YouTube uses your Google Account age to decide what content you can see and upload
Your YouTube age comes from your Google Account birthday, not from YouTube itself. If you entered the wrong birth date when you created your Google Account, or if your information has changed, you can update it. The process takes a few minutes and happens in Google Account settings, not in YouTube.
YouTube restricts certain features based on age. If you are under 18, you cannot upload videos longer than 15 minutes, monetize videos, or access some creator tools. If you entered a birth date that makes you appear under 13, YouTube treats your account as a child account with additional restrictions. Changing your birth date updates these restrictions across all Google services that use your account.
Key Takeaways
- Your YouTube age is stored in your Google Account settings, not in YouTube itself, so you change it through Google Account, not through the YouTube app.
- You can only change your birth date once every 12 months, so verify the correct date before you submit the change.
- If your account is linked to a parent or guardian through Family Link, you cannot change the birth date yourself — the parent must do it.
- Changing your birth date takes effect immediately and affects what content YouTube recommends and what features you can use.
How to change your birth date on a computer
Open a web browser and go to myaccount.google.com. Sign in with the Google Account connected to your YouTube channel. On the left side of the page, click Personal info. You will see your name, email, phone number, and other account details.
Look for the section labeled Birth date. Click on it to open the edit box. Enter the correct month, day, and year. Google will ask you to confirm your password before saving the change. Type your password and click Next. The change takes effect immediately. You will not be able to change your birth date again for 12 months.
How to change your birth date on a phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app or any web browser on your phone. Go to myaccount.google.com and sign in. Tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left. Scroll down and tap Personal info. Tap Birth date to open the edit screen.
Enter the correct month, day, and year. Tap Next and confirm your password when prompted. The change saves immediately. If you are using the YouTube app itself, you may need to sign out and sign back in for the change to take full effect on your YouTube recommendations and features.
What happens if your account is managed by a parent
If you are under 18 and your account is linked to a parent or guardian through Google Family Link, you cannot change your birth date yourself. Your parent or guardian must make the change from their own account. Ask them to open Family Link on their phone or computer, select your account, and navigate to account settings to update the birth date.
If you do not know whether your account is linked to Family Link, go to myaccount.google.com and look for a message at the top saying "This account is managed by [parent name]" or "Family Link is active on this account." If you see this message, you will not be able to edit your birth date directly.
Why you can only change your birth date once per year
Google limits birth date changes to once every 12 months as a security measure. This prevents someone who gains temporary access to your account from repeatedly changing your age to bypass parental controls or content restrictions. The 12-month timer starts from the date you make the change, not from January 1st.
If you made a mistake and need to change your birth date again before 12 months have passed, you will need to contact Google Support. They can sometimes override the restriction if you provide proof of identity, but this is not may provide. For this reason, double-check the date before you submit the change.
What changes when you update your age
If you change your birth date to make yourself appear older, YouTube will immediately unlock features you may have been restricted from. You will be able to upload videos longer than 15 minutes, access monetization tools if you meet other requirements, and see content recommendations for your new age group. Some videos marked as age-restricted may become visible.
If you change your birth date to make yourself appear younger, YouTube will add restrictions. Videos longer than 15 minutes will no longer upload, monetization will be disabled, and your recommendations will shift to content appropriate for your new age. These changes happen right away, so you may lose access to features you were using before.
Troubleshooting: Your birth date will not change
If you see an error message when you try to change your birth date, the most common reason is that you already changed it within the last 12 months. Check the date of your last change by going back to Personal info — Google sometimes shows when you last edited the field. If you are within the 12-month window, you will have to wait until that period passes.
If you are certain you have not changed it recently, try signing out of your Google Account completely and signing back in. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again. If the problem continues, open an incognito or private browser window and attempt the change there. If none of these steps work, contact Google Support through support.google.com and describe the error message you are seeing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my YouTube age without changing my Google Account age?
No. YouTube pulls your age directly from your Google Account birthday, so there is no separate age setting in YouTube itself. The only way to change your YouTube age is to update your birth date in Google Account settings.
Will changing my birth date affect other Google services?
Yes. Your birth date is shared across all Google services — Gmail, Google Drive, Google Play, and others. Changing it will affect age restrictions and content recommendations everywhere you use your Google Account, not just on YouTube.
What if I do not remember my exact birth date?
Enter your best estimate of the correct date. You can change it again after 12 months if you need to correct it further. If you are trying to recover a hacked account and do not remember the original birth date, contact Google Support with proof of identity.
Does changing my birth date affect my YouTube watch history or subscriptions?
No. Your watch history, subscriptions, playlists, and all other account data stay exactly the same. Only your age-based restrictions and content recommendations change.
Can I change my birth date if I forgot my password?
No. Google requires you to enter your current password before saving any change to your birth date. If you forgot your password, use the "Forgot password?" link on the Google sign-in page to reset it first, then change your birth date.