Change YouTube channel name: how to rename your channel

For a long time, changing your name on YouTube au­to­mat­i­cal­ly affected your Google account. Until recently, if you changed your YouTube channel name, your as­so­ci­at­ed Google account was au­to­mat­i­cal­ly renamed as well. As of 2021, YouTube users can easily rename their YouTube channel without the change affecting their Google account.

In this guide, we’ll show you how the process works in browsers and via the app.

How to rename your YouTube channel – quick guide

Via the browser

1. Sign into the YouTube website with your user data.
2. Go to your profile picture and select “Your channel”.
3. Click “Customize channel”.
4. Click on the tab “Basic info”.
5. Change your YouTube username (or channel name) using the pencil icon to the right of the name.
6. Op­tion­al­ly, modify the “De­scrip­tion” for your channel.
7. Click “Publish” to apply the changes.

Via the YouTube app

1. Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture.
2. Click on “Your channel”.
3. Select “Customize channel”.
4. Rename your YouTube channel and – if desired – your channel de­scrip­tion.

Change the channel name on YouTube: step by step

Follow our step-by-step guide to change your YouTube account name (or the name of your channel). Whether you’re using a browser (desktop) or the YouTube app, swapping your name takes just a few steps.

How to change your YouTube name in a browser

Step 1: Sign into YouTube

Sign into YouTube with your account in­for­ma­tion.

Step 2: Access the “My Channel” menu item

Go to your profile picture and click “Your channel” in the menu.

Step 3: Select “Customize Channel”

Once logged into your YouTube channel, press the “Customize Channel” button.

Step 4: Open “Basic info” tab

In the “Customize channel” menu, you have, among other things, the option to edit the design of your channel. The “Layout” and “Branding” sections are available for this purpose. To change the channel de­scrip­tion and YouTube channel name, click on the third tab “Basic info”.

Step 5: Rename YouTube channel

Click the pencil icon next to the YouTube channel name and de­scrip­tion in order to customize your YouTube account name.

Step 6: Change channel de­scrip­tion

If you want to update the channel de­scrip­tion, simply adjust the contents in the “De­scrip­tion” field.

Step 7: Apply changes

To confirm changes to the YouTube channel name and de­scrip­tion, click the “Publish” button to finish.

How to change your YouTube channel name in the app

Step 1: Tap profile picture

Launch the YouTube app and tap on your profile picture.

Step 2: Access “Your channel” menu

Select the “Your channel” entry to open the menu for cus­tomiz­ing your YouTube channel.

Step 3: Press “Edit Channel” button

In the “Your Channel” menu, tap “Edit Channel”.

Step 4: Customize YouTube name and channel de­scrip­tion

Now change your YouTube name and op­tion­al­ly the channel de­scrip­tion.

What verified YouTube channels need to consider

Users whose YouTube channels have gathered more than 100,000 sub­scribers can receive a so-called channel con­fir­ma­tion in the form of a ver­i­fi­ca­tion hook to enhance their YouTube brand. These users should carefully consider a name change because the ver­i­fi­ca­tion is lost when the YouTube channel name is changed and must be applied for again.