Adding a new account to YouTube TV

YouTube TV lets multiple people watch from the same subscription, each with their own account and recommendations. To add someone, you go to your YouTube TV settings, select "Family," and send them an invite link. They accept the invite on their own device, and their account is then linked to your subscription.

The person you invite needs a Google account — this is the email and password they use to sign into Gmail, YouTube, or other Google services. If they don't have one, they can create it free at google.com before you send the invite. Once their account is set up, the process takes about five minutes.

Key Takeaways

  • Each person on your YouTube TV subscription needs their own Google account, which is separate from your login.
  • You send invites through YouTube TV settings under "Family," and the other person accepts the invite on their own device.
  • Up to six people can watch from one YouTube TV subscription, though only three can stream at the same time.
  • Each account keeps its own watch history, saved shows, and recommendations, so adding someone does not affect what you see.

Finding the Family settings in YouTube TV

Open YouTube TV on any device and sign in with your account. Go to your profile icon in the top right corner and select "Settings." From there, look for "Family" or "Family sharing" — the exact name depends on whether you're on a phone, computer, or TV device, but it's always in the main settings menu.

If you don't see a Family option, your account may not be set up as the primary account on the subscription. YouTube TV requires one person to be the manager, and only that person can add or remove other accounts. If someone else created the subscription, ask them to add you, or contact YouTube TV support to confirm who the manager is.

Sending an invite to another person

In the Family section, you'll see a button to add a member or send an invite. Select it and enter the email address of the Google account belonging to the person you want to add. Make sure you have the correct email — if you type it wrong, the invite goes to the wrong person and they can't use it.

YouTube TV sends an email to that address with a link. The other person opens the email and clicks the link, which takes them to a page where they sign into their Google account. Once they do, they're added to your subscription. They don't need to do anything else — YouTube TV is now available on any device where they sign in with that Google account.

What happens when someone accepts the invite

After the other person accepts, they can open YouTube TV on their phone, tablet, computer, or TV and sign in with their Google account. They'll see all the same channels and shows you have, but their watch history and saved shows are separate from yours. If they watch something, it won't show up in your "Continue Watching" list.

Each person also gets their own recommendations based on what they watch. This means if one person watches sports and another watches cooking shows, YouTube TV learns both preferences and shows each person different suggestions when they open the app.

Streaming limits and how many people can watch at once

YouTube TV allows up to six people on one subscription, but only three of them can stream at the same time. If a fourth person tries to start watching while three others are already streaming, they'll get a message saying the limit is reached and they'll need to wait for someone to stop watching.

This limit resets automatically — there's no waiting period or penalty. If you're watching on your phone and someone else starts watching on the TV, that counts as two streams. If a third person opens YouTube TV on their tablet, that's three, and a fourth person would have to wait. The streams don't have to be the same show or channel; the limit is just the total number of people watching at once.

Removing someone from your YouTube TV subscription

If you need to remove someone, go back to Family settings and find their name in the list of members. Select their account and choose "Remove" or "Delete." They lose access when ready — they won't be able to open YouTube TV on any device, even if they're already signed into their Google account.

Removing someone does not delete their Google account or affect anything else they use Google for, like Gmail or Google Drive. It only removes them from your YouTube TV subscription. If you change your mind later, you can send them a new invite and add them back.

Troubleshooting when an invite doesn't work

If someone says they didn't receive the invite email, check that you entered their email address correctly. Ask them to check their spam or junk folder — sometimes invite emails end up there by mistake. If they still can't find it, go back to Family settings and send the invite again.

If the other person accepted the invite but YouTube TV doesn't appear when they sign in, have them sign out completely and sign back in. Sometimes the app needs to refresh to show the subscription. If that doesn't work, they can uninstall and reinstall the YouTube TV app, which usually fixes the problem. Make sure they're signing in with the same Google account that received the invite — if they use a different email address, they won't see the subscription.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add someone who doesn't have a Google account?

No, they need a Google account first. They can create one free at google.com using any email address. It takes a few minutes and doesn't cost anything. Once they have a Google account, you can send them an invite.

What if I'm not the person who started the subscription?

Only the account manager can add or remove people. If you're not the manager, ask whoever created the subscription to add you. If you don't know who that is, contact YouTube TV support and they can tell you who the manager is and help you get added.

Can someone watch YouTube TV on multiple devices at the same time?

Yes, the same person can be signed in on a phone, tablet, and TV at the same time. But if they're actively watching on two devices at once, that counts as two of the three allowed streams. So one person can watch on their phone while another watches on the TV, but a third person would have to wait.

Do I need to pay extra to add someone to my subscription?

No, your YouTube TV subscription covers up to six people. There's no additional charge for adding family members or friends. You only pay one subscription fee, and everyone on that subscription gets access to all the same channels.

Will adding someone let them see my watch history?

No, each person's watch history is private to their own account. When you add someone, they see their own recommendations and their own "Continue Watching" list. They cannot see what you've watched, and you cannot see what they've watched.