Where to find and change your age on YouTube

Your age on YouTube lives in your Google Account settings, not in the YouTube app itself. To change it, you need to go to myaccount.google.com, sign in with the account linked to your YouTube channel, and navigate to the "Personal info" section. From there, you can edit your birth date directly.

YouTube uses your birth date to enforce age restrictions on certain videos and to show you age-appropriate content. If you entered your birth date incorrectly when you created your account, or if your information has changed, updating it takes about two minutes.

The process is the same whether you're using a computer, tablet, or phone — you're always editing the same Google Account information that YouTube reads from behind the scenes.

Key Takeaways

  • Your YouTube age comes from your Google Account birth date, which you change at myaccount.google.com, not in the YouTube app.
  • Google may limit how often you can change your birth date, so make sure the information is correct before you submit it.
  • Age changes take effect immediately across YouTube and other Google services that use your account information.
  • If your account is under 18, you may see different privacy settings and content restrictions than adult accounts.

Step-by-step: changing your birth date on a computer

Open a web browser and go to myaccount.google.com. Sign in if you're not already logged in. On the left side of the screen, click Personal info. You'll see a section labeled "Basic info" with your name, email, and birth date listed.

Click on the birth date field. A calendar picker will appear. Select your birth month, day, and year, then click Save. Google will confirm the change immediately. If you don't see a birth date field, click Add birth date instead.

Once you save, the change syncs to YouTube within a few minutes. You don't need to sign out or restart the app — YouTube will recognize the new age the next time it checks your account information.

Changing your age on a phone or tablet

On a mobile device, the process is nearly identical. Open your phone's browser (Safari, Chrome, or Firefox) and navigate to myaccount.google.com. Sign in with your YouTube account. Tap Personal info at the top of the screen.

Scroll down to find your birth date. Tap the field to open the date picker, select the correct month, day, and year, and tap Save. On smaller screens, the calendar may appear as a scrollable list instead of a traditional calendar grid, but the result is the same.

Do not use the YouTube app itself to change this information — the YouTube app does not have a birth date editor. You must use the Google Account website.

What happens if Google limits your changes

Google restricts how often you can change your birth date. If you've recently updated it, you may see a message saying you cannot change it again for a certain period — typically 12 months. This is a security measure to prevent unauthorized account access.

If you need to change your birth date and Google is blocking the change, you have two options. First, wait until the restriction period expires. Second, contact Google Account support through support.google.com and explain why the information needs to be corrected. Support can sometimes override the restriction if you provide proof of identity.

Age restrictions and what changes when you update

YouTube uses your birth date to determine which videos you can watch and which features you can access. Videos marked as age-restricted (usually due to violence, profanity, or sexual content) are hidden from accounts under 18 unless you're signed in. Changing your age may unlock or hide videos depending on the new age you enter.

If your account is under 18, YouTube also limits your ability to upload videos longer than 15 minutes, restricts some monetization features, and applies stricter privacy settings by default. Turning 18 in your account information removes these restrictions automatically.

Your age also affects which ads you see and which YouTube features are available to you. For example, YouTube Premium pricing may differ for student accounts, and some creator tools require you to be 18 or older.

Fixing a birth date you entered wrong at signup

Many people enter a placeholder birth date when creating a Google Account — sometimes intentionally to skip age verification, sometimes by accident. If your current birth date is incorrect, the steps above work the same way: go to myaccount.google.com, find your birth date, and update it to the correct one.

Be aware that if you entered a very old birth date (making your account appear to belong to someone in their 80s or 90s), changing it to a much younger age may trigger a security review. Google may ask you to verify your identity to confirm the change is legitimate and not the result of account compromise.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my age on YouTube without changing my Google Account birth date?

No. YouTube pulls your age directly from your Google Account, so there is no separate YouTube age setting. Any change you make to your birth date at myaccount.google.com automatically updates across YouTube and all other Google services.

Will changing my age affect my YouTube channel or videos?

Changing your birth date will not delete your channel or videos. It may change which videos appear in your recommendations and which age-restricted videos you can watch, but your upload history and subscriber count remain unchanged.

What if I don't remember my birth date or it's not on file?

If your Google Account has no birth date listed, you can add one by going to myaccount.google.com, clicking Personal info, and selecting Add birth date. If you've forgotten your actual birth date, you'll need to enter the correct one — Google does not have a way to recover a forgotten birth date from your account history.

How long does it take for a birth date change to show up on YouTube?

The change usually takes effect within a few minutes. You may need to refresh your YouTube page or sign out and back in to see the effects immediately, but YouTube will recognize the new age even if the page hasn't updated yet.

Can someone else change my age if they have access to my account?

Yes. Anyone who can sign into your Google Account can change your birth date. If you think someone has accessed your account without permission, change your password immediately at myaccount.google.com and enable two-factor authentication to prevent future unauthorized access.