# Signing into YouTube **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 26, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-into-youtube/747261 "2016-02-26T23:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-into-youtube/747261/1 "2016-02-26T23:10:11Z")
About a decade ago I got a username on YouTube. I remember the username, and I think I remember the password. The trouble is, I don’t see where you can log in with your username. I get a Google thing where I can log in with one of two email addresses I use, but neither of them seem to link to my username. So… How do I log into my ‘channel’ (or whatever it is they call my account)? ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-into-youtube/747261/2 "2016-02-26T23:15:27Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > About a decade ago I got a username on YouTube. I remember the username, and I think I remember the password. The trouble is, I don’t see where you can log in with your username. I get a Google thing where I can log in with one of two email addresses I use, but neither of them seem to link to my username. > > So… How do I log into my ‘channel’ (or whatever it is they call my account)? You probably missed when Youtube forced all users to migrate their accounts to a GMail address (Google account). Maybe that means your old userid is basically abandoned and unreachable, because you have no way of connecting it to a GMail address now. If it matters, you may have to work with Youtube customer service (shudder). :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-into-youtube/747261/3 "2016-02-26T23:20:00Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > If it matters, you may have to work with Youtube customer service (shudder). :eek: It doesn’t seem to exist. At least, there isn’t a link to it. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-into-youtube/747261/4 "2016-02-26T23:21:47Z")
Actually, googling around (ironic, _ne_?), I found this: > [@Youtube help](#): > > **Use a legacy YouTube account (pre-Google YouTube account)** > > Some older YouTube channels are not part of a Google Account. This is only possible if the channel was created before May 2009 and you haven’t signed in to it since 2011. These are called legacy YouTube channels. > > To access these legacy channels, you’ll need to link your channel to a Google Account. > > 1. Sign in to the Google Account you’d like to link with your YouTube channel. If you don’t have a Google Account, it’s easy to create one. > 2) After you sign in, enter [youtube.com/gaia\_link](http://youtube.com/gaia_link) in your web browser. Enter your YouTube username and password in the box on the left and select Link these accounts. From [https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1637615](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/1637615) This sounds like your situation. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-into-youtube/747261/5 "2016-02-26T23:25:33Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > This sounds like your situation. Good luck! ‘This YouTube account is not available to be claimed.’ ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2016, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/signing-into-youtube/747261/6 "2016-02-26T23:34:49Z")
OK, I used the other address. My username is linked. Not that I’m uploading anything, but I might someday.