Sign in with your Google account

YouTube uses your Google account to log you in. If you already have a Gmail address, a Google account, or any other Google service account, you can use that same username and password to access YouTube. Go to youtube.com, click the Sign in button in the top right corner, enter your email address or phone number, and then enter your password on the next screen.

If you do not have a Google account yet, you can create one for free at accounts.google.com. You will need a valid email address (it does not have to be Gmail) and a password you create yourself. Once your account is set up, you can when ready use it to sign into YouTube.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube sign-in uses your Google account, which you can create free at accounts.google.com if you do not already have one.
  • On a computer, click the Sign in button in the top right corner of youtube.com and enter your email and password.
  • On a phone or tablet, open the YouTube app, tap your profile icon, and select Sign in to enter your credentials.
  • If you forget your password, click Forgot password? on the sign-in screen and follow the recovery steps using your recovery email or phone number.
  • Two-step verification adds extra security by requiring a code from your phone each time you sign in from a new device.

Signing in on a computer or laptop

Open your web browser and go to youtube.com. In the top right corner, you will see a Sign in button. Click it. A new page will open asking for your email address or phone number associated with your Google account. Type it in and click Next. On the following screen, enter your password and click Next again. You are now signed in.

If you are on a shared computer, always sign out when you finish watching. Click your profile icon in the top right corner and select Sign out. This prevents someone else from accessing your account and watch history.

Signing in on a phone or tablet

read the YouTube app from the Google Play Store (Android) or the App Store (iPhone and iPad) if you do not have it already. Open the app and tap the profile icon in the bottom right corner. Select Sign in. Enter your email address or phone number, tap Next, then enter your password and tap Next again. The app will ask for permission to access certain phone features — tap Allow to continue.

On some phones, you may see a prompt asking if you want to use your fingerprint or face recognition to sign in faster next time. This is optional but makes logging in quicker on future visits. If you choose to set it up, follow the on-screen instructions to scan your fingerprint or face.

What to do if you forget your password

On the sign-in screen, click or tap Forgot password? below the password field. Google will ask you to enter the last password you remember. If you cannot remember any password, click Try another way. You will then be offered options to recover your account: receiving a code by text message to your recovery phone number, receiving a code by email to your recovery email address, or answering security questions you set up earlier.

Choose whichever recovery method you have access to. Google will send you a code or ask you a question. Enter the code or answer correctly, and you will be taken to a screen where you can create a new password. Make your new password something you can remember but that is hard for others to guess — use a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Setting up two-step verification for extra security

Two-step verification means Google will ask for a second form of proof when you sign in from a device it does not recognize. This protects your account if someone learns your password. To turn it on, go to myaccount.google.com, click Security on the left side, scroll down to How you sign in to Google, and click 2-Step Verification. Follow the prompts to add your phone number and choose whether you want codes sent by text or generated by an app.

Once two-step verification is on, every time you sign in from a new device, Google will send a code to your phone. You will need to enter that code on the sign-in screen before you can access your account. This takes an extra 30 seconds but makes it much harder for someone else to break in.

Staying signed in across devices

When you sign in on one device, you stay signed in on that device until you manually sign out. If you sign in on your phone, your computer, and a tablet, you will be signed in on all three at the same time. This is convenient for watching videos on different devices, but it also means anyone with physical access to those devices can see your watch history and recommendations.

You can see all the devices you are signed in on by going to myaccount.google.com, clicking Security, scrolling to Your devices, and clicking Manage all devices. From there, you can sign out of any device remotely without needing to physically access it. This is useful if you lose a phone or want to remove access from an old computer.

Troubleshooting common sign-in problems

If you see an error message saying your password is incorrect, make sure Caps Lock is not on. Passwords are case-sensitive, meaning capital and lowercase letters are treated as different characters. If you are certain your password is correct, use the Forgot password? option to reset it.

If you see a message saying your account has been locked for security reasons, Google detected unusual activity and temporarily blocked sign-in to protect you. Click Unlock your account and follow the recovery steps. You may need to verify your identity using your recovery email or phone number. If you cannot unlock it yourself, visit the Google Account Recovery page at accounts.google.com/signin/recovery.

If the YouTube app will not let you sign in, try closing the app completely and opening it again. If that does not work, go to your phone's Settings, find the YouTube app, and select Clear cache (not Clear data, which will delete your preferences). Then try signing in again. On a computer, try signing in using a different web browser or clearing your browser's cache and cookies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a YouTube account without a Google account?

No. YouTube is owned by Google and requires a Google account to sign in. However, you do not need a Gmail address — you can create a Google account using any email address you already own, including Outlook, Yahoo, or your work email.

What happens if I forget which email I used for my YouTube account?

If you remember a phone number or recovery email you added to the account, go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and enter that information. Google will help you find your account. If you cannot remember any recovery information, you may not be able to regain access to that account.

Is it safe to stay signed in on a public computer?

No. Always sign out when you finish on a public or shared computer. Anyone who uses that computer after you can see your watch history, subscriptions, and recommendations. They could also change your account settings or upload videos as you. Use the Sign out option in your profile menu before you leave.

Why does YouTube keep signing me out?

YouTube automatically signs you out if you have not used your account for a long time, if you cleared your browser's cookies, or if you signed in on too many devices. If this happens frequently, check whether two-step verification is enabled and whether you have any suspicious devices listed in your account security settings.

Can I have multiple YouTube accounts?

Yes. You can create multiple Google accounts and sign into each one separately on YouTube. You can also switch between accounts on the same device by clicking your profile icon and selecting Switch account. This lets you keep separate watch histories and subscriptions for different purposes.