How to Change Your YouTube Channel Name Step-by-Step

So you‘ve decided it‘s time to change your YouTube channel‘s name. Maybe you want to rebrand, finally fix that typo, or make it easier for viewers to find you.

Whatever the reason, altering your established channel name can feel a bit daunting. Will it confuse your subscribers? Lose your coveted verification checkmark? Completely ruin the authority you’ve built?

Not to worry. Updating your channel handle is a simple process that keeps the rest of your channel intact. In this comprehensive guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to change your YouTube channel name to help make the process seamless.

Here’s what I’ll cover:

• The reasons you may want to change your channel name
• Step-by-step instructions for changing it on desktop & mobile
• What happens when you change the name
• Tips for choosing a new channel name
• Additional channel settings you can customize
• How to delete your channel completely

Let’s start by understanding why renaming your presence makes sense.

Why Change Your YouTube Channel Name

Before we get into the step-by-step process, let’s explore a few reasons why you may want to update that channel name:

1. Rebranding Your Content

Has your channel content or niche changed over the years? Do you want to refresh your brand image?

Altering your channel name is an easy way to signal change to subscribers and align with your new creative direction.

For example, popular creator Casey Neistat originally started his YouTube journeysimply using his own name as the channel name.

But as the focus evolved into travelogs and eventually a daily vlog, he rebranded the channel name to match – CaseyNeistat then CaseyNeistat 368.

2. Gaining Traction With a Better Name

Honestly assess whether your current channel name hinders growth potential. Is it:

• Hard to remember?
• Confusing to spell?
• Too generic?
• Not search-friendly?

Viewers discover 98% of new channels by searching keywords. An engaging, descriptive name can work wonders.

For example, musician Alex Boyé changed his channel from his own name to Alex Boyé (Africanized) to better emphasize his unique African-infused covers. The channel exploded in popularity as a result.

3. Fixing Channel Name Typos

We’ve all agonized over unfortunate typos discovered too late. Or when we started YouTube young, we chose something immature.

Luckily, updating the name is a cinch. Popular creator iHasCupquake shared her relief after finally fixing the missing “i” that bothered her for years!

4. Reflecting Major Life Changes

Big life updates often warrant an identity change. Things like marriages, divorces, gender transitions or new creative pursuits.

Ultimately, if the existing name no longer reflects your true brand or creative vision, changing it removes that friction.

For subscribers, an updated name visibly signals exciting changes underway. Now let’s dive into making that name change happen.

Step-By-Step: Changing YouTube Channel Name on Desktop

Changing your channel name via desktop only takes about a minute. Just follow these clear steps:

Step 1: Sign Into Your Account

Click your profile picture in YouTube’s top right corner and enter your login credentials:

Make sure to sign into the account with the channel you want to modify

This ensures you are managing the correct channel.

Step 2: Access Channel Dashboard

Next, click your profile icon again and select Your Channel from the dropdown menu:

Selecting Your Channel takes you to your creator dashboard

This brings you to your channel’s backend dashboard.

Think of this like the control room where you can modify settings!

Step 3: Open Customization Tool

On your dashboard, click the big blue Customize Channel button:

The customize channel button allows you to edit name & branding

This popup lets you update channel branding, layout and info.

Step 4: Go To “Basic Info” Tab

A window will appear. Click the Basic Info tab up top:

Basic Info tab allows you to directly edit name & handle

This is where your current channel name & handler live.

Step 5: Enter New Channel Name

In the Name field, delete the existing name and type your new preferred name:

Double check the name is under 30 characters and doesn‘t contain banned words YouTube prohibits.

Step 6: Save Changes

Once satisfied with the new name, click Publish at the bottom to officially update it.

That’s all it takes! The channel name will refresh instantly everywhere on YouTube.

Pretty straightforward right? Now let’s tackle changing it directly in the YouTube mobile app.

Changing YouTube Channel Name on Mobile

Updating your channel name on mobile via the iOS or Android app takes seconds too. Follow these steps:

Step 1: Open YouTube App & Sign In

Launch the YouTube app then tap your profile picture to sign into your account:

Open the app and log into your account

Again, make sure you log into the specific account that holds the channel.

Step 2: Go To Channel Dashboard

Next, tap your icon again and choose Your Channel to access the backend:

This brings you to your creator dashboard

Everything needed to manage your channel lives here!

