Secure the Google Account linked to your YouTube channel

Passkeys provide the strongest protection against threats like phishing. Learn more about passkeys.

We know that you work hard to make quality videos and provide the best experience for your audience. This is why it's important to protect the Google Account connected to your YouTube channel to prevent your account or channel from being hacked, hijacked or compromised.

If you're the owner of the channel, it's important that you share account security best practices with anyone else who has access to your channel. Find other tips for staying safe online.

Do you think that your YouTube channel was hacked? Learn how to recover and secure it.
Did you lose access to your Google Account for other reasons (not a channel hack)? Learn how to regain access.

Secure your YouTube account

Subscribe to the YouTube Creators channel for the latest news, updates and tips.

Secure your Google Account

Visit the Security Check-Up page for personalised security recommendations and follow the steps below to better protect your account going forward.

Prevent malware

Malware is a type of software that can gain access to your account, spy on your activity and steal personal data like cookies or passwords. To prevent malware, we recommend that you:

• Use antivirus software 
• Make sure that Enhanced Safe Browsing is enabled before clicking or downloading files from sponsors or other users on Chrome

Turn on Enhanced Safe Browsing

One of the ways to detect links that may be suspicious is to enable Enhanced Safe Browsing for your account. Enhanced Safe Browsing works automatically in the background to provide faster, proactive protection against dangerous websites, downloads and extensions.

Enhanced Safe Browsing provides real-time security scanning to keep you safe across all Google products when using Google Chrome.

1. Go to your Google Account.
2. On the left, select Security.
3. Scroll to 'Enhanced Safe Browsing for your Account'.
4. Select Manage Enhanced Safe Browsing.
5. Turn Enhanced Safe Browsing on or off.

Learn more about Enhanced Safe Browsing.

Turn on two-step verification and get backup codes

Two-step verification helps prevent a hacker from getting into your account, even if they steal your password. Choose from these options:

• Passkeys: Strongest protection against phishing
• Security keys: Physical device, secure second step
• Google prompts: More secure than text codes
• Google Authenticator: Works offline
• Phone verification codes: Less secure, sent by text/call

Security keys and passkeys are stronger verification options because they help prevent phishing techniques that use text message codes.

Turn on two-step verification for your account.

Create a set of backup codes

Backup codes can help prove that you own your account. They're a way to get back into your account if you lose your phone, computer or can't use your regular two-step verification method. To store your backup codes somewhere safe, you can print a copy of them.

1. Go to your Google Account.
2. On the left, click Security .
3. Under 'How you sign in to Google', click 'two-step verification' . You may need to sign in.
4. Under 'Backup codes', click 'Continue' .
5. From here you can:
   • Get backup codes: To add backup codes, click Get backup codes .
   • Print your backup codes: Click Print codes .
     And take other actions.

Learn more about backup codes.

Set up a strong password and create passkeys

A strong password helps you keep your personal information safe and prevents someone else from getting into your account. Use Google Password Manager to create and save strong, unique passwords to your Google Account so that you don't have to remember them.

Create a strong and complex password: Use eight characters or more. It can be any combination of letters, numbers and symbols.

Make your password unique: Do not use your YouTube account password on other sites. If another site gets hacked, the password could be used to enter your YouTube account.

Avoid personal information and common words: Do not use personal information like your birthdays, common words like 'password' or common patterns like '1234'.

Create passkeys

Passkeys are a simple and secure alternative to passwords. With a passkey, you can sign in to your Google Account with your fingerprint, face scan or device screen lock, like a PIN.

Passkeys provide the strongest protection against threats like phishing. Once you create a passkey, you can use it to easily sign in to your Google Account, as well as some third-party apps or services and to verify that it's you when you make sensitive changes.

To set up a passkey, you may need to sign in to your Google Account or verify that it's really you.

Create a passkey on the phone or computer that you're on

1. Go to https://myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/passkeys.

2. Tap Create a passkey  Continue.
   • You'll be required to unlock your device.

To create passkeys on multiple devices, repeat these steps from those devices.

Learn more about passkeys.

Create an account recovery emergency plan

Your recovery phone number and email address can be used to:

• Block someone from using your account without your permission
• Alert you if there's suspicious activity on your account
• Recover your account if you're ever locked out

Learn how to add or change your recovery phone number or email address.

Regularly review and update your recovery phone number and email address.