Mark channels and shows as favorites in three steps
YouTube TV lets you save channels and shows you watch often so they appear at the top of your guide and library. To mark a channel as a favorite, open the guide, find the channel, and tap or click the star icon next to its name. The star fills in solid, and that channel moves to your Favorites section. For shows, go to the show's detail page, tap the star icon, and it saves to your library under Favorites. You can remove any favorite the same way — tap the star again and it empties.
Favorites sync across all your devices when you are signed into the same YouTube TV account. If you mark a channel as a favorite on your phone, it appears at the top of the guide on your TV, computer, and tablet without any extra steps.
Key Takeaways
- The star icon next to a channel or show name marks it as a favorite; tap it once to save, tap again to remove.
- Favorite channels appear in a separate Favorites section at the top of your guide for faster browsing.
- Favorite shows save to your library so you can find them quickly without searching.
- Your favorites update across all devices signed into your account, so you do not have to mark them twice.
- You can mark as many channels and shows as you want; there is no limit to how many favorites you can create.
Where to find the star icon on different devices
On a phone or tablet, open the YouTube TV app and go to the Guide tab. Scroll to find the channel you want to save. The star icon appears to the right of the channel name or logo. Tap it once and it turns solid blue, meaning the channel is now a favorite.
On a computer or TV, the process is the same. In the Guide view, hover over or select a channel name, and the star icon appears. Click or press it to mark the channel as a favorite. The star fills in to show it has been saved.
For shows, navigate to the show's page by searching for it or finding it in the guide. On any device, the star icon sits near the show title, often alongside other options like "Add to Library" or "Watch Now". Tap or click the star to save the show to your favorites.
How your Favorites section organizes channels
When you mark channels as favorites, they move to a Favorites row that appears at the very top of your guide. This row stays in place even when you scroll down through other channels, so your most-watched channels are always within reach. The order of channels in your Favorites section matches the order you marked them, with the most recently added channel appearing last.
You can reorder your favorite channels by dragging them within the Favorites row on most devices. On a phone or tablet, press and hold a channel in the Favorites section, then drag it to a new position. On a computer or TV, the drag-and-drop method also works, though the exact steps depend on your device type and the YouTube TV interface version you are using.
Finding your favorite shows in the Library
Favorite shows do not appear in a separate row like channels do. Instead, they save to your Library tab, which you can access from the main menu. Open the Library, and you will see sections for different types of content. Favorite shows appear in the "Saved" or "My Shows" section, depending on your device and app version.
From the Library, you can start watching a saved show, see upcoming episodes, or remove it from your favorites by tapping the star icon again. The Library also shows shows you are currently watching and series you have finished, so your favorite shows sit alongside your viewing history in one place.
Removing favorites and managing your list
To remove a channel from your Favorites section, open the guide, find the channel in the Favorites row, and tap the solid blue star icon. It empties out, and the channel moves back to the regular guide below the Favorites row. You can remove favorites at any time without affecting your ability to watch that channel later.
For shows, go to the show's page or find it in your Library, and tap the star icon to remove it from your saved list. The show stays in your viewing history if you have watched it, but it no longer appears in your Favorites section. Removing a favorite does not delete any recordings or affect your watch history.
You can also manage your favorites from your account settings on a computer. Sign into YouTube TV on a web browser, go to your account menu, and look for options to view or edit your saved channels and shows. This method works if you want to see all your favorites at once or remove multiple items quickly.
Syncing favorites across devices and accounts
YouTube TV stores your favorites in your account, not on individual devices. When you sign into your account on a phone, tablet, computer, or TV, your saved channels and shows appear automatically. If you mark a channel as a favorite on your phone in the morning, it will be at the top of the guide on your living room TV that evening without any manual refresh or update needed.
If you share your YouTube TV account with family members, everyone sees the same Favorites list. If you want different people to have different favorite channels, each person needs their own YouTube TV profile within the account. YouTube TV allows multiple profiles per account, and each profile can have its own set of favorites, watch history, and recommendations.
Troubleshooting when favorites are not saving
If you tap the star icon but the channel or show does not appear in your Favorites section, first check that you are signed into your YouTube TV account. Open your account menu and confirm your email address. If you are signed out, sign back in and try marking the channel as a favorite again.
If the star icon does not respond when you tap it, try closing the YouTube TV app completely and reopening it. On a phone or tablet, swipe up from the bottom of the screen (or use the app switcher) to close the app, then tap the YouTube TV icon to reopen it. On a computer, refresh the page by pressing Ctrl+R (Windows) or Command+R (Mac). On a TV, exit the app and relaunch it from your home screen.
If your favorites are not syncing across devices, check that all your devices are connected to the internet and signed into the same YouTube TV account. Restart the app on each device and wait a few minutes for the sync to complete. If the issue persists, sign out of your account on one device, sign back in, and check whether your favorites reappear.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I organize my favorite channels in a specific order?
Yes. On most devices, you can drag and drop channels within your Favorites row to reorder them. Press and hold a channel, then drag it to the position you want. On some older devices or TV apps, the order may be fixed to the sequence in which you marked them as favorites, but most current versions of YouTube TV support manual reordering.
What is the difference between marking a channel as a favorite and adding a show to my library?
Marking a channel as a favorite saves the entire channel to your Favorites row in the guide, so you see all its programs. Adding a show to your library saves that specific show to your Library tab. You can favorite a channel without saving individual shows, or save shows without marking their channel as a favorite.
Do my favorites disappear if I cancel my YouTube TV subscription?
Your favorites are tied to your account, not your subscription status. If you cancel and resubscribe later using the same account, your saved channels and shows will still be there. If you create a new account, you will start with an empty Favorites list.
Can I set favorites on the YouTube TV website?
Yes. Sign into YouTube TV on a web browser, navigate to the guide or search for a show, and click the star icon next to the channel or show name. Your web-based favorites sync with your mobile and TV apps the same way they do across all devices.
Is there a limit to how many channels or shows I can mark as favorites?
No. You can mark as many channels and shows as you want. However, if you mark too many channels as favorites, your Favorites row may become long and require scrolling on smaller screens like phones or tablets.