2 Easy Ways to Create Your Own Account on YouTube

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Set up your very own YouTube channel on desktop or mobile

Co-authored by Brad Wells and Rain Kengly

Last Updated: February 10, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Using Mobile
|
• Using Desktop
|
• Expert Interview
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• Q&A
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• Tips

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Do you want to open a YouTube account? If you have a Google account, you'll automatically have a YouTube account; you just need to log in! If you don't have an account, you can easily create one on the YouTube app or desktop website. This wikiHow will show you how to create a free YouTube account using your computer, iPhone, or Android.

Things You Should Know

• To create a YouTube account, go to https://www.youtube.com/ and click "Sign in" → "Create account."
• On mobile, open the app. Tap the profile icon in the bottom left corner. Tap "Sign in" → "Add account" → "Continue" → "Create account."
• You'll need to enter your first name, date of birth, and gender, and enter a unique Gmail address.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using Mobile

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1. 
   1
   Open the YouTube app. This looks like a white triangle on a red background.

   • YouTube is available for iOS in the App Store and for Android in the Google Play Store.
2. 
   2
   Tap the profile icon. This will be in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
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3. 
   3
   Tap Sign in. You'll see them listed if you have Google accounts synced to your device.
4. 
   4
   Tap Add account. This will be at the very bottom.

   • If you're already logged into a YouTube account, tap Switch account and then Continue.
5. 
   5
   Tap Continue. Google will open in a new window.
6. 
   6
   Tap Create account. It's a link near the bottom-left side of the sign-in page. Doing so opens an account creation form.
7. 
   7
   Tap For my personal use. This is the first option. Alternatively, you can select For my child or For work or my business if you don't want a personal account.

   • Children must be at least 13 years old to create an account.
8. 
   8
   Enter your first name and tap Next. This can be a nickname or your full name. You can also enter your last name, though this is optional.
9. 
   9
   Enter your date of birth and gender and tap Next. Use the drop-down menu for Month and manually enter the Day and Year.

   • Tap the Gender drop-down menu and select Female, Male, Rather not say, or Custom.
10. 
    10
    Tap Get a Gmail address instead. This is below the Email address field. If you'd rather use another email address for your Google account, such as Yahoo! Mail or Outlook, you can enter it in the field.
11. 
    11
    Select "Create your own Gmail address." Google will generate a few available email addresses based on your name. You can opt to use these if you don't want to create your own Gmail address.
12. 
    12
    Enter a Gmail address and tap Next. This is what will go before @gmail.com in your email address. You can use letters, numbers, and periods.

    • This address must be unique. If it's already taken, you'll see an error in red.
13. 
    13
    Create a strong password and tap Next. Enter the password in both fields. It's recommended to use a password that uses a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols to prevent hackers.
14. 
    14
    Enter a recovery email (optional). To protect your account, you can add a recovery email in case it becomes locked. You can add a recovery email address and tap Next or tap Skip.
15. 
    15
    Add a phone number (optional). You can choose to add your phone number to activate features such as two-factor authentication. Enter your number and tap Next or tap Skip.
16. 
    16
    Tap Next. You'll see a preview of your name and Gmail address.
17. 
    17
    Tap I agree. You may need to scroll down to find this button. You must agree to Google's terms of service to create an account.

    • If desired, tap More options to expand the options and adjust your settings before agreeing.
    • You'll be redirected to YouTube. You can now watch videos, make playlists, write comments, and more.
    • If you want to upload a video to your new YouTube channel, tap the + icon (Create) and tap Upload a video to get started.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Desktop

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1. 
   1
   Go to https://www.youtube.com/ in a web browser. This will take you to the YouTube homepage.

   • Since YouTube has merged with Google, you'll need to create a Google account.
2. 
   2
   Click Sign in. If you aren't signed into a Google Account in your web browser, this option is in the top-right corner of the YouTube homepage.

