How to Move a Personal Channel to a Brand Account

Is this your situation?

The short answer

Before you start

• Check for an existing Brand Account Before creating one, check whether you already have a Brand Account.Verify: Look in your channel list for an existing Brand Account.
• Review who will get access Any manager or owner added to the Brand Account can access the connected channel.Verify: List the people you plan to add as managers or owners.
• Know the removal risk Owners added to a Brand Account channel can remove other owners.Verify: Check who you are about to name as an owner.

How YouTube handles this

• A Brand Account can be created when creating a YouTube channel.
• Multiple Google Accounts can manage and own a Brand Account.
• A channel connected to a Brand Account can use a different name than the Google Account.
• If other owners are added, they can take full actions on the channel, including deleting it.

Step by step

1. Sign in to YouTube Sign in to YouTube with the Google Account that runs your personal channel.Where: YouTubeConfirm: Check the top right corner for your channel name.
2. Open your channel list Go to your channel list to start creating a Brand Account.Where: YouTube → Channel listConfirm: Check the channel list for a Create a channel option.
3. Click Create a channel Click Create a channel to begin setting up the Brand Account.Where: Channel list → Create a channelConfirm: Check your screen for the account setup form.
4. Name and verify the account Fill out details to name the Brand Account and verify it.Where: Account details formConfirm: Check the name you entered in the account details form.
5. Find the Brand Accounts section Go to the Brand Accounts section of your Google Account to manage the new account.Where: Google Account → Brand AccountsConfirm: Check the Brand Accounts section for your new account.
6. Open Manage permissions Select Manage permissions to see who can manage the account, including owners.Where: Brand Accounts section → Manage permissionsConfirm: Check the list for existing owners before adding anyone.
7. Add managers Multiple Google Accounts can manage and own a Brand Account.Where: Brand Accounts section → Manage permissionsConfirm: Check the Permissions list for the names you added.
8. Invite new users Choose Invite new users and enter their email addresses.Where: Manage permissions → Invite new usersConfirm: Check the Permissions list for each address you entered.

Before you change who is in control

• Adding owners instead of managers An owner added to the channel can remove other owners.Why it happens: Owner access is granted without weighing the removal power it carries.Already happened: If control has already changed hands — Recover a Deleted or Lost Brand Account
• Assuming only you can delete the channel Other owners added to the channel can take full actions, including deleting it.Why it happens: Ownership is treated as read access rather than full control.
• Treating the Brand Account like a personal login Users do not need a separate username or password to manage the channel.Why it happens: Habits from password sharing carry over into the new setup.
• Not knowing who already manages the account Owners can take the most actions on the account.Why it happens: The manager list is never reviewed before new people are added.Already happened: See how to audit who has access to a channel.

Roles at a glance

Keeping track of who has access