Step 3: Tap Edit Icon

An edit icon appears next to your current channel name. Tap the pencil icon to modify it:

The pencil allows you to change the name

Step 4: Enter New Channel Name

A customization menu opens up. Tap existing name to change it. Type the new name:

As before, keep it under 30 characters with no banned terms.

Step 5: Hit “Save”

Finally, tap Save in the top right to officially update your channel name:

That’s seriously all there is to it! Sign out and back in to see your slick new channel name live.

With the simple step-by-step instructions above, updating your channel should be breeze regardless of whether you prefer desktop or mobile.

Now let’s talk about what changes and what stays the same after a rename.

What Actually Happens When You Change the Name

When you change your YouTube channel name, here are key things that automatically occur behind the scenes:

URL Changes

Your channel homepage URL updates to reflect the new name:

Before: youtube.com/youroldname 
After: youtube.com/yournewname

But existing custom URLs stay the same:

youtube.com/c/establishedcustomurl

Lose Verification Badge

If your channel was previously verified with the coveted checkmark, changing your name means reapplying for verification.

Don’t worry though – you can easily regain verification after an update if you qualify.

Videos Stay Intact

Most importantly, all your existing videos, subscribers, and video names remain unaffected. Only the channel name itself changes across YouTube.

So in summary – the new name replaces old everywhere, but your channel authority stays firmly intact! Now let’s talk choosing a great new name.

Tips for Picking the Perfect YouTube Channel Name

Crafting that perfect channel name you can proudly sport for years deserves thought.

While renaming your channel, follow these best practice naming tips:

🔎 Simplicity – Short, memorable names rank higher in search

❓Descriptiveness – Clearly summarizes your niche with relevant keywords

🔑 Uniqueness – Stand out personality yet still communicates topic

🎨 Branding – Matches your image, persona and creative vision

Here are a few examples of A+ channel names across genres:

The above names perfectly blend simplicity, branding, uniqueness and descriptive keywords. Now let’s peek at additional channel settings you control.

Customizing Other Aspects of Your YouTube Channel

While changing your channel name is a big update, tons of other options exist to personalize your brand.

Let’s look at key ways to customize your presence beyond just the name:

Channel Art Banner

Your banner displays across all devices on your channel. Use it to prominently showcase your branding:

Treat it like website header showcasing your color scheme & personality!

Channel Avatar Icon

This small yet important profile image appears alongside your content:

Use your logo, caricature or face to boost recognizability.

Watermarks

Watermarks add visual branding to thumbnails helping recognizing your videos scrolling feeds:

Subtly effective for claiming content as your brand’s.

Featured Content

Pin select videos or playlists to the top of your channel homepage as highlights:

Curate content you want all visitors immediately seeing first.

Channel Sections

Organize your homepage with segments like Playlists, Community posts etc:

Strategically categorize content for easy consumption.

The visual elements above help strengthen brand recognition as fans explore your channel.

Now let’s tackle a more somber topic – deleting your channel.

How To Delete Your YouTube Channel Completely

What if a name change isn’t enough? What if it’s time to remove your channel permanently?

Let’s briefly cover how to fully delete a YouTube channel:

Step 1: Go To Channel Settings

From your dashboard, choose Settings then Advanced Settings.

Step 2: Scroll To Remove Option

At very bottom is the nuclear Remove channel button. Select it.

Step 3: Check Confirmation Box

A message appears explaining it’s forever. Check the box confirming your choice.

Step 4: Choose “Delete”

Finally click blue Delete channel button to wipe it completely.

Once hitting delete, the process can‘t be undone. Your videos, comments, playlists etc will be gone permanently.

So unless you’re absolutely certain, just changing the name is safer!

If you still have questions around changing names, check out the FAQ.

Frequently Asked Questions Around Channel Renaming

Let’s recap answers to common questions creators have around revamping that channel name:

Can I rename if I’m verified?

Yes! But the rename removes verification status automatically. Reapply after changing.

What happens to custom URLs?

Custom created URLs like youtube.com/c/yourchannel stay the same despite name changes.

Will it affect my subscribers?

Nope! Changing your name doesn‘t alter subscriber numbers at all.

Can I re-use old names?

Yes, reusing old names still retains the original metadata and stats.

Is there a limit to renames?

You can change channel names infinite times without restrictions. Go wild!

Can I undo after renaming?

No manual undo exists but you can overwrite with another new name if unhappy.

I hope this guide has clearly outlined how to update your channel name properly from start to finish!

The process only takes a minute, but having a strong name can make a world of difference in effectively promoting your unique brand.

If you need any other help managing your channel, let me know in the comments!