How to change your YouTube channel name and description

If you are updating how your channel appears, you can edit its name and description in YouTube Studio. Before saving a new name, know that changing it removes your verification badge and is subject to a limit. Here is how to change both fields and check the result.

Before changing your channel name

Your channel name is separate from your Google Account name and your @handle. Changing the channel name changes how it appears on YouTube; it does not change your Google name. YouTube lets you change your channel name twice every 14 days. The update may take a few days to appear, and changing the name removes your verification badge.

If you want to change the identifier that appears with @, that is a separate field with its own process: see how to change your YouTube channel handle. Do not confuse that change with the channel’s display name.

Change your channel name

1. Sign in to YouTube Studio and select Customization from the left menu.
2. Open Profile and enter the new channel name.
3. Before selecting PUBLISH, check the spelling and confirm you are editing the right channel. Keep the change limit and verification badge removal in mind.
4. Select PUBLISH, then return to the channel profile to confirm the saved name. It may take a few days to update across YouTube.

If you cannot change the name, YouTube recommends removing existing channel name translations before trying again. Also check that the name follows the Community Guidelines.

Edit the description separately

In YouTube Studio → Customization → Profile, enter the channel description and select PUBLISH. The description appears in the channel header and must also follow the Community Guidelines. The twice-every-14-days limit and badge removal apply to the channel name.

When you finish, return to the profile to check both fields. YouTube lets you add translations for the name and description from the profile if you want to present them in another language; that process is separate from changing the main fields. The steps and limits follow YouTube Help for managing a channel profile.