For access to intermediate and advanced features, YouTube creators need to complete the verification steps explained in this article. These verifications keep the YouTube community safe by making it harder for scammers, spammers, and other bad actors to cause harm.
Access intermediate features
Complete phone verification
If you complete phone verification, you'll get access to intermediate features. From here, you can learn how to access advanced features.
- On a computer, sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Click Settings.
- Click Channel.
- Click Feature eligibility
Intermediate features
You’ll be asked to enter a phone number. We’ll send a verification code by text or voice call to that phone number.
Access advanced features
Advanced features include, for example, pinned comments and higher daily upload limits. Creators can get access advanced features by:
- Completing phone verification
- Building sufficient channel history or verifying identity using a valid ID or video
- Note: ID and video verification isn't available to all creators.
Step 1. Complete phone verification
To verify your phone number:
- On a computer, sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Click Settings.
- Click Channel.
- Click Feature eligibility
-
Enter a phone number. We’ll send a verification code by text or phone call to that number.
Step 2. Build channel history or verify with ID or video
After completing the phone verification step, next you can choose to either build sufficient channel history or complete verification using ID or video. Note that ID and video verification isn't available to all creators.
Build and maintain your channel history
Your channel history is a record of your:
- Channel activity (like video uploads, live streams, and audience engagement)
- Personal data related to your Google Account:
- When and how your account was created
- How often your account is used
- Your method of connecting to Google services
Complete ID verification
To verify identity using a valid ID:
- On a computer, sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Click Settings.
- Click Channel.
- Click Feature eligibility
- Select Use your ID, then click Get email. Google will send an email. You can also scan a QR code instead.
- On your phone, open the email and tap Start verification.
- Read the explanation of how Google will use your ID and how your ID will be stored. To continue with verification, click I agree.
- Follow the prompts to take a picture of your ID. Note: Make sure the birthdate on your ID matches the birthdate stated on your Google Account.
- Click Submit. Once submitted, we'll review your ID. This usually takes 24 hours.
Learn more about how your ID verification data is used.
Complete video verification
To verify identity using video:
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Click Settings
.
- Click Channel.
- Click Feature eligibility
- Select Use video verification, then click Next and Get email.
- Google will send you an email. You can also scan a QR code instead.
- On your phone, open the email and tap Start verification.
- Follow the prompts to perform an action, like following a dot, or turning your head.
- When your verification video is done uploading, we'll review your video.
- Review usually takes 24 hours. You’ll get an email when it’s approved.
Learn more about how your video verification data is used.
Troubleshoot problems
Understand delayed or restricted feature access
Find examples below of actions that can lead to delays or a more restricted level of feature access for a channel. Keep in mind this isn't a complete list:
- Getting a Community Guidelines strike
- Posting the same content repeatedly across one or more channels or repeatedly uploading content you don’t own and isn’t EDSA
- Repeatedly posting abusive, hateful, dangerous, sexual, violent, and/or harassing videos or comments
- Spamming, scamming, use of misleading metadata, inaccurate reporting, or other deceptive practices
- Cyberbullying
- Impersonating others
- Violating our child safety policy
- Maintaining channels that are related to another policy-violating channel (for example, a repeat spammer or scammer who owns multiple channels)
- Getting copyright strikes
Restore feature access
If your access to any advanced features is restricted, you’ll get an email. Creators can restore access by improving their channel history or by verifying identity using a valid ID or video. Keep in mind that ID and video verification isn't available to all creators.
Active channels that have consistently followed YouTube’s Community Guidelines can usually rebuild sufficient channel history within 2 months.
Common error messages and what they mean
- "Advanced YouTube features aren’t available for this account": This means that you're signed in to an account where you're not the primary owner. This can happen if you're signed in to an account supervised by a parent, or you're signed in to a Brand Account.
- "Check your browser": Your browser isn’t compatible. Make sure to update your device to the latest operating system and browser version.
- "ID verification doesn’t work with this phone’s camera": Your camera isn't compatible. Sign in with a phone that has a full HD rear-facing camera to submit your ID.
- "Another application might be using your camera. Close open apps and try again": This means that another app is using your camera. Close your open apps and try again.
Frequently Asked Questions
YouTube terminates millions of channels per year for violative content and behavior. Many of these channels are created by the same groups and individuals, using or over-using the same kinds of features in an effort to defraud, scam, or abuse viewers, creators, and advertisers. Verifying your identity is one way that we tackle abuse and determine whether you have previously violated our policy and restrict repeat applications.
Phone number
If you choose to submit a phone number, we'll use it to:
- Send you a verification code.
