How to change your YouTube handle and channel name without breaking your links
Published: · 8 min read
To change your YouTube handle, open YouTube Studio, go to Customization > Profile, edit the Handle field and click PUBLISH; in the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, View channel, the Edit (pencil) icon, then edit the handle and tap Save. YouTube lets you change your handle twice within a 14-day period, and your old handle keeps working for 14 days before anyone else can claim it. After that, every link that uses the old @handle stops pointing at your channel, so update your bios before the 14 days are up.
The channel name works the same way and has the same limit, but it does not change any of your links. Below are the steps for each device, what YouTube's own Help Center says about the limits (checked in November 2026), and a short plan for keeping the links you have already shared alive.
Handle vs channel name: which one are you changing?
YouTube channels have two names that people often mix up:
- Channel name is the display name shown on your channel page, next to your videos and in comments. It can contain spaces and does not have to be unique. Changing it does not change any URL.
- Handle is the unique name that starts with @, for example @yourchannel. It is part of your channel's address (youtube.com/@yourchannel) and is used for mentions. Changing it does change that URL.
If someone searches "change my YouTube username", they usually mean one of these two. Legacy usernames (the old youtube.com/user/… addresses) cannot be changed any more, according to YouTube Help. For a fuller comparison of handles, legacy custom URLs and channel IDs, see YouTube handle vs custom URL vs channel ID.
How to change your YouTube handle on a computer
- Go to studio.youtube.com and sign in to the channel you want to change.
- In the left menu, click Customization, then the Profile tab. (Some older help articles call this tab Basic info.)
- Under Handle, type the new handle. If it is taken, YouTube suggests similar ones; adding periods, numbers or underscores often helps.
- Click PUBLISH to confirm.
You can also go straight to youtube.com/handle, which shows your current handle and every URL linked to your channel.
How to change your YouTube handle on iPhone or Android
In the YouTube app:
- Tap your profile picture.
- Tap View channel.
- Tap the Edit icon (the pencil).
- Find the Handle section and tap the pencil next to your current handle.
- Type the new handle. If it is unavailable, the app suggests a similar one.
- Tap Save.
In the YouTube Studio app, tap your profile picture, tap the Edit icon, tap the pencil next to your handle, then tap Save.
How to change your YouTube channel name
On a computer, the name lives on the same Studio tab: Customization > Profile, enter the new channel name, then click PUBLISH.
In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, then View channel, tap the pencil next to your name, type the new name and tap Save. YouTube says the new name may take a few days to show everywhere, and that changing it does not change the name on your Google Account.
The limits, from YouTube Help
These rules come from YouTube's articles on managing your channel profile and on changing your handle, as of November 2026. Third-party guides sometimes say "once every 14 days"; YouTube's own wording is twice.
| Channel name | Handle | |
|---|---|---|
| How often you can change it | Twice within a 14-day period | Twice within a 14-day period |
| Changes your channel URL | No | Yes (youtube.com/@…) |
| Old value kept for you | No | Held for 14 days in case you switch back |
| Verification badge | Removed when you change the name | Not mentioned in YouTube Help |
| Must be unique | No | Yes |
A handle has to be 3 to 30 characters in most languages, using letters and numbers, plus underscores, hyphens and periods (not at the start or end). Handles are not case-sensitive and cannot look like a URL or a phone number. The full list is in YouTube's handles overview.
If you have a verification badge, think twice before renaming: YouTube states the badge is removed when you change your channel name.
What happens to your old links after a handle change
This is the part most guides skip. Here is what changes, link by link:
- youtube.com/@oldhandle: for 14 days, both your old and your new handle URLs work. After that, YouTube releases the old handle and anyone can pick it. From then on, a tap on an old link either shows an error or, worse, lands on somebody else's channel.
- youtube.com/channel/UC…: your channel ID never changes, so this link keeps working whatever you call yourself.
- Legacy custom URLs (youtube.com/c/…) and usernames (youtube.com/user/…): YouTube says these keep working and redirect to your current handle-based URL.
- Video, Shorts and playlist links: they use the video or playlist ID, not your handle, so they are not affected.
So the links at risk are the ones that contain your @handle: the link in your Instagram bio, your TikTok profile, your Linktree or website, email signatures, stream panels, and any QR code you printed.
How to keep the links in your bios working
You have about two weeks to update everything. Three ways to make the next change painless:
1. Update every place that shows your @handle
Make a list before you publish the change, then work through it during the 14-day window:
- Instagram, TikTok, X, Threads and Facebook bios.
- Your link-in-bio page and website.
- Email signature and newsletter footer.
- Twitch or Discord panels, podcast show notes, pinned comments.
- Printed material: business cards, merch tags, flyers, QR codes.
- Brand deals and media kits you sent out (ask partners to update their copy).
2. Share your channel ID link for anything permanent
For anything you cannot edit later, such as print, QR codes or other people's websites, use the youtube.com/channel/UC… address instead of the @handle. It is less pretty, but it survives every rename. How to find your YouTube channel link shows where to copy it on your phone and in Studio.
3. Put a short link in front of it
A short link turns the long channel ID address into something you can type and say out loud. Ytgo does this for free: paste your channel URL into the YouTube channel link shortener and you get a short link and a QR code. When someone taps it inside Instagram, TikTok or Facebook, it asks the phone to open your channel in the YouTube app, where they are usually signed in and can subscribe in one tap.
Keep in mind that a Ytgo short link points at the YouTube address you shortened. If you shortened youtube.com/@oldhandle, the short link will lead there too. Two ways around that:
- Shorten the channel ID link (youtube.com/channel/UC…) to begin with, so a handle change does not matter.
- With Ytgo Pro ($1 a month or $6.99 a year), change the short link's destination to your new handle. The short link and its QR code stay the same, so nothing you printed or posted needs to change.
Other link shorteners with editable links work the same way; the important part is that the link people already have points at something you control.
Before you change: a quick checklist
- Check that the new handle is free on youtube.com/handle.
- Copy your channel ID link so you have a permanent fallback.
- Write down every place your @handle appears.
- Publish the change, then update the list within 14 days.
- Tap each updated link on a phone to make sure it opens the right channel.
Frequently asked questions
How many times can I change my YouTube handle?
YouTube Help says you can change your handle twice within a 14-day period. The same limit applies to your channel name. If you hit the limit, wait until the 14-day period has passed.
Does my old YouTube handle redirect to the new one?
Only for 14 days. During that time YouTube holds your previous handle and both the old and the new handle URLs work. After that, the old handle becomes available to other users, so links that use it no longer reliably reach your channel.
Will changing my channel name break my links?
No. The channel name is a display name and is not part of any URL. Only a handle change affects links, specifically links of the form youtube.com/@handle.
Do I lose my verification badge if I change my handle?
YouTube Help states that changing your channel name removes the verification badge. Its handle articles do not say the same about handles, so if your badge matters, change only the handle and keep the name, and check your channel afterwards.
How do I change my YouTube handle on my phone?
In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, then View channel, then the Edit (pencil) icon. Tap the pencil next to your handle, type the new one and tap Save.
Can I change my YouTube custom URL?
No. YouTube says new custom URLs can no longer be set up or changed. Existing custom URLs keep working and redirect to your handle-based URL, so the handle is now the part of your address you can change.