Change your YouTube channel name from your account settings

To change your YouTube channel name, sign into your Google Account, go to YouTube Studio, and edit your channel details. The process takes about two minutes and takes effect when ready across all your videos and uploads. You can change it as often as you want — there is no limit on how many times you rename your channel.

Your channel name is different from your Google Account name. Changing your channel name does not change your email address or your Google Account login. Subscribers will see the new name right away, but old links to your channel will still work.

Key Takeaways

  • Sign into YouTube Studio, click your profile picture, and select "Create a channel" or go directly to channel settings to edit your existing channel name.
  • Your channel name can be up to 30 characters and can include letters, numbers, spaces, and some punctuation marks.
  • The name change takes effect when ready and shows on all your videos, playlists, and comments you have posted.
  • You can change your channel name as many times as you want with no waiting period between changes.

Step-by-step: accessing YouTube Studio and your channel settings

Open YouTube and sign in with your Google Account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner of the screen. A dropdown menu will appear with several options. Select "Create a channel" if you have never created a channel before, or select "Settings" if you already have one.

If you select "Settings", you will land on your account settings page. Look for the "Channel" section on the left side of the page. Click on "Basic info" under the Channel heading. This is where you will see your current channel name and the option to edit it.

Editing your channel name and what characters are allowed

On the Basic Info page, you will see a field labeled "Channel name" with your current name displayed. Click directly on the name to edit it. Delete the old name and type in your new one. YouTube allows up to 30 characters, which includes letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and periods. You cannot use special characters like @ or &.

After you type your new name, scroll down and click the "Publish" button to save the change. YouTube will confirm that the name has been updated. The new name will appear on your channel page, in the comments you post, and on any videos you upload from that point forward.

What happens to your old channel name and links

When you change your channel name, your old name becomes available for someone else to use. However, the URL of your channel — the web address people use to find you — does not change. If your channel URL was youtube.com/c/YourOldName, it will stay the same even after you rename the channel. This means old links and bookmarks will still take people to your channel.

Your subscriber count, videos, playlists, and watch history all stay exactly as they were. The only thing that changes is the name displayed on your channel page and next to your comments and uploads.

Renaming a brand account instead of a personal channel

If you created a brand account — a separate YouTube account not tied to your personal Google Account — the process is slightly different. Sign into YouTube and click your profile picture. Select the brand account name from the dropdown menu to switch to that account. Then follow the same steps: go to Settings, select Basic Info under the Channel section, and edit the channel name field.

Brand accounts are useful if you want to keep your personal YouTube activity separate from a business or creator channel. The name change process is the same, and it takes effect when ready on that brand account only.

Troubleshooting: why your channel name change might not be working

If you click "Publish" and the name does not save, check that you are signed into the correct Google Account. Some people have multiple accounts and accidentally edit the wrong one. Sign out completely and sign back in to make sure you are on the right account.

If the page will not let you click "Publish", you may have hit the character limit or used a character YouTube does not allow. Delete any special characters and try again. If you still cannot save the change after a few minutes, try refreshing the page or clearing your browser cache and signing back in.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. You can change your channel name to anything you want at any time. If you want to go back to a previous name, just follow the same steps and type in the old name. However, if someone else has claimed that name in the meantime, you will not be able to use it.

Does changing my channel name affect my YouTube videos or subscriber count?

No. Your videos stay exactly where they are, your subscriber count does not change, and all your playlists and uploads remain the same. Only the name displayed on your channel page and next to your comments changes.

What if I want a different channel URL, not just a different name?

Your channel URL is separate from your channel name and is harder to change. YouTube assigns a permanent channel ID that becomes your URL. You can customize it once if you meet certain requirements, but you cannot change it freely like you can with your channel name.

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

The name change takes effect when ready on your channel page and in new comments you post. However, it may take a few hours for the new name to show on older comments and in YouTube's search results. Refresh your browser if you do not see the change right away.