Adding a profile takes two minutes and requires only a name

YouTube TV lets you create separate profiles so each person in your household sees their own watch history, recommendations, and saved shows. To add a profile, open YouTube TV on any device, select your profile icon in the top right corner, choose "Add a profile," type a name, and confirm. The new profile appears when ready and is ready to use.

Each profile on your account is independent. One person's viewing history does not affect another's recommendations, and you can set different parental controls for each profile if you have children in your home. You can add up to six profiles per YouTube TV account.

Key Takeaways

  • You can create up to six separate profiles on a single YouTube TV account, and each one maintains its own watch history and recommendations.
  • Adding a profile requires only a name—no email address, password, or additional sign-up is needed.
  • Profiles can be managed from any device where YouTube TV is installed, including phones, tablets, smart TVs, and computers.
  • You can delete a profile at any time, which removes its watch history but does not affect other profiles on the account.
  • Parental controls can be set differently for each profile, allowing you to restrict content for children while leaving other profiles unrestricted.

How to add a profile on a phone or tablet

Open the YouTube TV app on your phone or tablet. Tap your profile icon—a small circle with your initial or photo—in the top right corner of the screen. A menu appears with options including "Add a profile." Tap that option.

A text field opens asking for a profile name. Type the name you want—this can be a person's name, a nickname, or anything else you choose. Tap "Create" or the checkmark button. The new profile is added to your account and appears in the profile menu when ready. You can switch to it by tapping the profile icon again and selecting the new name.

How to add a profile on a computer or web browser

Go to youtube.com/tv in any web browser and sign in to your YouTube TV account. Click your profile icon in the top right corner—it looks like a small circle with your initial or photo. A dropdown menu appears.

Click "Add a profile" from the menu. A dialog box opens with a text field for the profile name. Type the name you want and click "Create." The new profile is added and appears in your profile menu. You can switch between profiles by clicking the profile icon and selecting a different name.

How to add a profile on a smart TV or streaming device

On a smart TV or streaming device like Roku, Apple TV, or Google TV, open the YouTube TV app. Navigate to your profile icon using your remote—it is usually in the top right corner of the screen. Press select or enter on your remote.

Use the arrow keys on your remote to highlight "Add a profile" and press select. A keyboard or text entry screen appears. Use your remote to type the profile name. Some devices show an on-screen keyboard you navigate with arrow keys; others may let you use your phone as a remote keyboard if the app supports it. Once you have typed the name, select "Create" or press enter. The profile is added and ready to use.

Managing and deleting profiles

To delete a profile, open YouTube TV and go to your profile menu. Find the profile you want to remove, and look for a delete or remove option—this is usually a trash icon or an "X" next to the profile name. Click or tap it, and confirm when the app asks you to verify the deletion.

Deleting a profile removes that profile's watch history and recommendations, but it does not affect other profiles on your account or your YouTube TV subscription itself. You can create a new profile with the same name later if you want. The account owner can delete any profile on the account.

Setting parental controls for individual profiles

YouTube TV lets you restrict content on a per-profile basis. To set parental controls, go to your account settings—usually found in the profile menu or under a gear icon. Look for "Parental controls" or "Restricted mode." You can set different restriction levels for each profile.

When you enable restrictions on a profile, that profile cannot watch content rated above the level you choose. The restricted profile may be asked to enter a PIN before watching mature content, depending on your settings. Other profiles on the same account are not affected and remain unrestricted unless you set controls for them separately.

Switching between profiles and what each profile remembers

To switch profiles, tap or click your profile icon and select a different profile name from the menu. YouTube TV when ready switches to that profile's view. Each profile has its own watch history, saved shows, and recommendations based on what that profile has watched.

If you pause a show on one profile and switch to another profile, the first profile's playback position is saved. When you return to that profile, the show resumes from where you left off. Profiles do not share watch history or recommendations, so one person's viewing does not change what another person sees when they log in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I rename a profile after I create it?

YouTube TV does not offer a direct rename option. If you need to change a profile's name, you must delete the profile and create a new one with the desired name. The old profile's watch history will be lost, but your subscription and other profiles remain unchanged.

Do I need a separate email address for each profile?

No. All profiles on a YouTube TV account share the same email address and login credentials. Each profile is just a separate viewing space within the same account, not a separate account.

Can someone outside my household use a profile on my YouTube TV account?

Technically yes, but YouTube TV's terms of service state that the account should be used only by people in your household. If someone outside your home uses your account regularly, YouTube TV may ask you to verify household members or restrict access.

What happens to a profile's watch history if I delete it?

The watch history, saved shows, and recommendations for that profile are permanently deleted. Other profiles on the account are not affected. If you delete a profile by mistake, you can create a new profile, but the old viewing history cannot be recovered.

Can I set different YouTube TV packages for different profiles?

No. All profiles on a YouTube TV account share the same subscription package and channel lineup. Parental controls are the only setting that differs between profiles.