ID verification
Once you submit a valid ID (such as a passport or driver's license), we’ll use it to confirm:
- Your date of birth
- That your ID is current and valid
- That you haven’t previously been suspended for violating YouTube’s policies
It will also help us protect against fraud and abuse and may improve our verification systems.
Your ID or video verification will be automatically deleted from your Google Account within 2 years. It’s usually deleted in a few months after you’ve built sufficient channel history, or after 1 year if you haven’t used advanced features. Learn more about how to delete your verification data.
Video verification
A video verification is a short video of a person’s face. We’ll use this video to help us verify:
- You're a real person
- You’re old enough to use Google services
- That you haven't been suspended for violating YouTube's policies
It will also help us protect against fraud and abuse and may improve our verification systems.
Your ID or video verification will be automatically deleted from your Google Account within 2 years. It’s usually deleted in a few months after you’ve built sufficient channel history, or after 1 year if you haven’t used advanced features. Learn more about how to delete your verification data.
Data retention and deletion
You can delete your ID or video verification at any time in your Google Account. Note that if you delete either before you establish your YouTube channel history, you can’t use advanced YouTube features unless you:
- Establish your YouTube channel history
Or
- Complete ID or video verification again
To ensure individuals or groups don’t evade our restrictions by creating new accounts, we assess whether you may have previously violated YouTube policies and restrict repeat applications. Google may save your ID or your video and facial recognition data for a period of time to protect against abuse.
This data will be retained for a maximum of 3 years from your last interaction with YouTube.
If you don’t want to provide an ID or video verification to unlock advanced features, you don’t need to. You can always build sufficient channel history instead. By the time you’re ready to unlock advanced features, you’ll likely have built up sufficient history anyways.
When you use our services, you’re trusting us with your information. We understand this is a big responsibility, and we work hard to protect your information and put you in control. Google’s privacy policy applies here, just as it does for all of our products and features.
Note: We never sell your personal information to anyone.
I already provided verification, why am I being asked to verify again?
To ensure we’re following responsible data practices, your ID or video verification is automatically deleted once you reach sufficient channel history or may be deleted if you don’t use advanced features for 1 year. You can also choose to delete your ID or video verification at any time in your Google Account.
If your verification is deleted, you'll need to have sufficient channel history or resubmit ID or video verification to continue using advanced features.
Keep in mind that creators who choose to unlock advanced features through ID or video verification still need to follow YouTube’s Community Guidelines and maintain a positive channel history. Creators who don’t build up and maintain sufficient channel history may lose their access to advanced features and can resubmit ID or video verification to restore access.
How can I delete my verification data?
- Sign in to your Google Account.
- On the left, click Personal info.
- Click Identity document or Video verification.
- Click Delete
.
A smartphone is required because it provides additional security to make it harder for scammers and spammers to cause harm.
You should get the code immediately. If you haven't, you can request a new code. Make sure you're not running into one of these common problems:
- Text message delivery can be delayed. Delays can happen in densely populated areas, or if you don’t have a strong signal. If you've waited more than a few minutes and still haven't received our text message, try the voice call option.
- If you've already verified 2 channels with 1 phone number, you must verify a different phone number. To help prevent abuse, we limit the number of channels that can be associated with each phone number.
- Some countries/regions and carriers don't support text messages from Google. Most mobile carriers support text messages from Google. If your carrier doesn't support text messages from Google, you can try the voice call option, or use a different phone number.
If your first try was rejected, you’ll be notified by email. We recommend you review the tips in your email and make sure that your ID:
- Is a driver’s license, passport, or other valid ID
- Is current
- Clearly shows your date of birth
- Doesn’t show any private info that must be covered
If the second try is unsuccessful, you need to wait 30 days before trying either one of the verification methods again. You can also wait and build channel history instead.
My video verification was rejected. What can I do?
If your first try was rejected, you’ll be notified by email. We recommend you review the tips in your email and make sure that you:.
- Hold your phone at eye level in front of your face
- Record in a well-lit spot that isn’t too bright or too dim
- Follow the prompts to perform an action, like following a dot, or turning your head
- Are the only person in the video
- Connect to a Wi-Fi network
If the second try is unsuccessful, you need to wait 30 days before trying either one of the verification methods again. If you think your second video verification should have been approved, you can appeal it and let us know why. You can also wait and build channel history instead.
Why don’t I see the option to complete ID or video verification?
If you have a Brand Account:
Only the primary owner of the channel will be eligible to perform identity verification. Depending on their verification status, all users of the channel will have access to the same features as the primary owner.
If you don’t have a Brand Account:
Only the owner of the channel will be eligible to perform identity verification. Depending on their verification status, all users of the channel will have access to the same features as the owner.