Change your password from YouTube settings
Open YouTube on any browser and sign in to your account. Click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select Settings from the menu. On the left side, click Security and privacy. You will see a section labeled Password with a button that says Change password — click it.
YouTube will ask you to sign in again to confirm it is really you. Enter your current password and click Next. Then type your new password twice to make sure you did not make a typo, and click Change password. The change takes effect when ready.
If you have YouTube open on other devices or in other browser tabs, you may be signed out automatically. This is normal — sign back in with your new password on each device you use regularly.
Key Takeaways
- You change your YouTube password through Settings, not through a separate password manager or email.
- YouTube will ask you to enter your current password before letting you set a new one, so you need to remember it.
- Your new password takes effect right away on YouTube, but you may need to sign in again on phones, tablets, and other devices.
- If you have forgotten your current password, use the account recovery process on the Google sign-in page instead of trying to change it from Settings.
What makes a strong password YouTube will accept
YouTube uses Google's password rules, which require at least eight characters. You can use uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols like exclamation marks or hyphens. Avoid passwords that are straightforward words, your name, your birthday, or anything that appears in your YouTube username or email address.
A strong password is one you have not used on other websites. If someone breaks into one site and gets your password, they can try it on YouTube, Gmail, and everywhere else you have an account. Using a different password for each site means a breach somewhere else will not put YouTube at risk.
Change your password on a phone or tablet
Open the YouTube app and tap your profile picture in the top right. Tap Settings, then Manage your Google Account. This takes you to your Google Account settings, not YouTube settings — that is correct. Tap the Security tab at the top, then scroll down and tap Password.
You will be asked to sign in again. Enter your current password and tap Next. Type your new password twice and tap Change password. The app will sign you out, and you can sign back in with your new password.
Why YouTube asks you to confirm your current password
When you change your password, YouTube requires you to enter the old one first. This is a security step that protects you if someone else gains temporary access to your computer or phone. If a stranger sits down at your unlocked laptop, they cannot change your password without knowing what it currently is.
If you have forgotten your current password and cannot sign in, you cannot use the Settings method to change it. Instead, go to the Google sign-in page, click Forgot password?, and follow the account recovery steps. This process uses your recovery email or phone number to prove you own the account.
Sign out of YouTube everywhere after changing your password
When you change your password, YouTube automatically signs you out of the device where you made the change. However, if you were signed in on a phone, tablet, or another computer, you may still be logged in there. To sign out everywhere at once, go back to Settings and Security and privacy, then scroll down to find Your devices.
Click Manage all devices to see every phone, tablet, and computer where you are currently signed in. You can click any device and choose Sign out to end that session when ready. This is useful if you think someone else may have access to one of your devices, or if you want to make sure old devices you no longer use are no longer connected to your account.
What to do if you do not receive the confirmation email
After you change your password, YouTube sends a confirmation email to the address on your account. Check your inbox and also your spam or junk folder — sometimes these emails get filtered by mistake. The email is just a notification; you do not need to click anything in it.
If you do not see the email within a few minutes, your email address on file may be wrong or you may have a mail delivery problem. Sign into your Google Account settings and check that the recovery email listed is one you actually use. If it is incorrect, update it and try changing your password again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to change my password on YouTube if I changed my Google password?
No. YouTube uses your Google Account password, so changing your Google password automatically changes your YouTube password. You do not need to do anything else — you will sign in to YouTube with your new Google password the next time you log out and back in.
Can I change my YouTube password without knowing my current one?
No, the Settings method requires your current password. If you have forgotten it, use the account recovery process on the Google sign-in page instead. You will verify your identity using your recovery email or phone number, then set a new password.
Will changing my password delete my videos or subscriptions?
No. Changing your password only changes how you sign in — it does not affect any of your videos, playlists, subscriptions, or watch history. Everything stays exactly as it was.
How often should I change my YouTube password?
You do not need to change it on a schedule. Change it if you think someone else knows it, if you used the same password on another website that was breached, or if you have not changed it in several years. Otherwise, a strong unique password that you do not share is enough.
What if I change my password and then cannot sign back in?
Make sure you are typing the new password correctly — passwords are case-sensitive, so uppercase and lowercase letters matter. If you are certain you typed it right, wait a few minutes and try again, as the change sometimes takes a moment to spread across YouTube's servers. If it still does not work, use the account recovery process to reset your password.