Add a family member or household member to your YouTube TV account
YouTube TV lets you add up to five other people to your account through the Family Library feature. Each person gets their own login, their own recommendations, and their own DVR storage. You manage who has access and what they can watch through your account settings.
The person you add does not need their own YouTube TV subscription — they use the one you are paying for. They will need a Google account to sign in, but that account can be brand new and takes less than a minute to create.
Key Takeaways
- YouTube TV accounts can have up to six people total (you plus five others), and each person needs their own Google account to sign in.
- You add members through Family Library in your account settings, and the process takes about two minutes from start to finish.
- Each member gets their own profile, watch history, and DVR recordings, so their activity does not affect yours.
- You can remove someone from the account at any time, and they will lose access to YouTube TV when ready.
- Family members must be in the same household as the account holder for YouTube TV's terms of service.
Steps to add someone through Family Library
Start by signing into YouTube TV on a computer or the YouTube TV app. Go to your account settings by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner, then select Settings.
Look for the Family Library section on the left side of the settings menu. Click on it. You will see a list of people already on your account and a button that says Add member. Click that button.
YouTube will ask you to enter the email address of the person you want to add. This must be a Google account email — it can be Gmail, or any other email address that has been linked to a Google account. If the person does not have a Google account yet, they can create one for free at google.com before you add them.
After you enter the email, YouTube will send an invitation to that person. They will receive an email asking them to accept the invitation. Once they accept, they appear on your Family Library list and can sign into YouTube TV with their own Google account.
What each family member can do on your account
Every person on your YouTube TV account can watch any channel or show that your subscription includes. They each have their own profile, which means their watch history, recommendations, and saved shows stay separate from yours.
Each member also gets their own DVR storage. YouTube TV gives you 100 hours of cloud storage for recordings, and that storage is shared across all members — so if one person records 60 hours of shows, the remaining members have 40 hours left. You can see how much storage each person is using in the Family Library settings.
Members can watch on different devices at the same time, but YouTube TV limits how many streams can play at once. Most subscriptions allow three simultaneous streams, though this can vary. If someone tries to watch while the limit is already reached, they will see a message asking them to stop another stream.
Managing who can watch what content
YouTube TV does not have built-in parental controls that let you block specific channels or shows for certain family members. However, you can use Google's Family Link app if you need to restrict what children can watch on shared devices.
The main tool YouTube TV offers is the ability to remove someone from your account entirely. If you need to do this, go back to Family Library in your settings, find the person's name, and click the three-dot menu next to their name. Select Remove member. They will lose access to YouTube TV when ready, though their profile and recordings will remain in your account for 90 days before being deleted.
What happens if someone leaves your household
YouTube TV's terms of service require that all family members live in the same household. If someone moves out, you should remove them from your account. YouTube TV does not actively monitor where people are watching from, but the account holder is responsible for keeping the account in compliance.
If you remove someone, they lose access right away. Any shows they recorded stay on your account's DVR, and you can delete them manually if you want. The person can no longer watch YouTube TV unless they get their own separate subscription.
Troubleshooting common problems when adding members
If the invitation email does not arrive, ask the person to check their spam or promotions folder — it sometimes gets filtered there. You can also resend the invitation by going back to Family Library, clicking Add member again, and entering the same email address.
If someone says they cannot sign in after accepting the invitation, make sure they are using the same Google account email that you sent the invitation to. They should sign into YouTube TV with that email, not a different one. If they are still having trouble, have them sign out completely, clear their browser cache, and try signing in again.
If you see an error message saying you have reached the maximum number of members, you already have six people on the account (yourself plus five others). You will need to remove someone before you can add anyone new.
Switching between profiles on a shared device
If multiple family members watch YouTube TV on the same TV or device, they can switch between profiles without signing out. Open the YouTube TV app or website and look for the profile icon in the top right corner. Click it and select a different family member's name. Their profile will load with their own watch history and recommendations.
This makes it straightforward for different people to use the same device without interfering with each other's viewing. Each person's DVR recordings, saved shows, and recommendations stay separate.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do family members need their own YouTube TV subscription?
No. All family members share the same YouTube TV subscription that you pay for. Each person just needs a Google account to sign in and create their own profile on your account.
Can I add someone who does not live with me?
YouTube TV's terms of service require family members to live in the same household. While the service does not actively monitor location, the account holder is responsible for following this rule. Adding someone outside your household violates the terms of service.
What if I want to remove someone but keep their recordings?
When you remove someone from your account, their profile and all their recordings stay on your account for 90 days. You can watch or delete their recordings during that time. After 90 days, everything is automatically deleted.
How many people can watch at the same time?
Most YouTube TV subscriptions allow three simultaneous streams. If a fourth person tries to watch while three streams are already playing, they will see a message asking someone to stop watching. Check your subscription details in settings to confirm your stream limit.
Can I change what channels a family member can watch?
YouTube TV does not have channel-blocking features built into the service. All family members can watch any channel included in your subscription. If you need to restrict content for children, you can set up Google Family Link on their device instead.