   • If you're already signed in to your Google account in your web browser, you are also logged in to your YouTube account. There's nothing more you need to do - you can get started using YouTube right away. If you're signed into someone else's account, click the profile picture and then click Sign out.
3. 
   3
   Click Create account. It's a link near the bottom-left side of the sign-in page. Doing so opens an account creation form.
4. 
   4
   Click For my personal use. This is the first option. Alternatively, you can select For my child or For work or my business if you don't want a personal account.
5. 
   5
   Enter your first name and click Next. This can be a nickname or your full name. You can also enter your last name, though this is optional.
6. 
   6
   Enter your date of birth and gender and click Next. Use the drop-down menu for Month and manually enter the Day and Year.

   • Click the Gender drop-down menu and select Female, Male, Rather not say, or Custom.
7. 
   7
   Click Get a Gmail address instead. This is below the Email address field. If you'd rather use another email address for your Google account, such as Yahoo! Mail or Outlook, you can enter it in the field.
8. 
   8
   Select "Create your own Gmail address." Google will generate a few available email addresses based on your name. You can opt to use these if you don't want to create your own Gmail address.
9. 
   9
   Enter a Gmail address and click Next. This is what will go before @gmail.com in your email address. You can use letters, numbers, and periods.

   • This address must be unique. If it's already taken, you'll see an error in red.
10. 
    10
    Create a strong password and click Next. Enter the password in both fields. It's recommended to use a password that uses a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols to prevent hackers.
11. 
    11
    Enter a recovery email (optional). To protect your account, you can add a recovery email in case it becomes locked. You can add a recovery email address and click Next or click Skip.
12. 
    12
    Add a phone number (optional). You can choose to add your phone number to activate features such as two-factor authentication. Enter your number and click Next or click Skip.
13. 
    13
    Click Next. You'll see a preview of your name and Gmail address.
14. 
    14
    Click I agree. You may need to scroll down to find this button. You must agree to Google's terms of service to create an account.

    • If desired, you can click More options to expand the options and adjust your settings before agreeing.
    • You'll be redirected to YouTube. You can now watch videos on YouTube.
    • If you want to upload a video to your new YouTube channel, click the video camera icon (Create) in the top-right corner and click Upload video to get started.
      • If you meet the requirements, you can even earn money from your videos.
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Community Q&A

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• Question

  How can I make money on YouTube?

  

  Adrian

  Top Answerer

  You will need to sign up for AdSense, then link your AdSense account to your YouTube channel.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 9 Helpful 46
• Question

  How do I permanently upload a video to YouTube?

  

  Community Answer

  It's the same thing as uploading a video. There's always the option to take it down, and if it's inappropriate to the YouTube community, it will be taken down by YouTube. Otherwise, once it's there, it'll be there for the duration of YouTube, unless YouTube changes its terms and conditions for any reason as yet unknown.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 36 Helpful 224
• Question

  How do I film a video?

  

  Community Answer

  Use a video camera, then edit it using a video editing software. Then export it to a file YouTube can use, like .mp4, .mov or any other file type YouTube can support. See further: How to Make a YouTube Video.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow

  Yes No

  Not Helpful 33 Helpful 193

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Tips

• Choose a niche that genuinely interests you and find a way to present it differently from existing channels.
  Thanks

  Helpful 1 Not Helpful 1
• Engage with other creators in your niche by commenting on their videos and interacting with their audience.
  Thanks

  Helpful 3 Not Helpful 0
• Remember to observe the YouTube terms of use when uploading content or interacting with other members of the YouTube community.
  Thanks

  Helpful 3 Not Helpful 9

Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

• Don’t be bothered by negative comments. Look at your good comments, and remember that bored people are saying hateful things on the internet everywhere, and you don’t need to read them.
• Try to pick a theme for your channel, like gaming, vlogging, make up artistry, or whatever niche you’re interested in making content for.
• Remember that YouTube is supposed to be fun, so don't be rude and make negative comments on other people's videos.
• If you don't want to have a public account, make a private account so only your subscribers can see your videos.
• Don’t give out any personal information and don’t meet up with strangers from online.

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