YouTube Channel ID Finder
Powered by Musicfetch - the API to find music links on all platforms (find out more)
What is a YouTube Channel ID?
A YouTube Channel ID is a unique 24-character identifier that YouTube assigns to every channel. It always starts with "UC" followed by 22 alphanumeric characters. Unlike channel names or @handles, the channel ID never changes—even if you change your channel name or handle.
Why do I need a YouTube Channel ID?
- API Integration: Many YouTube API endpoints (YouTube Data API v3, YouTube Analytics API) require the channel ID to fetch data, manage playlists, or access analytics.
- OAuth & Authentication: When building apps that connect to YouTube, you often need to specify channel IDs for permissions and data access.
- Permanent Reference: Channel IDs are stable identifiers—usernames and @handles can change, but the channel ID remains the same.
- Music Distribution: When distributing music to YouTube Music or claiming content, distributors often need your channel ID.
What URL formats are supported?
This tool accepts the following YouTube channel URL formats:
- @Handle:
https://www.youtube.com/@YourChannelHandle - Channel ID:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx - Custom URL:
https://www.youtube.com/c/YourCustomName - Legacy username:
https://www.youtube.com/user/username
Example: find a channel ID from a YouTube URL
Paste https://www.youtube.com/@YouTube into the finder. The result is the channel's permanent ID, UCBR8-60-B28hp2BmDPdntcQ, which can also be written as https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBR8-60-B28hp2BmDPdntcQ.
The visible @handle and the channel ID identify the same channel, but the ID stays fixed if the channel changes its handle. That makes the ID the safer value to store for API requests and integrations.
Where can I find my YouTube Channel ID?
You can find your channel ID in your YouTube Studio under Settings > Channel > Advanced settings. Or use this free tool—just paste your channel URL above and we'll extract the channel ID for you.
Building with YouTube data? Read our YouTube API guide or use the Musicfetch URL lookup API to resolve supported music links.