YouTube launches handles for all users

For many content creators, YouTube is not just a place to upload videos and leave comments on videos, but an active community and a real platform to express themselves. That's why YouTube is launching handles, a new way to help users easily find and interact with each other.

Each channel on YouTube will have its own unique handle, which will be visible both on the channel page and in Shorts, in order to immediately recognize the origin of the content. Soon it will become much easier and faster to tag in comments, descriptions, posts, etc. For example, creators will be easily tagged in the comments of a video and see their real handle in collaborative efforts, so that they reach new audience.

Unlike channel names, which can be the same in some cases, handles are unique for each channel and each user. That way, when you watch a video or Short you'll be sure it's coming from the creator you want to see and not someone trying to scam you using the same name.

Starting next month, content creators will receive updates from YouTube to claim their own unique handle. In most cases where the channel already has a personalized URL, the handle will automatically take that name, but you will be able to register another one from YouTube Studio.