Handles overview

Handles access is rolling out over the coming weeks; you will be notified in YouTube Studio and via email when you can choose. Go to youtube.com/handle for more information.

In the majority of instances, if you already have a personalized URL, the unique part of the URL will become your handle. If you don’t have a personalized URL, or you want to choose something different, you can select a new handle or use the automatically generated handle.

If you don't select a handle by November 14, 2022, YouTube will automatically assign you one. You can change this handle at any point.

Handles are a way for you to find and connect with creators on YouTube. Handles are unique and short channel identifiers separate from channel names, and they start with the “@” symbol. For example, @youtubecreators.

All channels will have an associated handle that can be used to find and interact with other users– both creators and viewers. Your handle will also automatically become the new YouTube URL for your channel that will make it easy for people to discover you. For example, youtube.com/@youtubecreators. You can use this URL to direct people to your channel when they’re not on YouTube. Each channel can only have one handle.

In the coming months, you can use your handle in places like comments, mentions, and in Shorts. You’ll see your handle shown in more places over time. You can also use your handle outside of YouTube to promote your channel.

Handles on YouTube

Your handle must follow these guidelines:

• Is between 3-30 characters
• Is made up of alphanumeric characters (A-Z, a-z, 1-9)
  • Your handle can also include: underscores (_), hyphens (-), periods (.)
• Is not URL-like or phone number-like
• Is not already being used
• Follows YouTube's Community Guidelines

Select a handle that best represents your public identity on YouTube.

We don’t allow:

• Violent, offensive, sexualized, or spammy handles
• The sale and transfer of handles

If you’re contributing to the YouTube community for the first time (for example, by making a comment or uploading a video), a channel is automatically created. At that point, you’ll be prompted to select a handle. Note that having a YouTube account does not necessarily equate to having a channel. Supervised users will not have access to handles.

You’ll be notified in YouTube Studio and by email when you can choose your handle.

1. Go to youtube.com/handle on a computer or on a mobile device with the YouTube app.
   • If you don’t have the YouTube app installed, you’ll be prompted to download it.
2. Select Choose handle or Change handle.
   • You may already have a reserved handle based on your custom URL.
3. Type in the handle field to check the availability of your preferred handle.
   • You can also choose one of the suggested handles, or the pre-filled handle based on your channel name.
4. Once you’ve found an available handle, click Confirm selection.

If your preferred handle isn’t available, it’s usually because:

• Another channel already selected that handle.

Or

• It didn’t meet our handle naming guidelines.