Change your YouTube 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 if you haven't made one yet, or Settings if you already have. From there, click Edit channel info on the left side, then click the pencil icon next to your channel name at the top of the page. Type your new name (up to 80 characters) and click Publish.

The change takes effect when ready, but it may take a few hours for the new name to appear everywhere across YouTube — in comments, uploads, playlists, and your channel page. During that time, your old name might still show in some places. This is normal and not a sign something went wrong.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your channel name through Settings > Edit channel info, not through your Google account name settings.
  • YouTube channel names can be up to 80 characters long and can include letters, numbers, spaces, and most punctuation.
  • The name change is when ready on your end but may take a few hours to show everywhere on the platform.
  • You can change your channel name as often as you want, with no limit on how many times per year.
  • Changing your channel name does not affect your subscriber count, videos, playlists, or any other channel data.

Where to find the edit channel info button

Once you click Settings from your profile menu, you'll land on the Account page. On the left side, you'll see a menu with options like Account, Notifications, and Privacy. Look for Edit channel info — it's usually near the top of that left menu. Click it, and you'll see your channel name at the top of the page with a pencil icon next to it.

If you don't see Edit channel info in the left menu, make sure you're signed into the right Google account. Some accounts have multiple channels attached to them. If that's the case, you may need to switch to the correct channel first by clicking your profile picture and selecting the channel you want to edit.

What you can and cannot change about your channel name

You can change your channel name to almost anything you want. YouTube allows letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, underscores, and most punctuation marks. The limit is 80 characters total. You cannot use certain symbols like @ or #, and YouTube will reject names that violate its community guidelines — for example, names that impersonate someone else or contain hate speech.

Changing your channel name does not change your Google account name, your email address, or your YouTube username (the handle that appears in your channel URL). If you want to change your YouTube username — the part of your URL that looks like @yourname — that's a separate process and can only be done once per account.

How long the change takes to show up everywhere

The name change is live on your channel page within seconds of you clicking Publish. However, YouTube's systems take time to update everywhere at once. Your new name may not appear in comments you've left on other videos, in your upload history, or in search results for several hours. In rare cases, it can take up to 24 hours for the change to fully roll out across all of YouTube's servers.

During this time, some viewers might see your old name and some might see your new name depending on which YouTube server they're connected to. This is not a problem — it will resolve on its own. You don't need to do anything or change the name again.

Changing your channel name on mobile devices

The process on a phone or tablet is nearly identical to the desktop version. Open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture in the top right, and tap Settings. Scroll down to Account and tap Edit channel info. Tap the pencil icon next to your channel name, type the new name, and tap Publish.

If you're using a mobile browser instead of the app, the steps are the same as the desktop version — just tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) instead of looking for a profile picture in the corner, since mobile browsers display menus differently.

What happens to your channel when you change the name

Changing your channel name does not affect anything else about your channel. Your subscriber count stays the same, all your videos remain uploaded and public (or private, depending on your settings), your playlists don't change, and your watch history is unaffected. Comments you've left on other videos will eventually show your new name, but the comments themselves don't disappear.

If you've shared your channel link with people before the name change, those links still work. Your channel URL doesn't change when you change your name — only the display name changes. So if someone bookmarked your channel or shared a link to it, they can still find you.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. There is no limit on how many times you can change your channel name. You can change it back to your old name, or to something completely different, whenever you want. Each change takes effect when ready and may take a few hours to show everywhere on the platform.

Is my YouTube channel name the same as my Google account name?

No. Your YouTube channel name and your Google account name are separate. Changing one does not change the other. Your Google account name is what appears in Gmail and other Google services. Your YouTube channel name is only what shows on YouTube.

What if I see an error message when I try to publish my new name?

YouTube rejects names that violate its community guidelines or that impersonate someone else. If you get an error, try a different name. Make sure you're not using symbols like @ or #, and avoid names that could be mistaken for official accounts or real people.

Does changing my channel name affect my YouTube username?

No. Your YouTube username (the @handle in your channel URL) is separate from your display name. Changing your channel name does not change your username. To change your username, you need to go to a different settings page, and you can only do it once per account.

Will my subscribers be notified when I change my channel name?

No. YouTube does not send a notification to your subscribers when you change your channel name. They'll see the new name the next time they visit your channel, but they won't receive an alert about the change.