You can change your YouTube channel name whenever you want, directly from your account settings

YouTube lets you change your channel name at any time without losing your subscribers, videos, or watch history. The process takes about two minutes and happens in your account settings. You do not need to create a new channel or contact YouTube support — you can do it yourself right now.

The name you change is the one that appears on your channel page and next to your comments and uploads. This is separate from your Google Account name, which you can also change, but changing your YouTube channel name does not affect your email address or any other Google services.

Key Takeaways

  • Change your channel name in YouTube settings under "Channel" and then "Basic Info" — no new account needed.
  • Your subscribers stay with you, and all your videos keep their upload dates and view counts when you change your name.
  • You can change your name as often as you want, but YouTube may limit how frequently you can edit the same field.
  • If you use a custom URL (the youtube.com/c/yourname web address), changing your channel name does not automatically update the URL.
  • Other people can still find your old channel name in search for a short time after you change it.

Step-by-step: changing your channel name on desktop

Open YouTube and sign in to the account that owns the channel. Click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "Create a channel" or "Manage your channels" — if you already have a channel, you will see "Manage your channels." Click the channel you want to edit.

On your channel page, click "Customize channel" (the pencil icon) in the top right, or go directly to youtube.com/account and click "Channel" in the left menu. Click "Basic Info." You will see a text field with your current channel name. Delete it and type your new name. Click "Publish" to save the change. The new name appears on your channel page within seconds.

If you do not see a "Publish" button, your change may have saved automatically. Refresh the page to confirm the new name is live. If the name field is grayed out or locked, YouTube may be preventing edits for a short period — wait a few hours and try again.

Changing your channel name on mobile

Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture at the top right. Tap "Create a channel" or "Manage channels." Select the channel you want to rename. Tap your channel name at the top of the screen, then tap "Edit channel." Tap the name field and type your new name. Tap the checkmark or "Done" button to save.

On some Android devices, you may need to go to Settings (the gear icon) instead. Tap "Channel" and then "Basic Info" to find the name field. The steps are the same — edit the field and save. Mobile changes take the same amount of time as desktop changes, usually a few seconds.

What happens to your videos, subscribers, and history

Your videos stay exactly where they are. The upload date, view count, likes, comments, and all other data remain unchanged. Subscribers do not get notified that you changed your name, and they stay subscribed to your channel automatically. Your watch history, playlists, and liked videos are not affected.

People who subscribed to you before the name change will still see your channel in their subscription feed, and the new name will appear there. If someone bookmarked your channel page or has you in their "Watch Later" list, they will see the new name when they visit. There is no loss of connection or data when you change your name.

Custom URLs and how they work when you rename

A custom URL is the web address for your channel, like youtube.com/c/yourname or youtube.com/@yourname. If you have a custom URL, changing your channel name does not automatically change the URL. Your custom URL stays the same even if your channel name changes.

You can change your custom URL separately in the same "Basic Info" section, but you can only change it once every 90 days. If you want your custom URL to match your new channel name, you will need to wait until the 90-day window has passed since your last URL change. Until then, your old custom URL will still work and direct people to your channel.

How often you can change your channel name

YouTube does not publish a hard limit on how many times you can change your channel name. In practice, you can change it multiple times per day if you want to. However, if you change the same field very rapidly — within seconds of the previous change — YouTube may temporarily lock that field to prevent spam or accidental edits.

If you see a message saying the field is locked or you cannot edit it, wait at least one hour before trying again. This is a safety feature and does not mean you have hit a permanent limit. After the waiting period, you can change your name again without any problem.

What other people see when you change your name

Your new channel name appears on your channel page right away. When people visit your channel, they see the new name. Your comments and replies also show your new name going forward — old comments do not retroactively change to show the new name, but they will show your new name if someone clicks on your profile from an old comment.

YouTube's search index updates over time, so people searching for your old channel name may still find your channel for a few days or weeks. This is normal and not something you can control. Eventually, search results will show only your new name. If you had a very well-known channel name, the old name may appear in search results longer than a new or smaller channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my YouTube channel name affect my Google Account?

No. Your YouTube channel name and your Google Account name are separate. Changing your YouTube channel name does not change your email address, your Google Account name, or anything else in your Google services. You can change your Google Account name separately if you want, but it is not required when you rename your YouTube channel.

Will my subscribers be notified that I changed my channel name?

No. YouTube does not send a notification to your subscribers when you change your channel name. They will see the new name the next time they visit your channel or see your content in their feed, but they will not receive an alert. Your subscriber count does not change.

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

Yes. You can change your channel name to anything at any time, including a name you used in the past. There is no restriction on reusing old names. If you change your mind after renaming, you can change it back when ready.

What if the channel name I want is already taken?

YouTube allows multiple channels to have the same name. You can use a name that another channel already uses. However, your custom URL (the youtube.com/c/yourname address) must be unique. If the custom URL you want is taken, you cannot use it, but you can still use the same channel name.

Does changing my channel name affect my monetization or partnership status?

No. If your channel is monetized or part of YouTube Partner Program, changing your channel name does not affect your status or earnings. Your revenue continues to be tracked and paid to the same account. YouTube's systems recognize your channel by its ID, not by its name, so renaming has no impact on your account standing.