YouTube handles will soon give your channel unique identity similar to Instagram, Twitter – Times of India

YouTube has introduced handles, a way to give a unique identification to your YouTube channel. Apart from being a new way for people to easily find your channel, the YouTube handles are also said to help people engage with creators and each other on YouTube. YouTube handles start rolling out to users soon in a phased manner.
YouTube handles akin to unique identities on Instagram, Twitter
A YouTube handle will work just like the way it works in other social media platforms such as Instagram and Twitter. Just like it happens on Instagram, two persons may have the same name that is displayed on their profiles but their handles will be unique to them. For example, you may find two people with the name “Rajesh Kumar” on Instagram or Twitter, however, their (hypothetical) handles “@rajk1” and “@rjk1989” will be unique.
“Every channel will have a unique handle, making it easier for fans to discover content and interact with creators they love. Handles will appear on channel pages and Shorts, so they’ll be instantly and consistently recognisable. It’ll soon be simpler and faster to mention each other in comments, community posts, video descriptions and more,” YouTube says in an announcement. It is to be noted that YouTube handles will join channel names as another way of identification and they will not replace the channel name.

When is YouTube handles rolling out
YouTube says that handles will be rolled out over the next month and the company will notify creators when they can choose a handle for their channel. “If a channel already has a personalised URL, it will automatically become their default handle, or they can opt to change the handle for their channel as soon as the notification in YouTube Studio comes through,” the company said.
Ability to make/ include handles will be rolled out gradually. The timing of when a creator will get access to the handles selection process depends on a number of factors. These include overall presence on YouTube, subscriber count and whether the channel is active or inactive. “YouTube will also create a matching URL with the handle so creators can easily direct people to their content when they’re not on YouTube,” the announcement notes.
A YouTuber can change his/ her handle name and there won’t be a revocation of the verification badge, however, if a content creator renames the channel, he/she will have to reapply for a verification badge. Furthermore, all YouTube channels are eligible for choosing a handle. Everyone will have the option to choose a handle by November 14 at the latest. If you fail to do so, you will be given a handle based on the name of your YouTube channel.