YouTube ‘Unique Handles’ feature: What it is and who gets it first

YouTube has launched its new ‘Unique Handles’ feature that lets creators and viewers have a unique handle ID that can be used to find or identify them. The handle will be similar to what a number of social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter use. Handles are also seen among gamers.
The addition should make it easier to not just search for your favourite YouTube creators but also to tag them in posts. The idea is that this will be much easier than searching for channel names individually. Searching channel name can be challenging especially when there are a number of channels with similar names.
“We want to ensure creators can craft an identity as unique as their content, while giving viewers the confidence that they are interacting with their favourite creators,” YouTube said in a new blog post announcing the feature.
Not everyone will get access to YouTube Handles at once
Unlike on other platforms, where you get to choose a unique handle for yourself when you join, YouTube Handles will be rolled out gradually to all users on the platform, starting this week. This would mean there is no first come, first served basis of acquiring a unique handle for yourself.
As a result, if you have a channel name that’s close to another much larger channel, chances are the other creator will get to choose a handle for the themselves before you do. This could mean that smaller creators may not always get a handle they desire.
YouTube also says that creators who become eligible for the Unique Handles feature will get a notification alerting them of the same, so they can go ahead and choose a handle. Who gets access to the feature first will be determined a number of factors including subscriber count and overall presence on the platform.

Channels will also need to be active for the feature to work, and as of now, there is no way explicitly mentioned YouTube that allows the transfer of a handle from one channel to another, should an apt circumstance or agreement between separate creators come into picture.
It is not known if channels will be able to change their handles once set. For creators, this could mean getting stuck with one handle permanently, so we suggest you take your time choosing a handle until YouTube announces the ability to change it later down the line.