Change your password from YouTube account settings

To change your YouTube password, sign into your Google Account (the account that powers YouTube), go to the Security section, and update your password there. YouTube doesn't have its own separate password — it uses your Google Account password for everything Google, including Gmail, Google Drive, and YouTube.

Here's the exact path: Open YouTube in a web browser, click your profile picture in the top right corner, select "Create a channel" or go directly to myaccount.google.com, then click "Security" in the left menu. Scroll down to "Your password" and click "Change password". You'll need to enter your current password first, then type your new password twice to confirm it.

The whole process takes about two minutes. Your new password takes effect immediately across all Google services — YouTube, Gmail, Google Photos, everything. If you're signed into YouTube on other devices, you'll be signed out and will need to sign back in with your new password.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube uses your Google Account password, so you change it through Google Account settings, not YouTube itself.
  • Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, find "Your password", and click "Change password" to update it.
  • Your new password works immediately on all Google services and signs you out of other devices.
  • You must know your current password to set a new one — if you don't, use the "Forgot password?" option instead.
  • A strong password has at least 12 characters and mixes uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols.

What to do if you forgot your current password

If you can't remember your current password, you can't change it through the normal Security settings — Google requires you to enter the old one first. Instead, click "Forgot password?" on the Google sign-in page and follow the recovery steps.

Google will ask you to verify your identity. The fastest way is usually entering a recovery email address or phone number you set up on your account. Google sends a code to that email or phone, you enter the code, and then you can create a new password. This process typically takes five to ten minutes.

If you don't have access to your recovery email or phone number, Google can verify your identity other ways — you may be asked security questions you set up earlier, or to provide information about your account activity. This takes longer, sometimes 24 to 48 hours.

Make sure your recovery email and phone number are current

Your recovery email and phone number are how Google lets you back into your account if you forget your password. If these are outdated or wrong, you could get locked out. Check them now while you're in your Security settings.

On the Security page, scroll to "How you sign in to Google" and look for "Recovery email" and "Recovery phone number". Click each one to see what's on file. If your phone number has changed or your recovery email is an old work address you no longer use, update them now.

You can add multiple recovery emails and phone numbers — Google recommends having at least two. If one becomes unavailable, you still have another way to prove who you are.

Turn on two-step verification for extra security

Two-step verification adds a second security layer: even if someone gets your password, they can't sign into your account without a code from your phone. This is especially useful if you use YouTube for a channel with subscribers or if your account has payment methods saved.

To turn it on, go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, scroll to "Two-Step Verification", and click "get your free guide". Google will ask you to confirm your phone number and choose how you want to receive codes — usually a text message or a call. You'll set up a backup method too, like an authenticator app, in case you lose your phone.

After you turn it on, every time you sign into YouTube (or Gmail, or any Google service) from a new device, Google sends a code to your phone. You enter that code to finish signing in. It takes an extra 30 seconds, but it stops most account takeovers.

Check what devices have access to your account

After you change your password, you should see what devices are still signed in. Go to myaccount.google.com, click Security, scroll to "Your devices", and click "Manage all devices". You'll see every phone, tablet, and computer that's currently signed into your Google Account.

If you see a device you don't recognize, click it and select "Sign out". This is especially important if you recently lost a phone, used a shared computer, or think someone else may have accessed your account. Signing out a device doesn't delete anything on that device — it just removes its access to your Google Account.

Check this list every few months, especially after you change your password. Devices you no longer use should be signed out.

Create a password you can actually remember

A strong password is long and random, but it also has to be something you won't forget or write down on a sticky note. The best approach is a passphrase — a sentence or phrase only you would think of, using the first letters of each word plus some numbers and symbols.

For example, "My dog ate 3 socks in 2019!" becomes "Mda3si2019!" — it's 12 characters, has uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and a symbol, and it's something you can remember because it's based on something that actually happened. Google requires at least 8 characters, but 12 or more is much stronger.

Don't use your name, your birthday, your YouTube channel name, or common words. Don't reuse a password from another website — if that site gets hacked, someone could try your password on YouTube. If you have trouble remembering passwords, consider using a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password, which stores them securely and fills them in for you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my password delete my YouTube videos or subscriptions?

No. Changing your password only changes how you sign in — it doesn't touch any of your videos, playlists, subscriptions, or channel settings. Everything stays exactly as it was. You'll just need to sign back in on any devices where you were signed out.

How often should I change my YouTube password?

If your account hasn't been hacked and you use a strong password, you don't need to change it regularly. Change it if you think someone else knows it, if you used it on another website that got hacked, or if you haven't changed it in over a year. Two-step verification is more important than frequent password changes.

Can I change my password on the YouTube app instead of a web browser?

The YouTube app doesn't have a password change option. You have to go to myaccount.google.com in a web browser on a phone or computer. Once you change it there, the app will ask you to sign back in with your new password.

What if I change my password but still can't sign into YouTube?

Wait a few minutes — sometimes it takes a moment for the change to sync across Google's servers. Clear your browser's cache and cookies, then try again. If you're still stuck, go to accounts.google.com/signin/recovery and use the account recovery process to make sure your account is working.

Do I need to change my password if I only watch YouTube and don't have a channel?

You don't need to change it more often than anyone else, but the same rules apply: use a strong password, keep your recovery email and phone number current, and turn on two-step verification if you want extra security. Even a viewer-only account can be taken over and used to spam or harass other users.