How to start a gaming YouTube channel (safely)

Sharing your games on YouTube is a brilliant way to be creative, learn video skills and connect with people who love the same games. It also means putting yourself online, so the setup matters. This guide covers the rules, the free tools and the safety habits that make a channel last. Every rule and menu path comes from official help pages we read on 23 October 2026.

Step 1: check the age rules

A YouTube channel sits on a Google Account. Google’s rule is that 13 is the minimum age to manage your own Google Account in all countries not on its list of exceptions. Some countries set a higher age. A few examples from Google’s list:

• 16: Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania
• 15: France, Denmark and Greece
• 14: Spain, Italy, Austria and South Korea

For younger children, parents can create and manage a Google Account with Family Link. YouTube’s own help page notes that if you use YouTube with a supervised experience, “you may not be able to create a channel.”

Supervised teen accounts

Teens with their own Google Account can link with a parent’s account to set up a supervised teen account. With it, parents can see insights into their teen’s channel activity. Either the parent or the teen can start the setup, but both must agree before supervision is turned on, and either can turn it off at any time.

In some regions supervision is required. YouTube’s help page says that in Brazil, all users under 16 must have parental supervision to create or keep a YouTube channel.

If you are under 18, our advice is simple: set up the channel with a parent, even where the rules do not require it.

Step 2: create the channel

YouTube’s steps for a personal channel:

1. Sign in to YouTube on a computer or the mobile site.
2. Click your profile picture, then Settings.
3. In the Account section, select Add or manage channel(s).
4. Click Create a channel.
5. Choose a profile picture, and type in your name and handle.
6. Click Create channel.

You do not have to use your real name. YouTube also lets you create a channel with a different name through a Brand Account, which can have more than one manager, such as a parent.

Safety tip: pick a handle that does not include your surname, birth year, school or town.

Step 3: free tools to record and edit

You do not need to spend money to start.

Recording: OBS Studio

OBS Studio describes itself as “free and open source software for video recording and live streaming”, and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. You build “scenes” from sources such as a game window, a webcam, images and text, and its audio mixer includes filters like noise suppression, which helps if you talk while you play.

Editing: DaVinci Resolve

Blackmagic Design offers a free version of DaVinci Resolve, which combines editing, colour correction, effects and audio in one program. The company says the free version works with “virtually all 8-bit video formats at up to 60fps in resolutions as high as Ultra HD 3840 x 2160”. That is more than enough for gaming videos. There is also a paid Studio version, but you do not need it to begin.

A simple starter workflow

1. Record a short session in OBS.
2. Cut out the loading screens and quiet bits in DaVinci Resolve.
3. Add a short intro and your voice-over.
4. Export, upload and add a thumbnail.

Step 4: music and copyright basics

Music is where new channels most often get into trouble. YouTube’s guidance is clear:

• Use the YouTube Audio Library, found in YouTube Studio > Audio library. YouTube says its music and sound effects are copyright-safe.
• Tracks downloaded from the Audio Library “won’t be claimed by a rights holder through the Content ID system”, YouTube’s automatic matching system.
• Some tracks have a Creative Commons licence, and for those you must credit the artist in your video description. To avoid that step, filter the library by Attribution not required.
• Be careful with music from elsewhere. YouTube says only Audio Library tracks are known to it to be copyright-safe, and it is not responsible for problems with “royalty-free” music from other channels or libraries.

Game soundtracks count as music too, so check a game’s own video policy before uploading long stretches of its soundtrack.

Step 5: tell YouTube who your videos are for

Wherever you live, YouTube requires every creator to say whether their videos are made for kids, under an agreement with the US Federal Trade Commission. YouTube says a video is likely made for kids if children are its main audience, or if it uses characters, activities, games or stories in a way that shows it is aimed at children. Factors include the subject matter, who you intend to watch, and whether children appear in the video.

YouTube cannot give legal advice on this, so read its guidance and choose honestly when you upload.

Step 6: thumbnails that get clicks

A thumbnail is the small image people see before they click, and it matters a lot.

• To upload your own, your account must be verified. Otherwise you can pick from suggested frames.
• Add one in YouTube Studio > Content, choose the video, then under “Thumbnail” select Upload file.
• For normal videos, use a 16:9 image. YouTube recommends 3840 x 2160 pixels, with a minimum width of 640 pixels, in a format such as JPG or PNG.
• Thumbnails must follow the Community Guidelines. A thumbnail with violence or other harmful content can be rejected and earn your channel a strike.

Good gaming thumbnails tend to use one clear moment from the game, a few big words at most, and strong contrast so they stand out on a phone screen.

Step 7: be consistent, not constant

Growing a channel takes time. A few habits help:

• Pick a lane. One game or one style, such as guides, challenges or funny moments, helps viewers know what to expect.
• Set a realistic schedule. One good video a week beats seven rushed ones, and it fits around school.
• Learn from your own videos. Watch them back and fix one thing each time.
• Keep it fun. If it starts to feel like a chore, slow down.

Step 8: stay safe on camera and in comments

YouTube’s advice for teens and its privacy guidance give a clear checklist:

• Think carefully before you post personal information, including the town you live in, where you go to school and your home address. Check what is visible behind you, on screen and on your clothes.
• Never share your password. YouTube says its employees will never ask you for it, so ignore anyone who claims otherwise.
• Get permission first before filming other people or posting their information.
• Remember the “Grandma Rule”. YouTube asks: is this something you would want your grandparents, parents or a future employer to watch? Once a video is copied, you cannot remove every copy.
• Use privacy settings. Videos can be set to private or unlisted while you practise.
• Do not meet online friends alone. YouTube advises talking to a trusted adult first.
• Turn on 2-Step Verification for your Google Account.
• Report harassment, threats, impersonation or bullying.

A camera is optional. Many gaming channels use only gameplay and a voice, which is a great way to start.

Ready to hit record?

Need a game to film? Our list of the best free-to-play games for families is a good start, and our Minecraft beginner’s guide would make a great first series. If your recording stutters, see our tips for better FPS on a low-end laptop. For account settings across consoles and games, read our safe gaming guide.