Change your channel name from your account settings

To change your YouTube channel name, sign into your Google account, go to youtube.com, and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select Create a channel or Settings depending on whether you already have a channel. From there, click Edit channel info on the left side, then find the channel name field at the top of the page. Type your new name, click Publish, and the change takes effect when ready.

Your new channel name appears everywhere on YouTube within seconds — in your channel header, on your videos, in comments, and in search results. Viewers who subscribed before the change will still see your videos in their subscription feed, and your channel URL does not change unless you manually edit it separately.

If you do not see an Edit channel info button, you may be using a Brand Account instead of a personal Google account. Brand Accounts have a slightly different path: click your profile picture, select Settings, then Channel, then Basic info, and you will find the name field there.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your channel name directly from the Edit channel info page without needing to create a new channel or lose your subscribers.
  • The new name shows up across YouTube when ready — in your channel header, on all your videos, and in search results.
  • Your channel URL and video links do not change when you rename your channel, so old links to your videos still work.
  • If you use a Brand Account instead of a personal Google account, the setting is under Channel > Basic info rather than Edit channel info.
  • You can change your channel name as many times as you want, but YouTube may limit how often you can do it if you change it repeatedly in a short time.

Where to find the channel name field

The exact location depends on what type of account you use. If you signed into YouTube with your personal Google account, the fastest route is to click your profile picture in the top right, then look for Settings. From the Settings page, click Channel on the left sidebar, then Basic info. The channel name field is at the top of that page.

If you have never created a YouTube channel before, clicking your profile picture will show Create a channel instead of Settings. Click that option, and YouTube will walk you through naming your channel for the first time. Once your channel exists, the Settings option will appear on future visits.

Brand Accounts — which some creators use to separate their personal Google account from their YouTube presence — store the channel name in the same place but under a slightly different label. The path is the same: profile picture > Settings > Channel > Basic info.

What happens to your old channel name

When you change your channel name, YouTube does not keep your old name reserved for you. Another creator can claim it when ready. If you think you might want to use that name again later, consider writing it down before you change it.

Your channel URL — the web address people use to visit your channel — does not change automatically when you rename. If your URL is youtube.com/@YourOldName, it stays that way even after you change your display name to something new. You can manually change your custom URL separately if you want it to match your new channel name, but that is a different setting and is not required.

All your videos, playlists, and subscriber count stay exactly the same. The only thing that changes is the name that appears next to your content.

Changing your custom URL to match your new name

Your custom URL is the web address people type to reach your channel — for example, youtube.com/@YourChannelName. This is separate from your display name and does not change automatically when you rename your channel. If you want your URL to match your new channel name, you need to change it separately.

To change your custom URL, go to youtube.com/account, click Customize channel, then click the pencil icon next to your URL. Type your new custom URL, then click Change URL. YouTube will tell you if the URL is already taken or if it does not meet their requirements — custom URLs must be at least 3 characters long and can only contain letters, numbers, underscores, and hyphens.

You can only change your custom URL once every 90 days, so choose carefully. If you change your channel name but do not change your custom URL, your display name and URL will not match, and that is fine — many creators keep a URL they built an audience around even if they change their display name.

Limits on how often you can change your name

YouTube does not publish a hard rule about how often you can rename your channel, but the platform does monitor for abuse. If you change your channel name many times in a short period — for example, more than once a week for several weeks — YouTube may temporarily prevent you from making further changes.

This limit exists to prevent spam and impersonation. If you hit this limit, wait a few weeks before trying again. There is no way to remove the restriction early, and contacting YouTube support about it usually does not speed up the process.

For most creators, changing your channel name once or twice a year causes no problems. The restriction only kicks in if you are changing it constantly.

Troubleshooting: why you might not see the edit option

If you cannot find the Edit channel info button or the channel name field, the most common reason is that you have not created a YouTube channel yet. If you have a Google account but no YouTube channel, you will see Create a channel instead of Settings when you click your profile picture. Click that button to set up your channel, and then you can rename it.

Another possibility is that you are signed into the wrong Google account. If you have multiple Google accounts, make sure you are signed into the one that owns the YouTube channel you want to rename. Click your profile picture and check the email address shown — if it is not the account you expected, click it and switch to the correct account.

If you are using a work or school Google account, your organization may have restricted channel creation or editing. Contact your IT department or account administrator to see if they have disabled this feature. Personal Google accounts do not have this restriction.

What your viewers see when you change your name

When you rename your channel, all your old videos when ready show your new name in the video player and in search results. Viewers do not see a notification that you changed your name — the change is silent on their end. If someone subscribed to your channel under your old name, they will see your new name the next time they visit your channel or see one of your videos in their feed.

Comments you left on other channels before the name change will still show your old name, because those comments are part of that channel's history. Only new comments you leave after the change will show your new name. This can sometimes create confusion if you comment on a video months after renaming, because older viewers might not recognize the new name.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my YouTube channel name without changing my Google account name?

Yes. Your YouTube channel name and your Google account name are separate. You can change your channel name as many times as you want without touching your Google account settings. Your Google account name is what appears in Gmail and other Google services — changing your YouTube channel name does not affect that.

Will changing my channel name hurt my search rankings or subscriber count?

No. Your subscriber count, view history, and all your videos stay attached to your channel. Search rankings may shift slightly because YouTube has to re-index your channel with the new name, but this is temporary and usually resolves within a few days. Your old videos do not disappear or lose views.

What if someone else takes my old channel name after I change it?

YouTube does not reserve old channel names, so another creator can claim it when ready. If you think you might want that name back someday, write it down before you change it. You cannot reclaim a name someone else has taken, so choose your new name carefully.

Can I change my channel name on my phone?

Yes. Open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, tap Settings, tap Channel, then Basic info, and you will see the channel name field. The process is the same as on a computer, though the buttons and menu locations look slightly different on mobile.

How long does it take for my new channel name to show up everywhere?

Your new name appears on your channel page and on your videos within seconds. It may take a few hours to show up in YouTube search results and recommendations, because YouTube needs time to re-index your channel. By the next day, your new name should be visible everywhere on the platform.