YouTube Channel ID Finder

Convert any YouTube handle, custom URL, or video link to the permanent UC channel ID. Instant results, no signup required.

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Video Tutorial

How to Find a YouTube Channel ID

Enter any YouTube identifier - Paste a @handle, channel URL, custom URL, legacy username, or even a video link.
Click "Find ID" - We'll resolve it to the permanent UC channel ID in seconds.
Copy the result - Click the copy button to grab the channel ID or full URL.

Supported Input Formats

This tool accepts virtually any way of referencing a YouTube channel:

Handles - @mkbhd or mkbhd
Channel URLs - youtube.com/@username
Custom URLs - youtube.com/c/CustomName
Legacy URLs - youtube.com/user/OldUsername
Direct channel URLs - youtube.com/channel/UC...
Video links - youtube.com/watch?v=... (finds the uploader's channel)
Shorts and live links - youtube.com/shorts/... and youtube.com/live/...

What is a YouTube Channel ID?

A YouTube Channel ID is the permanent, unique identifier assigned to every channel. It always starts with "UC" followed by 22 characters (like UCBcRF18a7Qf58cCRy5xuWwQ). Unlike handles and custom URLs, which channel owners can change, the channel ID never changes, making it the most reliable way to reference a channel.

The Four Ways YouTube Names a Channel

YouTube has accumulated four different identifier systems over the years, and the confusion between them is why this tool exists:

Identifier	Looks like	Can change?	Safe for integrations?
Channel ID	`UC49nrjKZjSJw-B1Eybcd_rA`	Never	Yes, always
Handle	`@GaugingGadgets`	Anytime	No
Custom URL	`youtube.com/c/Name`	Yes (legacy)	No
Legacy username	`youtube.com/user/Name`	Frozen, pre-2016 only	No

The first row is the only one machines should ever rely on. The other three are display names in different eras' clothing, and all of them ultimately resolve to that one UC string.

Finding the ID Manually (Without This Tool)

For a single channel you can dig the ID out yourself: open the channel page, go to the About section, tap Share Channel, and choose Copy Channel ID. On desktop you can also view the page source and search for "channelId". This tool does the same resolution through the official API, which is faster, works from any link type including videos and Shorts, and handles batches.

Why Do You Need a Channel ID?

Channel IDs are essential for YouTube API integrations, analytics dashboards, content management systems, automation workflows, and embed codes. If you're building anything that programmatically interacts with YouTube channels, you need the ID rather than the handle, since handles can change at any time.

Bulk Lookups

Switch to "Bulk Lookup" mode to resolve multiple handles or URLs at once. Enter one per line, and we'll find all the channel IDs. You can copy all results at once for easy use in spreadsheets or scripts.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a limit on lookups? Single lookups are unlimited. Bulk lookups process up to 20 entries at a time to stay within API limits.

Can a channel ID ever change? No. Channel IDs are permanent and never change, even if the channel changes its name, handle, or custom URL. That permanence is exactly what makes them reliable for integrations.

Why use a channel ID instead of a handle? Handles can be changed by the channel owner at any time, which would silently break any integration relying on them. Channel IDs are immutable, so anything built on them keeps working through rebrands.

Does this work with deleted channels? No. If a channel has been deleted or terminated, the YouTube API no longer returns its information, so there is nothing to resolve.

Can I get the ID from a video link? Yes. Paste any watch, Shorts, or live URL and the tool resolves the uploader's channel and returns its ID. This is often the fastest route when you know a video but not the channel's exact name.

What information does this lookup send, and where? This is one of our lookup tools, so it works differently from our file tools: the handle or URL you type is forwarded through our server to the YouTube Data API, and the channel details come back the same way. That single piece of text is the only thing transmitted. No files are involved, and we keep no record of the channels you look up.

Disclaimer YouTube is a trademark of Google LLC. This tool is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to Google LLC. We use the YouTube Data API to provide this lookup service.