Verification Badge

0:24 To get verified on YouTube, a channel needs 100,000 subscribers, 2-Step Verification on its Google Account and a complete profile; then the owner or a manager applies in YouTube Studio on a computer under Settings > Channel > Verified badge > Apply, and YouTube reviews the channel. The badge is the check mark beside a channel's name that tells viewers the channel really is the creator, artist, brand or organization it claims to be. It gives no extra features, and it is lost when the channel is renamed.

Quick facts

How do I get verified on YouTube?

1. Reach 100,000 subscribers. Below that, the Verified badge tab does not appear in Studio at all.
2. Turn on 2-Step Verification for the Google Account that owns the channel.
3. Complete the profile: a banner image, a profile picture, a channel description and at least one public video (Custom Thumbnails and a clear channel name help reviewers too).
4. Sign in to YouTube Studio on a computer and open Settings > Channel > Verified badge.
5. Click Apply.

If the channel already has 100,000 subscribers but lacks 2-Step Verification or a complete profile, the tab offers shortcuts to fix both before applying. After passing 100,000 subscribers or turning on 2-Step Verification, YouTube's systems can take a few days to catch up, so the tab may appear late. Help gives no time for the review itself.

What YouTube checks

1:36 YouTube looks for two things. The channel must be authentic: it represents the real creator, brand or entity it claims to, and YouTube may check the channel's age or ask for documents. It must also be complete: public, active, and with the profile items above. A channel that impersonates someone else cannot pass the first test. YouTube can also verify a widely known person or brand below 100,000 subscribers without an application (Help).

Name changes remove the badge

Renaming a verified channel removes the badge, and the owner has to apply again. Changing the handle does not. Creators planning a rebrand should expect a period without the check mark while YouTube reviews the new name.

The verification scam

0:00 Because the badge looks valuable, scammers sell it. Messages offer to "get you verified" for a fee, or pose as YouTube or a trusted partner and send a form that asks for a password or a sign-in code. The only real route is the Apply button inside YouTube Studio, which costs nothing; YouTube describes no other. George Vanous, who runs the Freedom! network, made a video warning creators about one such scheme, "YouTube Verification scam! - Don't do this": an email promising to verify the channel linked to a sign-in page dressed up as Freedom!'s own website, and when he typed in a made-up Gmail address and password, the page simply said he had signed in, having recorded both. Anyone who has typed their password or a sign-in code into such a form should follow Hacked Channel Recovery at once.

Badges and other check marks

The verification badge is a gray check mark. Official Artist Channels show a music note instead, which comes with the Official Artist Channel program rather than this application. Neither is the same as YouTube's Creator Awards, the physical plaques sent at subscriber milestones, although Silver also starts at 100,000 subscribers.

What creators say

0:48 In "How to Get Verified on YouTube", Think Media read YouTube's own description of the badge and gave a blunt verdict on what it does for a channel: "honestly, the answer is not a lot". It is there for viewers, so they can tell the real channel from a copy with the same name and picture. The video's practical advice follows from the rename rule: settle on a channel name you want "for the long run" before applying, since a verified channel that changes its name has to apply again.

Frequently asked questions

How many subscribers do you need to get verified on YouTube? 100,000. YouTube can also verify well-known channels with fewer subscribers on its own initiative, but below 100,000 a channel cannot apply.

Can I buy a YouTube verification badge? No. The badge is free and only granted through the Apply button in YouTube Studio; anyone selling verification is running a scam.

Does a YouTube verification badge give extra features? No. YouTube says verified channels get no extra features; the badge only shows viewers that the channel is authentic.

Why did my YouTube channel lose its verification badge? The most common reason is a channel name change, which removes the badge until you reapply. A channel that stops meeting the authentic and complete criteria can also lose it.

Does changing my YouTube handle remove verification? No. Only changing the channel name removes the badge.

How long does YouTube verification take? YouTube gives no review time. After you reach 100,000 subscribers or turn on 2-Step Verification, it can take a few days before the Verified badge tab appears in Studio.

Sources

• Verification badges on channels, YouTube Help, read Nov 6, 2026
• YouTube Verification scam! - Don't do this, Freedom!, Aug 11, 2016 (video)
• How to Get Verified on YouTube, Think Media, Mar 1, 2022 (video)