channel and leads to demonetization
2Claims cannot affect your channel directlyStrikes affect your channel hardly
3When you get claims, you can monetize the other videos and earn moneyWhen you get strikes; you can’t be able to monetize your videos
4Claims will not terminate your channel3 copyright strikes result in channel termination
550 copyright claims lead to 1 copyright strikeThe copyright owner can able to remove your video from YouTube altogether.
6A copyright owner restricts the claim videos in a specific country or region.The copyright owner can able to remove your video from YouTube altogether.
7A claim can be proven false and releasedStrike gives more effect on YouTube channel and leads to demonetization

First of all, Don’t panic.

You don’t need to worry much when you get a copyright claim. Analyze why you receive the claim.

If it’s someone’s work and you used it on your content, contact the claim owner and get a deal.

Otherwise, trim the particular section or mute the song or dispute the reason directly on YouTube if you have the content rights.

For example, I received a copyright claim from one of my channels for the music I’ve used.

But I have the right to use that royalty-free music from TunePocket.com. So, I dispute the reason directly on the YouTube interface.

Copyright claim disputed

In a couple of days, YouTube released my claim after the copyright owner reviewed it. Hence, YouTube removed my copyright claim.

Copyright claim released

Note: As I said above, 50 claims lead to 1 Strike. So, whenever you receive a strike, try to solve that.


To be honest, you don’t have chances a take action when you get a copyright strike.

All you need to do is sit tight for the next 90 days to clear your strike.

Meanwhile, you can contact a copyright owner to examine whether their content isn’t violating the original content.


Note: Deleting the strike video will not delete the strike. The strike is for your channel, not on video.


So, using someone’s work on your channel can cause big problems. Avoid it.

In a nutshell, to avoid copyright violation, you need to create your own content. 

Moreover, your content might require video footage/clips, music, and images.

Well, you may ask, how can I create all these on my own? The answer is, you don’t need to.

Some royalty-free sites provide video, image, and music content without violating copyrights. Using royalty-free content is one of the best approaches to overcome copyright issues.

Let me point out some of the royalty-free sites here,

  • Images

Snappa is one of the best graphic design software to produce images for your YouTube thumbnail or content.

It has tons of free pre-defined templates to use. Feel free to click here and go through it.

  • Music

TunePocket is the unlimited music library for content creators. Personally, I have used this product for quite a long on my channel. As of now, I didn’t receive a single strike.

But I get a copyright claim on 3+ times. However, I dispute them and all the claims released. I trust TunePocket.

  • Videos

For free-stock footage, Envato Elements is the unlimited giant library to use. What I like most about Envato Elements is it has other libraries such as Graphic templates, presentation templates, stock music, photos, sound effects, all in a single place.

If you want to use royalty-free images, videos, music in a single place, try Envato Elements by clicking here.

The copyright owner has an option to take all the revenue from the copyright claim video. If the owner didn’t, then you can monetize that claim video. Other YouTube monetization requirements here.

No. You can’t monetize the channel even if you get one copyright strike.

Yes, the strike will expire in 90 days.

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