Discover Latest Features: YouTube ‘New Handles’

New Handles on YouTube

For many creators, YouTube isn’t just a place to upload and comment on videos, it’s a community and home base. That’s why today we’re introducing new handles, a new way for people to easily find and engage with creators and each other on YouTube.

Handles will appear on channel pages and Shorts, so they’ll be instantly and consistently recognizable. It’ll soon be simpler and faster to mention each other in comments, community posts, video descriptions and more. For example, creators can be shouted out in a mention in comments or tagged in the title of a recent Collab, helping them increase visibility and reach with new audiences. Handles join channel names as another way to identify a YouTube channel. But unlike channel names, handles are truly unique to each channel so creators can further establish their distinct presence and brand on YouTube.

How to choose a handle?

Handles can be used across YouTube in various ways. For example, creators can tag others in the title of a recent collab using the handles or give a shout-out to them in the description or digital comments.

The platform is gradually rolling out the ability for marketing channel owners to choose a handle. Users will be notified via email and in YouTube Studio when they are able to select one. If you don’t choose a handle by Nov. 14, YouTube will begin assigning ones based on channel names; users will be able to edit their handle from youtube.com/handle.

If a channel already has a personalized URL, YouTube says that in the majority of cases that will automatically be redirected to the new, handle-based URL. According to YouTube, other URLs creators have established will continue to redirect to their digital channels (at the new handle URL).

Relatively simple process for choosing a handle works:

• When you get the email or the notice in YouTube Studio, click on the blue Choose a Handle button.
• You will be sent to https://www.youtube.com/handle, where you’ll see your personal icon, name. And another message that says it’s time to choose your handle. If you want, you can watch a video further down on that page that further explains the concept. Otherwise, click on Choose handle.
• If you have created YouTube marketing videos and so already have a personalized URL, according to YouTube, you should already have that as your handle. Otherwise, the system will automatically select a handle for you. If it selects something unmemorable or ridiculous don’t panic.
• You can change your assigned handle in the lower field, labeled (of course) Handle. Just type in a different handle (you can use up to 30 characters); the system will then tell you if it’s already been taken. Be aware that you can add numbers, underscores, or periods to adjust it. In other words, if your original selection is taken, putting periods or underscores between the words might work.
• When you’re happy with your handle, click on Confirm Selection. And that’s it!

Apparently, the new handles are simply reserved right now — they will actually go into use later this year. At that point, you will be able to access your videos by going to, say, youtube.com/@your.handle. However, your old youtube.com/user URL will still work. And if you decide you’re not happy with your choice, you can go back to https://www.youtube.com/handle, where the formerly Choose handle button will now read Change handle.