How to Start a YouTube Channel in 2026: Step by Step

Starting a channel is quick. What takes time is deciding what it is for. This guide covers the mechanics, checked against YouTube Help on 2026-09-20, and links to the deeper guides on each decision.

Create the channel

YouTube Help says you need a Google Account and a YouTube channel to upload videos, comment or make playlists. To create a personal channel, sign in to YouTube on a computer or the mobile site, click your profile picture and choose Settings. In the Account section, choose "Add or manage channel(s)", then "Create a channel". Add a profile picture, a name and a handle, and click "Create channel."

If several people will manage the channel, or you want a different name on YouTube than your Google Account has, YouTube Help says you can connect the channel to a Brand Account. One more note from the same page: if you use YouTube with a supervised experience, you may not be able to create a channel.

Decide the name and handle before you create it

Both can be changed, but only twice within a 14-day period each, and a name change removes a verification badge. Spend a little time on this step. Our guide to choosing a channel name covers what to consider, and the guide to handles has the official rules. The Channel Name Generator and the Availability Checker save you from designing around a handle that is taken.

Know what earning needs

Most new creators want to know when they can earn. YouTube Help describes two entry levels. With 500 subscribers, 3 valid public uploads in 90 days and either 3,000 qualified watch hours in 12 months or 3 million qualified Shorts views in 90 days, creators in eligible countries can use fan funding features. For ad revenue sharing you need 1,000 subscribers plus 4,000 watch hours or 10 million Shorts views. From February 1, 2027, new applicants for the ad-revenue level need 8,000 watch hours or 20 million Shorts views. Our monetization requirements guide has the details and the sources.

If you want a rough idea of what a view count could be worth, the Money Calculator gives a directional estimate from views, country and niche. It is a model, not a payout.

Set up the details that hold you back later

1. 01

   Verify your account

   YouTube Help says your account must be verified before you can upload custom thumbnails. Do it before you make your first one.

2. 02

   Prepare a thumbnail template

   YouTube Help recommends 3840 × 2160 pixels at 16:9. Our thumbnail size guide shows how the image looks at the small sizes viewers see.

3. 03

   Turn on 2-Step Verification

   It is one of the Partner Program conditions, and it is simpler to set up on day one than in the week you apply.

4. 04

   Note your channel ID

   Keep the ID from Settings. Tools and APIs often ask for it, and YouTube Help describes it as unique to your channel.

What you do not need on day one

A finished banner, a logo and a channel trailer are nice to have. They are not required to create a channel or upload a first video, and YouTube Help lists none of them as a step. Get the name, the handle and the first upload right, and add the rest as you learn who your viewers are. That order is our suggestion.

FAQ

Related reading