YouTube TV allows up to six separate accounts per household, each with its own login and viewing history

YouTube TV lets you create up to six user accounts linked to a single YouTube TV membership. Each account has its own login credentials, watch history, recommendations, and saved shows. This means six people in your household can watch different things at the same time, and the service will remember what each person has watched separately.

The six-account limit applies to one YouTube TV membership. If you want more accounts than that, you would need a second YouTube TV subscription, which costs the full monthly price. Most households find six accounts more than enough, since that covers parents, children, and guests.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube TV memberships support up to six user accounts, and each account can watch something different at the same time.
  • Each account keeps its own watch history, saved shows, and recommendations, so family members do not see each other's viewing.
  • You can add or remove accounts from the YouTube TV settings menu without cancelling your membership.
  • If someone outside your household uses an account regularly, YouTube TV may ask you to verify your home location.

How to add a new account to your YouTube TV membership

To add an account, go to your YouTube TV settings on any device where you are signed in. Select "Manage accounts" or "Family members," then choose "Add member." You can invite someone by their email address, and they will receive an invitation to join. Once they accept, they can sign in with their own Google account and start watching when ready.

The person you invite does not need their own YouTube TV membership. They just need a Google account, which is free to create. After they join, they can customize their own profile picture, watch history, and saved content within the same YouTube TV subscription.

What happens when you exceed the simultaneous streaming limit

YouTube TV allows three simultaneous streams at the same time on one membership. If a fourth person tries to watch while three streams are already active, they will see a message saying the limit has been reached and will need to wait for someone else to stop watching.

This is different from the six-account limit. You can have six accounts set up, but only three can be watching at once. If your household frequently has more than three people watching at the same time, you would need a second YouTube TV membership to add more simultaneous streams.

How YouTube TV verifies your household

YouTube TV uses location verification to make sure accounts are actually part of the same household. When you first set up YouTube TV, you confirm your home location. The service checks that accounts are signing in from that location regularly.

If someone outside your home uses an account too often, YouTube TV may ask you to verify your home address or sign in from home to confirm the account belongs to your household. This is YouTube TV's way of preventing account sharing across different residences, which violates their terms of service.

Removing an account from your YouTube TV membership

You can remove any account from your YouTube TV membership at any time through the settings menu. Go to "Manage accounts," find the person you want to remove, and select the option to delete or remove them. That person will no longer be able to watch YouTube TV on that membership.

Removing someone does not affect their Google account or any other Google services they use. They straightforward lose access to YouTube TV through your membership. If they want to watch YouTube TV again, they would need to be added back or have their own separate membership.

What each account can customize

Each of the six accounts can set up its own profile picture, display name, and preferences. YouTube TV will show different recommendations and suggested shows to each account based on what that person watches. Parental controls can be set up per account, so you can restrict content for children's profiles.

Saved shows and watch history are separate for each account. If one person marks a show as watched, it will not affect another person's view of that same show. Each account also gets its own list of favorite channels and custom guide settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same YouTube TV account on multiple devices?

Yes. One account can be signed in on multiple devices at the same time, but only three devices can be actively streaming at once. You can watch on your phone, tablet, and TV simultaneously, but a fourth device will be blocked until one of the others stops.

What if I have more than six people in my household?

YouTube TV limits you to six accounts per membership. If you have more than six people who need access, you would need to purchase a second YouTube TV subscription. Some people rotate who has an active account, or they share login credentials within the household, though this may violate YouTube TV's terms.

Do all six accounts need to be in the same Google family group?

No. The six accounts just need to be linked to the same YouTube TV membership. They do not need to be part of a Google Family group, though you can use Family groups to manage parental controls if you want.

Can I switch between accounts without signing out?

On most devices, you can switch between accounts by selecting a different profile from the home screen. On some devices like smart TVs, you may need to sign out and sign back in with a different account. The method depends on what device you are using.

What happens to an account if I cancel my YouTube TV membership?

All six accounts lose access to YouTube TV when ready when you cancel. The accounts themselves are not deleted, but they can no longer watch YouTube TV content. If you resubscribe later, you can set up new accounts or add back the same people.