You can change your YouTube channel name directly from your account settings

YouTube lets you change your channel name whenever you want, and the process takes just a few minutes. You do this through your channel settings, not through your Google account settings — that's the most common mistake people make. The name change takes effect immediately across YouTube, and you can change it again anytime without waiting periods or limits.

The steps are the same whether you use YouTube on a computer or phone, though the phone version has slightly different menu locations. Your old channel name disappears right away, so anyone looking for your channel by the old name won't find it — but your channel URL and subscriber list stay exactly the same.

Key Takeaways

  • Change your channel name through YouTube's channel settings, not your Google account settings, or the change won't show up on your channel.
  • The name change takes effect immediately and is visible to everyone, but your channel URL and all your videos stay the same.
  • You can change your channel name as many times as you want with no waiting period between changes.
  • If you have a custom URL, changing your channel name does not change that URL — they are separate things.

How to change your channel name on a computer

Start by going to YouTube.com and signing into your account. In the top right corner, click your profile picture, then select "Create a channel" or "Manage your channel" depending on what appears. If you already have a channel, you'll see "Manage your channel" — click that.

Once you're in your channel, look for the settings icon (it looks like a gear) near the top of the page. Click it and select "Channel settings" from the dropdown menu. On the left side of the screen, you'll see "Basic info" — click that tab. The very first field is your channel name. Click in that field, delete the old name, type your new name, and then scroll down and click "Publish" to save the change.

How to change your channel name on a phone or tablet

Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Create a channel" or "Manage your channel" depending on what you see. Once you're on your channel page, tap the settings icon (three horizontal lines, called a menu icon) in the top right.

Tap "Settings," then "Channel," then "Basic info." The channel name field will appear at the top. Tap in the field, clear the old name, type your new name, and then tap "Save" at the top of the screen. The change publishes immediately.

What happens to your channel URL and custom URL when you change your name

Your channel's main URL — the one that looks like youtube.com/@yourchannelname — updates automatically when you change your channel name. Anyone who had your old URL bookmarked will see an error, but YouTube usually redirects them to your new URL within a few hours.

If you have a custom URL (a shorter, branded URL that you set up separately), changing your channel name does not change your custom URL. Your custom URL stays the same, which is actually useful — it means people who know your custom URL can still find you even if you change your channel name multiple times. You can change your custom URL separately through the same channel settings page if you want to update it to match your new channel name.

What stays the same after you change your channel name

Your subscriber count, all your videos, your watch history, and your playlists all stay exactly as they were. People who subscribed to you before the name change remain subscribed — the change doesn't affect subscriptions at all. Your channel's creation date and all your upload dates stay the same too.

Comments you've left on other channels and likes you've given still show up under your new channel name. If you had any channel memberships set up or monetization features enabled, those continue working without interruption.

Reasons your channel name change might not show up right away

In rare cases, the name change takes a few hours to appear everywhere on YouTube. If you change your name and it still shows the old name when you refresh the page, try clearing your browser's cache or signing out and back in. On a phone, close the YouTube app completely and reopen it.

If the old name still appears after several hours, check that you actually clicked "Publish" or "Save" — the most common reason a change doesn't stick is that people navigate away before saving. Go back to channel settings and verify that the new name is actually there. If it is, YouTube is just taking time to update it across all its servers, which usually finishes within 24 hours.

Changing your channel name if you have multiple channels

If you manage more than one YouTube channel under the same Google account, you need to switch to the specific channel you want to rename before you change its name. When you click your profile picture and select "Manage your channel," YouTube shows you all your channels. Click the one you want to rename, then follow the steps above for that channel only.

Each channel has its own separate name, URL, and settings. Changing the name of one channel does not affect your other channels at all. If you're not sure which channel you're currently on, look at the channel name displayed at the top of the page — that's the one you'll be editing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my channel name back to what it was before?

Yes. There's no limit on how many times you can change your channel name or any waiting period between changes. You can change it back to the old name anytime by going through the same settings steps. Just keep in mind that if someone else created a channel with your old name in the meantime, you won't be able to use that exact name again.

Does changing my channel name affect my YouTube URL?

Your main channel URL updates automatically to match your new channel name. If you have a custom URL set up separately, that stays the same unless you change it yourself. Custom URLs are independent of your channel name.

Will my subscribers know I changed my channel name?

Your subscribers won't get a notification about the name change, but they'll see the new name the next time they visit your channel. Their subscriptions stay active and they'll continue getting notifications about your new videos.

What if I want to change my channel name but keep my old URL?

You can't keep your old main URL if you change your channel name — the URL updates automatically. However, if you set up a custom URL, you can keep that custom URL even when you change your channel name. The custom URL stays separate from your channel name.