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How to make a YouTube channel

Want to become the latest YouTube sensation? You'll need to make a channel first

As the premier video sharing website in the world, YouTube attracts everyone from the biggest online content creators to those just looking to share a few clips of themselves with friends and family. Whether you’re trying to become the next Pewdiepie or manage a personal video storage locker, everyone starts from the same place. You need to know how to make a YouTube channel.

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Fortunately, Google has made the process easier and easier over the years, so you can follow just a few quick steps and you’ll be up and running in no time at all.

When you’re all set up, if you want to learn how to stream games on your channel, here’s our guide to get you started.

Creating a YouTube account

You can’t have a YouTube channel without a YouTube account. If you already have one, then you can simply sign in and move on to the next section, but for those who don’t, follow these simple steps

Step 1: Go to YouTube’s homepage and click the “Sign in” button in the top right-hand corner.

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Step 2: If you have an existing Google account, congratulations, you also have a YouTube account! Login to it and skip to the next section. Otherwise, click “More options” and then “Create account.”

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Step 3: Fill in the relevant information on the account set up page and click the “Next Step” button.

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Step 4: If Google asks you to, verify your account using your mobile. Once complete, you should be sent to the welcome screen.

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Step 5: Go back to YouTube’s homepage. You should be automatically logged in, but if not, click the “Sign in” button in the top right-hand corner again and fill in your relevant login information.

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Creating a YouTube channel

YouTube is pretty keen to give everyone a YouTube channel, even if they only plan to post comments with it. That means that if you try to do anything on YouTube, you’ll be prompted to make one. The easiest method to do so though is with the steps below.

Step 1: Click the upload button (the up arrow with a line under it) in the top right-hand corner.

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Step 2: You’ll be shown a prompt asking you to confirm your name and display picture. You can keep those the same as your Google account, but if you’d rather stay anonymous on your YouTube channel, you can input any information you want.

Step 3: It’s a good idea to read through the YouTube terms of service while you’re here, so you know what you’re signing up for. Once done, click the “Create Channel” button.

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That’s it! You now have a functioning YouTube channel. You can now post videos and work your way towards internet stardom — or just show off your cat. Hey, sometimes they’re the same thing.

Jon Martindale
Jon Martindale is a freelance evergreen writer and occasional section coordinator, covering how to guides, best-of lists, and…
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