How to Create a Second YouTube Channel (Brand Account Steps)

A second channel is one of the smartest moves a small business can make on YouTube, and one of the most misunderstood. People imagine they have to open a new Google account or juggle two logins. You don't. YouTube's help centre describes a route that keeps everything under your existing sign in, using a Brand Account. I'll take you through it, explain the small decision about who owns what, and cover the snags: the 'you already have a channel' message and the supervised account block.

Before you create a second YouTube channel: personal or Brand Account?

YouTube's help centre says a channel is either linked to a personal Google account or to a Brand Account. The difference matters later, so choose on purpose:

• A personal channel is yours alone. Only you can access it, and it shows the name and photo from your Google account.
• A Brand Account channel can have its own name and photo, and several people can manage and own it.

When you create an additional channel with a different name, YouTube creates a Brand Account for it. That's the route most people want. If you've only ever had one channel and haven't read my guide on making your first YouTube channel, start there, then come back.

Create a second YouTube channel on a computer or the mobile site

YouTube's help centre gives these steps for a channel with a different name:

1. Sign in to YouTube on a computer or the mobile site.
2. Open your channel list from the account switcher in the profile menu.
3. Choose Create a new channel.
4. Pick a profile picture, a name and a handle.
5. Click Create channel. This also creates the new Brand Account.

There's an optional last step in the same article: add owners and managers to the new channel. Do that now if a colleague or freelancer will help, because it's easier to set up access at the start than to untangle it later.

Use an existing Brand Account for your second YouTube channel

The same channel list also shows Brand Accounts you already manage. YouTube's help says that if you pick one that already has a channel, you can't make another on it, and instead you switch to that channel. If the Brand Account has no channel yet, you can create one for it. This is the one to try when the screen says you already have a channel.

Create a personal second channel

If you want a channel that only you manage, YouTube's help gives a different path:

1. Sign in to YouTube on a computer or the mobile site.
2. Click your profile picture, then Settings.
3. In the Account section, select Add or manage channel(s).
4. Click Create a channel.
5. Choose a profile picture, then enter your name and handle.
6. Click Create channel.

Moving between your two YouTube channels

Once the second channel exists, switching is quick. In the app you tap your profile picture, tap Accounts and choose the channel. I've set out each device in my guide to switching accounts on YouTube. Always glance at the profile picture before you upload or reply to comments, because posting from the wrong channel is the classic slip.

When you can't create a second YouTube channel

• Supervised experience: YouTube's help warns that if you use a supervised experience, you may be unable to create a channel.
• The Brand Account already has a channel. Switch to it, or pick a different Brand Account.
• You're signed in to the wrong account. Check your profile picture before you start.

The help centre doesn't give a number for how many channels you can create in this article. In the separate article on switching, it says one Google account can manage up to 100 channels. For the practical limits and what happens when you grow, see my explainer on how many channels sit under one account.

Should your business have a second YouTube channel?

My honest view: only if the audiences are different. A second channel splits your attention, your uploads and your viewers. Good reasons include a separate brand, a different language, or a team that needs its own space. A poor reason is wanting a fresh start because the first one isn't growing. The same habits will follow you.

• One brand, one audience: stay with one channel and use playlists.
• Two brands or a very different audience: a second channel makes sense.
• A client project: a Brand Account the client owns and you manage.

Set up your second YouTube channel's name and handle

The name and handle appear in the creation steps, so decide them before you click. YouTube's help says the handle is a unique identifier and the name must follow the community guidelines. I compared them in my post on the difference between a channel name and a handle. Both can be changed later, but YouTube limits how often.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a new Google account for a second YouTube channel?

No. YouTube's help centre says you can create a channel with a different name from the account switcher, which creates a Brand Account under your existing sign in.

What is a Brand Account on YouTube?

A Brand Account lets you use a name on YouTube that differs from your Google account name, and several people can manage and own the channel, according to YouTube's help.

Why can't I make another channel on a Brand Account?

YouTube's help says that if a Brand Account already has a channel, you can't make another one on it. Choose a different Brand Account or create a new one.

Why does YouTube say I may be unable to create a channel?

The help centre warns that this can happen if you use a supervised experience.

Can I give someone else access to my second channel?

Yes. YouTube's help describes adding channel owners and managers for a Brand Account.