YouTube
YouTube handle checker
Check a YouTube @handle, and everything else you'd want with it.
Checked alongside your domain and every other platform.
The rules
- 3 to 30 characters.
- Letters, numbers, full stops, hyphens and underscores.
- Every channel has one, and it's what youtube.com/@yourname resolves to.
How we check it
Google's own YouTube Data API, asked for the channel behind the handle: it comes back with one or with nothing. It's the most dependable check on the list, and the answer is the same wherever the request comes from.
A handle can be held by a channel with no videos and no subscribers. Taken is taken.
Your handle is not your channel name
The display name can be anything and can change freely. The handle is the address, and it's the part worth matching to your other platforms.
Grab it before you launch
Handles are free and instant with a Google account. There's no reason to leave yours to chance while you finish the branding.
Common questions
What is the difference between a YouTube handle and a channel name?
The handle is the address: youtube.com/@yourname. The channel name is the label shown above the videos, and it can be anything. Only the handle is unique, and only the handle is worth matching to your domain.
Can I change a YouTube handle?
Yes, and more freely than on most platforms — but the old handle goes back to the pool when you do, and links pointing at it break. The one you launch with is the one worth getting right.
Is a handle taken if the channel has no videos?
Yes. A channel with nothing on it holds its handle exactly as firmly as one with a million subscribers. Empty is not available.