Where to find your subscriptions on YouTube

Your subscriptions live in the left sidebar on YouTube's website, or in the menu on the YouTube app. On a computer, log into YouTube.com, and you'll see a "Subscriptions" link in the left column below your account name. On a phone or tablet, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom of the screen, then tap "Subscriptions." Both routes show you every channel you've subscribed to, sorted by how recently they posted new videos.

If you don't see a Subscriptions link or menu item, you may not be logged in. YouTube keeps subscriptions tied to your account, so you need to sign in first. Once you're logged in, the Subscriptions section appears automatically.

Key Takeaways

  • Your subscriptions appear in the left sidebar on YouTube's website, or in the bottom menu on the YouTube app — both show the same list.
  • You must be logged into your Google account to see your subscriptions; they don't appear if you're browsing as a guest.
  • The Subscriptions page sorts channels by upload date, so channels that posted recently appear at the top.
  • You can unsubscribe from any channel by clicking or tapping the "Subscribed" button on that channel's page.

How subscriptions appear on your home feed

When you subscribe to a channel, videos from that channel start showing up on your YouTube home page. YouTube mixes subscribed channels with recommendations based on your watch history, so you'll see both. The home page is not the same as your Subscriptions page — the home page includes suggestions, while the Subscriptions page shows only channels you've explicitly subscribed to.

YouTube's algorithm decides which videos from your subscriptions appear first on your home page. A video from a channel you subscribed to last week might appear above a video from a channel you subscribed to years ago, depending on how many people are watching, how recent the upload is, and what YouTube thinks you'll click on.

Viewing videos from a specific subscription

To see only videos from one channel, click or tap on that channel's name in your Subscriptions list. This takes you to the channel's page, where you'll see all their videos in reverse chronological order — newest first. You can also scroll through their uploads, playlists, and community posts if the channel uses those features.

If you want to watch videos from multiple subscriptions but not your entire home feed, you can visit each channel individually. There's no built-in way to create a custom list of just a few subscriptions, but you can bookmark channels in your browser or add them to a playlist for easier access later.

Managing your subscription notifications

By default, YouTube sends you notifications when channels you subscribe to upload new videos. You can turn these on or off for individual channels. On a channel's page, click or tap the bell icon next to the "Subscribed" button. A menu appears with three options: all notifications, personalized notifications (YouTube decides which uploads to notify you about), or no notifications.

You can also control notifications in your YouTube settings. Go to Settings, then Notifications, and toggle notifications on or off for subscriptions. This setting affects all channels at once, so if you turn off subscription notifications here, you won't get alerts from any channel unless you change the setting for that specific channel.

Organizing subscriptions into categories

YouTube doesn't have a built-in folder system for subscriptions, but you can organize them using playlists. Create a new playlist and add videos from the channels you want to group together. Name the playlist something descriptive — "Gaming Channels," "News Sources," or "Cooking" — and you'll have a quick way to jump to videos from those subscriptions.

Another option is to use YouTube's "Collections" feature if you're on a computer. Collections let you save channels and playlists in one place for quick access. Click the "+" icon next to a channel name to add it to a collection, or create a new collection from your library.

Unsubscribing from a channel

To unsubscribe, go to the channel's page and click or tap the "Subscribed" button. It changes to "Subscribe," and you're no longer subscribed. The channel's videos will stop appearing in your Subscriptions list and your home feed (though YouTube may still recommend their videos based on your watch history).

You can also unsubscribe directly from your Subscriptions list on some devices. Hover over a channel name on the Subscriptions page, and a menu appears with an unsubscribe option. On mobile, tap the three dots next to a channel name and select "Unsubscribe."

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see when I subscribed to a channel?

YouTube doesn't display the date you subscribed to a channel anywhere in the interface. Your Subscriptions list shows channels sorted by recent uploads, not by when you subscribed. If you need to track when you subscribed to something, you'd have to note it yourself or check your Google account activity.

Do channels know when I subscribe to them?

Channels can see how many subscribers they have, but they can't see the names or identities of individual subscribers unless you comment or interact publicly. Your subscription is private to you and YouTube.

What's the difference between subscribing and turning on notifications?

Subscribing adds a channel to your list and may show their videos on your home feed. Notifications send you an alert when they upload. You can subscribe without notifications, or have notifications turned on for a channel you're not subscribed to (though this is less common).

Can I see my subscriptions on multiple devices?

Yes. Your subscriptions are tied to your Google account, so they appear on any device where you log in — phone, tablet, computer, or smart TV. If you subscribe on one device, that subscription shows up everywhere you use that account.

Why did a channel I subscribed to disappear from my list?

The channel may have been deleted or made private by the creator. If you unsubscribed by accident, you can find the channel again and resubscribe. If the channel itself is gone, there's no way to restore the subscription.