Change your YouTube channel name in three steps

Your YouTube channel name and your Google account name are separate. To change what appears on your channel, you go to YouTube Studio, not your Google settings. Open YouTube, click your profile icon in the top right, select Create a channel or Manage your channels depending on whether you already have one, then click Settings on the left. Under Basic info, you'll see your channel name field — edit it there and click Save.

The change takes effect when ready on your channel page, comments, and uploads. Your old name does not appear to new viewers. If you want to change the name tied to your Google account itself (the one that appears when you sign into Gmail or other Google services), that is a separate process in your Google Account settings, not YouTube.

You can change your channel name as often as you want. YouTube does not limit how many times you rename it, and there is no waiting period between changes.

Key Takeaways

  • Your YouTube channel name is separate from your Google account name, and you change it in YouTube Studio under Settings, not in Google Account settings.
  • The new name shows up when ready on your channel, comments, and videos — YouTube does not keep your old name visible anywhere.
  • You can rename your channel as many times as you want with no waiting period or limit.
  • If you have multiple YouTube channels under one Google account, each one has its own separate name that you change independently.
  • Changing your channel name does not affect your subscriber count, video history, or any other channel data.

Where to find the channel name setting

Open YouTube and sign in to the account that owns the channel you want to rename. Click your profile picture in the top right corner of the page. A menu will drop down with several options. Look for Create a channel if you have never made one, or Manage your channels if you already have at least one.

If you click Manage your channels, you will see a list of all channels under your Google account. Click the channel you want to rename. This takes you to that channel's main page. Now click the user icon in the top right again and select Settings. You are now in YouTube Studio for that specific channel.

On the left side of YouTube Studio, you will see a menu. Click Settings (it may also say Channel settings). This opens a page with several tabs across the top. Make sure you are on the Basic info tab — it is usually the first one.

Edit the channel name field and save

Under the Basic info tab, you will see a text field labeled Channel name or Name. This field contains your current channel name. Click inside it and delete the old name, then type your new name. YouTube allows up to 80 characters for a channel name.

After you type the new name, look for a Save button, usually at the bottom right of the page or near the name field itself. Click it. YouTube will confirm the change with a notification — usually a checkmark or a message saying the change was saved.

The new name appears on your channel page, in the header where your channel name displays, and on all your comments and video uploads going forward. Viewers who visit your channel will see only the new name.

What happens to your old channel name

When you change your channel name, the old name is released and no longer associated with your channel. YouTube does not keep a public record of your previous names. New viewers will never see your old name unless you tell them about it.

Your subscriber count, videos, playlists, and watch history all stay exactly the same. The only thing that changes is the text that displays as your channel name. If someone had a link to your channel (like youtube.com/@youroldname), that link may stop working after a few days, so you should update any links you have shared publicly.

Changing your Google account name instead

If you want to change the name that appears across all Google services — Gmail, Google Drive, YouTube, and others — you need to change your Google Account name, not your YouTube channel name. These are two different things.

To change your Google Account name, go to myaccount.google.com, click Personal info on the left, then click the name field at the top. Edit your first and last name there and click Save. This change affects your entire Google account, not just YouTube. Your YouTube channel name will not change automatically — you still need to update it separately in YouTube Studio if you want the channel name to match.

Most creators keep their YouTube channel name separate from their Google account name on purpose, so changing one does not force you to change the other.

Multiple channels under one account

If you manage more than one YouTube channel under the same Google account, each channel has its own separate name. You change them one at a time. Go to Manage your channels, click the specific channel you want to rename, go to Settings, and follow the steps above. The other channels keep their names unchanged.

This is useful if you run a main channel and a secondary channel for different content — you can name them differently so viewers know which is which, even though they are all under your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use special characters or spaces in my YouTube channel name?

YouTube allows letters, numbers, spaces, and some punctuation in channel names. You cannot use certain symbols like @ or #. If you try to use a character YouTube does not allow, the system will not let you save the name and will show an error message telling you which characters are not permitted.

Does changing my channel name affect my URL or handle?

If you have a custom URL (like youtube.com/@yourname), changing your channel name does not automatically update the URL. You can change your custom URL separately in YouTube Studio under the Basic info settings, but you can only change it once every 90 days. Your old URL may stop working after a few days, so update any links you have shared.

Will my subscribers see that I changed my channel name?

Your subscribers will see the new name the next time they visit your channel or see your videos in their feed. YouTube does not send a notification to subscribers about name changes. If you want to tell them, you can post a community post or mention it in a video.

How long does it take for the new name to show everywhere?

The name change appears on your channel page and in new comments when ready after you save it. It may take a few hours to show up everywhere across YouTube — in search results, recommendations, and older comments — but most places update within minutes.

Can I change my channel name back to what it was before?

Yes. You can rename your channel to anything you want at any time, including a name you used in the past. There is no restriction on reusing old names or changing your name back and forth.