Subscribing puts a creator's new videos in your feed
Subscribing to a YouTube channel means you follow that creator, and their new uploads appear in your YouTube Home feed instead of you having to search for them each time. When you subscribe, YouTube also gives you the option to turn on notifications, so you get alerted the moment they post — or you can subscribe silently and just see their videos when you open the app.
The process takes one click if you are signed into YouTube, and you can unsubscribe just as easily if you change your mind. YouTube keeps track of every channel you subscribe to in a "Subscriptions" tab, so you can browse all your followed creators in one place.
Key Takeaways
- Click the Subscribe button below any video or on the channel page itself — it turns red and says "Subscribed" once you have joined.
- The bell icon next to Subscribe lets you choose between all notifications, only premieres, or no notifications at all.
- Your subscriptions appear in the Subscriptions tab on the left sidebar (desktop) or in the menu (mobile), organized by upload activity.
- YouTube shows you a feed of uploads from channels you subscribe to, but the algorithm also mixes in recommended videos from channels you do not follow.
- You can unsubscribe from any channel at any time by clicking the Subscribed button again.
How to subscribe on desktop
Open any video from the channel you want to follow. Below the video title, you will see a red Subscribe button with a person icon. Click it. The button will turn gray and say "Subscribed," and a bell icon will appear next to it.
That bell icon controls your notification settings. Click it to choose between three options: all notifications (you get alerted for every upload), personalized notifications (YouTube guesses which uploads you might want to know about), or no notifications (you subscribe but get no alerts). Most people choose either all notifications or none, depending on how much they watch that creator.
If you are not signed into YouTube, the Subscribe button will prompt you to sign in first. You need a Google account to subscribe, but creating one is free and takes a few minutes.
How to subscribe on mobile
Open the YouTube app on your phone or tablet and find a video from the channel. Below the video title, tap the Subscribe button — it is red with a person icon. The button will turn gray and say "Subscribed."
Tap the bell icon next to it to set your notification preference. On mobile, the options are the same: all notifications, personalized, or none. If notifications are on, you will get a push notification on your phone when that creator uploads.
On mobile, your subscriptions live in the menu at the bottom of the screen. Tap the profile icon (usually in the bottom right), then tap "Subscriptions" to see all the channels you follow.
Finding your subscriptions and managing them
On desktop, your subscriptions appear in the left sidebar under a "Subscriptions" section. Click it to see a feed of recent uploads from every channel you follow, sorted by how recently they posted. You can also click on any individual channel name to go to that channel's page.
To unsubscribe, go to the channel page or any of their videos and click the gray "Subscribed" button. It will turn red again and say "Subscribe," and you will be unsubscribed. YouTube will stop showing their videos in your feed and will not send you notifications.
If you want to organize your subscriptions, you can create custom lists called "Collections" on desktop. Click "Manage subscriptions" in the left sidebar, then create a new collection and add channels to it — for example, a "Video Editing" collection or a "News" collection. This helps if you follow many channels and want to browse them by category.
What happens after you subscribe
Once you subscribe, YouTube's algorithm starts learning from your behavior. If you watch every video a creator posts, YouTube will prioritize their uploads in your feed. If you never click on their videos, YouTube will show them less often, even though you are still subscribed.
Your subscriptions are private by default — other people cannot see which channels you follow unless you change your privacy settings. To make your subscriptions public or private, go to your account settings, click "Privacy," and toggle "Keep all my subscriptions private."
YouTube also recommends channels similar to the ones you subscribe to, based on what you watch. These recommendations appear in your Home feed mixed in with videos from channels you actually follow. You can tell the difference because recommended videos do not come from your subscriptions.
Subscribing to channels for your projects
If you are learning video editing, subscribing to tutorial channels keeps their new lessons in your feed without you having to remember to check back. Many creators post weekly or monthly, so subscribing means you see their new content as soon as it drops instead of missing uploads.
You can also subscribe to channels that post in your niche — whether that is filmmaking, motion graphics, or audio design — and turn on notifications only for the creators whose uploads you want to know about when ready. This way, you stay current on new techniques and tools without getting overwhelmed by notifications from every channel you follow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people see which channels I subscribe to?
Your subscriptions are private by default, so no one can see them unless you change your settings. To make them public or private, go to your YouTube account settings, click "Privacy," and toggle the subscription privacy option. You can change this at any time.
What is the difference between subscribing and turning on notifications?
Subscribing adds a channel to your feed so you see their videos when you open YouTube. Notifications alert you the moment they upload, even if you are not actively using the app. You can subscribe without notifications, or you can turn notifications on for only a few channels you do not want to miss.
Do I have to subscribe to watch a channel's videos?
No. You can watch any public video on YouTube without subscribing. Subscribing just makes it easier to find their new uploads because they appear in your feed. Without subscribing, you have to search for the channel each time or remember the creator's name.
Can I subscribe to a channel without a Google account?
No, you need to be signed into a Google account to subscribe. Creating a free Google account takes a few minutes and gives you access to YouTube, Gmail, Google Drive, and other Google services. You can watch videos without signing in, but subscribing requires an account.
What happens if I unsubscribe from a channel?
Unsubscribing removes the channel from your subscriptions list and your feed. YouTube stops sending you notifications from that creator. You can always resubscribe later by clicking Subscribe on one of their videos again — unsubscribing does not delete your watch history or any videos you saved.