How to find and copy your YouTube channel link on phone and computer
Published: · 6 min read
To get your YouTube channel link on a phone, open the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, tap View channel, then tap More (the three dots), Share and Copy link. On a computer, open your channel on youtube.com and copy the address from the browser's address bar; it looks like youtube.com/@yourhandle. For the permanent version, youtube.com/channel/ followed by an ID that starts with UC, look up your channel ID under Settings > Advanced settings on youtube.com.
Your channel has more than one valid link, and they are not equally useful everywhere. Below are the steps for each device, examples of every format, and a quick guide to which one to paste where. Menu labels were checked against YouTube Help in November 2026; YouTube moves buttons around now and then, so the exact position may differ slightly in your app version.
The formats your channel link can take
Before you copy anything, it helps to know what you are looking at. These examples use the YouTube Creators channel, the same one YouTube Help uses:
| Format | Example | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Handle URL | youtube.com/@youtubecreators | The one most people share. Changes if you change your handle. |
| Channel ID URL | youtube.com/channel/UCUZHFZ9jIKrLroW8LcyJEQQ | Never changes. Every channel has one. |
| Custom URL (legacy) | youtube.com/c/YouTubeCreators | Only older channels have one. Cannot be created or changed any more. |
| Username URL (legacy) | youtube.com/user/YouTube | Only very old channels. Still works. |
According to YouTube's article on channel URLs, legacy custom and username URLs keep working and redirect to your handle-based URL. For a deeper look at the differences, read YouTube handle vs custom URL vs channel ID.
How to copy your channel link on iPhone or Android
The steps are the same in the YouTube app on both platforms:
- Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture.
- Tap View channel to open your channel page.
- Tap More (the three-dot icon at the top of the channel page).
- Tap Share.
- Tap Copy link, or pick an app to send the link to directly.
These are the steps YouTube Help gives for sharing a channel on Android, iPhone and iPad. The same Share menu also has a QR Code option, which you can save to your phone and show or print.
The link you get is usually your handle URL (youtube.com/@yourhandle). Links copied from the app's share menu can carry an extra ?si=… part at the end; how to copy a YouTube link explains what that is.
Copying someone else's channel link
Open their channel (tap their name or profile picture under any of their videos), then follow steps 3 to 5 above. The share menu works the same for any public channel.
How to find your channel link on a computer
- Go to youtube.com and sign in.
- Click your profile picture in the top right.
- Click View your channel.
- Click the browser's address bar and copy the address (Ctrl+C on Windows, Cmd+C on a Mac).
The address bar shows your handle URL, for example https://www.youtube.com/@yourhandle. If you see a longer address with extra parts after the handle, such as /videos or /featured, delete them so the link opens your channel's home tab.
Another quick route: visit youtube.com/handle while signed in. YouTube Help says that page lists every URL associated with your channel.
How to find your channel URL and channel ID in YouTube Studio
- Go to studio.youtube.com and sign in.
- In the left menu, click Customization.
- Open the Profile tab (older help articles call it Basic info).
- Under Handle, you see your handle and your handle URL.
On the same tab, Studio has also shown a Channel URL field with the youtube.com/channel/UC… address and a copy button. If your Studio layout does not show it, use the method below; it is the one YouTube Help documents.
Find your channel ID on youtube.com
- Sign in on youtube.com.
- Click your profile picture in the top right and choose Settings.
- In the left menu, choose Advanced settings.
- Copy your Channel ID (it starts with UC).
YouTube Help notes that you must be signed in as the channel's primary owner to see these IDs (find your channel ID). To turn the ID into a link, put youtube.com/channel/ in front of it.
Which channel link should you share?
- Bios you can edit any time (Instagram, TikTok, X): the handle URL. It is readable and matches the @name people know.
- Anything printed or hard to update (QR codes, business cards, merch, other people's websites): the channel ID URL. It keeps working even if you change your handle later; see how to change your YouTube handle for what happens to old @ links.
- Links where you want people to subscribe: add ?sub_confirmation=1 to the end of the channel URL, which shows the viewer a subscribe prompt. The subscribe link generator builds it for you.
Make the link short and app-friendly
Channel links are long, and when someone taps one inside Instagram or TikTok it usually opens in that app's built-in browser, where most people are not signed in to YouTube and have to log in before they can subscribe.
A Ytgo short link helps with both. Paste your channel link (handle, channel ID or custom URL) into the YouTube channel link shortener, and you get a short link plus a QR code, free and without an expiry date. Tapped inside Instagram, TikTok or Facebook, it asks the phone to open your channel in the YouTube app, with a browser fallback if the app is not installed.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get my YouTube channel link?
In the YouTube app, tap your profile picture, View channel, then More, Share and Copy link. On a computer, open your channel on youtube.com and copy the address bar. Either way you get a link like youtube.com/@yourhandle.
Where do I find my YouTube URL on my phone?
Open your channel in the YouTube app (profile picture, then View channel), tap the three-dot More icon, then Share and Copy link. The link is copied to your clipboard and you can paste it anywhere.
What is the difference between my channel URL and my handle URL?
The handle URL uses your @handle (youtube.com/@name) and changes if you change your handle. The channel URL uses your channel ID (youtube.com/channel/UC…) and never changes. Both open the same channel.
How do I find my YouTube channel ID?
Sign in on youtube.com, click your profile picture, choose Settings, then Advanced settings. Your channel ID, a code that starts with UC, is listed there. You need to be the channel's primary owner to see it.
Why does my channel link have ?si= at the end?
Links copied from YouTube's share menu can include an extra parameter that YouTube adds when you share. The channel itself is identified by the part before the question mark, so youtube.com/@yourhandle on its own is a complete channel link.
Can I get a QR code for my YouTube channel?
Yes. In the YouTube app, open your channel, tap More, then Share, then QR Code, and save the image. A Ytgo short link also comes with a downloadable QR code; the YouTube QR code guide covers printing and testing it.