When you think of YouTube, you might think about videos that feature product hauls, fun beauty tutorials, interesting style experiments, maybe some viral challenges that seem a little ill-advised. While the platform obviously offers all of that, there is also a whole other side to it that is a little bit more on the strange side. There are lots of terrifying YouTube videos available to anyone, and while they are of course available all year-long, it's always a little more fun to watch them during the month of October. If you want to get stuck in a scary internet wormhole, there are lots of creepy YouTube videos to watch this Halloween season on ghosts, paranormal activity, and more.
Yep: Amongst the cheery, wacky videos on the site, if you dig deep enough, you can really find some pretty scary content. What's fun about them is that they're basically like watching short horror films — they just don't take up as much of your time, meaning you can usually watch a whole bunch of them at once. You just might not want to watch them when you're home alone, sitting in your house in the dark... that will definitely make the situation a whole lot worse.
Get into the Halloween spirit of things by watching these spooky YouTube videos below. Just beware of the nightmares you (might) inevitably have!
1The Milkman
If you're into horrifying cartoons that look like they're going to be cute and innocent and then end up being the stuff of nightmares, then Milkman is for you. It's, uh, not pretty. There's just something really creepy about cartoons in a murder setting, you know?
2Dining Room or There Is Nothing
This hair-raising short film has been around since 2006, and even if you've already seen it, it's still super creepy. The director, David B. Earle, made this infinity looping video to show that there might be nothing on the other side of life when you die. So... yeah. Just think about that while you're watching it.
3Possible Fallen Angel in Catalonia
This is another creepy classic that has been on the streaming service since 2006. If you don't believe in ghosts, this might convert you... and if you do, this will make you even more freaked out. In the video, two men are recording as they go into a forest outside the town of Campdevànol, Spain. They come across large feathers, then show a man with open wounds on his back, who looks at them and catches a reflection in his eyes. It is a hoax, but a very scary one.
4Man Gets Lost In The Catacombs Of Paris
This is just straight up terrifying, and reminds many of the Blair Witch Project. The video shows a man who gets lost in the narrow stone tunnels of the Paris catacombs, and you can hear him get more and more frightened as he races through. Eventually, the camera cuts off and you can hear him run away... and maybe get taken over by the dead, who knows?
5Girls See Ghost and Run
A lot of people don't believe this entire video is real, but even if it isn't, it's pretty damn terrifying. It shows two girls innocently playing, when they notice something in the dark room in front of them that makes them very, very scared. One girl eventually screams so loudly that viewers say it gives them serious goosebumps.
6Light's Out
This is a short Swedish horror film that won several awards, and it truly is extremely horrifying. The film was directed, written, produced, shot, and scored by David F. Sandberg and stars his wife, Lotta Losten. There's a lot of darkness, suspense, and just straight up fear. You don't want to watch this one right before bed.
7Creeper In My Apartment
Although this isn't a ghost story, it's basically like one, and it's just very, very creepy... especially if you live alone. New York City actor Joe Cummings made this video, which captures shots of what appears to be a homeless woman secretly staying in his home. Cummings was noticing missing food and hearing noises, and had no idea what it was, so he set up a video camera and found this. He has insisted it's not fake.
8There's a Man In The Woods
This is a very spooky short animated movie that is very well-written and just gives you goosebumps from start to finish. It's hard to explain without giving it away, but it's worth watching.
9Salad Fingers
It's hard to explain exactly what makes this video so creepy. Is it the spooky music playing in the background? Is it the horrifying animation? Is it the fact that this cartoon character is eating the little people off his fingers? It's everything, basically.
