YouTube requires your birthdate to show your real age, and you can change it in your account settings

YouTube stores your birthdate in your Google Account, not in YouTube itself. To change the age that appears on your channel or that YouTube uses to filter content, you go to your Google Account settings, find the personal information section, and update your birthdate there. The change takes effect when ready, though it may take a few hours for YouTube to update any age-restricted content recommendations or settings tied to that date.

You can change your birthdate as many times as you want. There is no limit on how often you update it, and no record of previous dates is visible to other users. However, if you created your account with a birthdate under 13, you will need to verify your identity with a credit card or phone number before YouTube lets you change it — this is a legal requirement under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

Key Takeaways

  • Your age on YouTube comes from your Google Account birthdate, not from YouTube's own settings.
  • You change your birthdate by going to myaccount.google.com, selecting Personal info, and editing the date of birth field.
  • If your account was created with an age under 13, you must verify your identity with a credit card or phone number before changing it.
  • The change takes effect right away, though YouTube may take a few hours to update age-restricted recommendations and parental controls.
  • You can update your birthdate as often as you want, and other users cannot see your previous dates.

Step-by-step: changing your birthdate in Google Account

Open a web browser and go to myaccount.google.com. Sign in with the Google Account connected to your YouTube channel. On the left side of the page, click Personal info.

Look for the Date of birth field. Click on it to edit. Enter your new birthdate using the month, day, and year fields. Click Save when you are done. Google will ask you to confirm your password — type it in and click Next. Your birthdate is now updated.

If you are using the YouTube app on your phone instead of a computer, tap your profile picture in the top right corner, then tap Settings. Scroll down and tap Manage your Google Account. Tap the Personal info tab at the top. Find Date of birth, tap it, and enter your new date. Tap Save and confirm your password.

What happens if your account was created under age 13

Google has stricter rules for accounts created by users under 13. If your account was set up with a birthdate showing you were under 13 at the time, you cannot straightforward change the date and move on. YouTube will ask you to verify your identity using either a credit card or a phone number.

To verify with a credit card, enter the card number, expiration date, and CVV. Google will charge a small amount (usually $0.30) to confirm you are the account holder, then refund it within a few days. To verify with a phone number instead, Google will send you a code by text or call, and you enter that code to confirm. Once verified, you can change your birthdate freely.

This verification step exists because of COPPA, a U.S. law that restricts how companies collect and use data from children under 13. It is not a punishment — it is a way for Google to confirm that an adult is now managing the account.

Why YouTube uses your birthdate

YouTube uses your birthdate to decide which content recommendations and features you see. If your account shows you are under 18, YouTube restricts access to videos marked as age-restricted, limits the ads you see, and may disable certain features like live streaming or comments on your uploads. If your account shows you are under 13, YouTube applies even stricter limits and may not allow you to create a channel at all.

Your birthdate also controls whether YouTube's parental controls explore to your account. Parents can link a child's account to their own and set restrictions based on the child's age. Changing the child's birthdate in the Google Account will change which restrictions explore.

Other YouTube users cannot see your birthdate or your age. Your channel page shows only what you choose to make public in your channel description.

How long the change takes to show up

The birthdate change in your Google Account takes effect right away. However, YouTube's systems may take a few hours to catch up. If you just changed your age from under 18 to over 18, you might not see age-restricted videos in your recommendations when ready — refresh your page or come back in a few hours and the change should be visible.

If you are changing your age because you turned 13 and want to create a channel, the same delay applies. Your account will be ready to create a channel as soon as the change syncs, but it can take up to a few hours. If you are in a hurry, try signing out and signing back in, which sometimes speeds up the sync.

Changing your age on a family account or supervised account

If your YouTube account is linked to a parent's account through Google Family Link, you cannot change your own birthdate. Only the parent or guardian who set up the family group can change it. They go to families.google.com, select your account, tap Account info, and update your date of birth there.

If you are an adult and want to unlink your account from a parent's family group, you can do that through your own Google Account settings, but the parent will be notified. Once unlinked, you can change your own birthdate freely.

What to do if you cannot change your birthdate

If you try to change your birthdate and Google tells you that you cannot, the most common reason is that your account is linked to a family group. Ask the parent or guardian managing the account to change it for you, or ask them to remove your account from the family group so you can manage it yourself.

If your account was created under 13 and you have not verified your identity yet, you will see a message asking you to verify with a credit card or phone number. Follow the steps in the "What happens if your account was created under age 13" section above.

If you are still stuck, sign out of your Google Account completely, wait a few minutes, and sign back in. Sometimes a cached version of your account settings is causing the problem, and signing out clears it. If that does not work, try a different browser or device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my age on YouTube without changing it on Google Account?

No. YouTube pulls your age directly from your Google Account birthdate. There is no separate age setting in YouTube itself. If you want to change your age on YouTube, you must change it in your Google Account settings at myaccount.google.com.

Will changing my age affect my YouTube history or subscriptions?

No. Changing your birthdate does not delete your watch history, subscriptions, playlists, or any other data on your channel. It only changes which content YouTube recommends to you and which features are available. Your uploads and comments stay exactly as they are.

Can I change my age back and forth as many times as I want?

Yes. There is no limit on how many times you can update your birthdate. YouTube does not track or restrict repeated changes. However, if you are doing this to bypass age restrictions on content, YouTube's terms of service prohibit that, and your account could be suspended if detected.

What if I do not remember my exact birthdate?

You can enter any date you want in the birthdate field. Google does not verify that the date you enter is actually correct — it only verifies your identity if your account was created under 13. If you are unsure of your exact birthdate, enter the month and year you remember, and pick a day that seems right.

Does changing my age affect my YouTube channel's monetization?

No. Your age does not determine whether your channel can earn money from ads. Monetization depends on whether your channel meets YouTube's Partner Program requirements: 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 watch hours in the past 12 months. Changing your birthdate does not change those rules or your may be able to access.