Where to find your subscriptions on YouTube

Your YouTube subscriptions live in the left sidebar on desktop and in a dedicated tab on mobile. On a computer, log into YouTube, look at the left menu, and click Subscriptions — you'll see a list of every channel you follow, sorted by most recent uploads. On a phone or tablet, tap the Subscriptions icon at the bottom of the screen (it looks like a play button inside a rectangle) to see the same list.

If you don't see the Subscriptions option in your left sidebar on desktop, scroll down — YouTube hides it if your window is narrow or if you've hidden it manually. You can also click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the top left to expand the full menu and find Subscriptions there.

Key Takeaways

  • Click or tap Subscriptions in the left sidebar (desktop) or bottom menu (mobile) to see all channels you follow.
  • YouTube sorts your subscriptions by upload date by default, but you can organize them into custom groups called Collections.
  • You can unsubscribe from a channel by clicking the bell icon next to its name and selecting Unsubscribe, or by visiting the channel and clicking Subscribed.
  • The bell icon controls notifications — a filled bell means you get alerts for new uploads, a crossed-out bell means you won't be notified.
  • Your subscription list is private by default, and YouTube does not show other people which channels you follow.

How to organize subscriptions into Collections

If you follow many channels, Collections let you group them by topic or interest. On desktop, go to Subscriptions in the left sidebar, then click Create a new collection at the top. Name it (for example, "Gaming" or "News"), then search for and add channels to it. Once you've created a collection, it appears as a separate tab within your Subscriptions page.

On mobile, tap Subscriptions, then tap the Create a collection button. The process is the same — name it and add channels. Collections are visible only to you, and you can create as many as you want. You can also add a channel to multiple collections if it fits more than one category.

Changing notification settings for individual channels

The bell icon next to each subscription controls whether you get notifications when that channel uploads. A filled bell means YouTube will notify you; a crossed-out bell means it won't. Click or tap the bell to toggle between these states. You can also click the bell and choose All, Personalized, or None — Personalized means YouTube will notify you only for uploads it thinks you'll watch based on your history.

If a channel uploads very frequently and you want to stay subscribed but mute notifications, set it to None. You'll still see their videos in your Subscriptions feed, but you won't get alerts on your phone or computer.

How to unsubscribe from a channel

To unsubscribe, find the channel in your Subscriptions list, click or tap the bell icon, and select Unsubscribe. Alternatively, visit the channel's page directly and click the Subscribed button (it will change to Subscribe once you unsubscribe). The channel will no longer appear in your Subscriptions list, and you won't see their uploads in your feed.

Unsubscribing is instant and doesn't notify the channel creator. You can resubscribe to the same channel at any time by clicking Subscribe on their page.

Viewing your subscription activity and history

YouTube doesn't have a dedicated "subscription history" page that shows when you subscribed to each channel, but you can see recent activity in your account settings. Go to Settings (click your profile picture, then Settings), then click Manage all your data and privacy on the left. Under Download your data, you can request a report of your YouTube activity, though this takes time to generate.

For a quicker view, check your Watch history — click your profile picture and select History. This shows videos you've watched, not subscriptions, but it reflects which channels you're actively following. Your subscription list itself is not publicly visible, even if your channel is public.

Privacy and visibility of your subscriptions

Your subscriptions are private by default. Other YouTube users cannot see which channels you follow, even if they visit your channel or profile. YouTube itself uses your subscription data to recommend videos, but the list stays between you and YouTube.

If you want to keep your activity even more private, you can pause your Watch history and Search history in Settings > Manage all your data and privacy. This won't delete past history, but it stops YouTube from recording new activity going forward. Pausing history also means recommendations will be less personalized.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see how many people are subscribed to a channel?

Yes, if the channel owner has made their subscriber count public. Visit any channel and look for the subscriber number below the channel name. Some creators hide this number in their channel settings, so you may see "Subscribe" without a count. The exact number is visible only to the channel owner.

What happens to my subscriptions if I delete my YouTube account?

Your subscriptions are tied to your Google account. If you delete your YouTube account, your subscriptions are deleted along with it. If you delete your entire Google account, all associated data — including YouTube subscriptions — is removed after a grace period.

Can I export or download my subscription list?

YouTube does not offer a direct export feature for subscriptions. However, you can request a data download through Settings > Manage all your data and privacy > Download your data, which includes a list of your subscriptions in a file format you can save and view offline.

Why am I not seeing all my subscriptions?

YouTube may be filtering your view. Check whether you've accidentally selected a Collection instead of viewing all subscriptions. Also, if you're on mobile and scrolled past many channels, try scrolling back to the top or refreshing the page. If subscriptions are still missing, sign out and back in to refresh your account.

Do channels get notified when I subscribe or unsubscribe?

Channels do not receive notifications when individual viewers subscribe or unsubscribe. Creators see their total subscriber count in YouTube Studio, but they cannot see which specific people subscribed or when. Your subscription activity is completely private to you.