How to get verified on YouTube: badge requirements and how to apply

How to get a verification badge on YouTube: the short answer

A YouTube verification badge (the grey check mark) is available to channels with at least 100,000 subscribers. You apply in YouTube Studio on a computer: Settings → Channel → Verified badge → Apply. Besides the threshold, you need 2-Step Verification on your Google account, a fully completed channel and proof that the channel really belongs to the creator or brand it represents.

It helps to know what the badge actually does: according to YouTube Help, nothing extra. It does not unlock features, does not affect monetization, does not boost videos and is not an award. It is a sign of authenticity so viewers can tell the real channel from fakes and fan accounts.

What are the YouTube verification requirements in 2026

• 100,000 subscribers. Until you reach it, the Verified badge tab simply does not appear in Settings.
• 2-Step Verification turned on for the Google account linked to the channel.
• A complete channel: banner, profile picture, description and at least one public video.
• Authenticity: the channel represents the real creator, brand or organization it claims to be.
• Activity: the channel is public, has content and recent uploads.
• Only the channel owner or manager can apply.

There is one exception: YouTube may proactively verify a channel under 100,000 subscribers if the person or organization is well known outside the platform. You cannot request this manually.

The hardest item on the list is the threshold. If your channel is stuck at 60–90K, you can close the gap with YouTube subscribers with a 30-day guarantee — from $20 per 1,000, no password, just a channel link. But to be honest: during review YouTube looks at authenticity and real activity, not just the number. Cheap bots will not help, and a sudden subscriber spike without matching views looks suspicious. Platform rules are against artificial activity, so add subscribers in moderation and alongside regular uploads.

How to apply for the badge step by step

• Open studio.youtube.com on a computer, signed in to the account that owns the channel.
• Go to Settings → Channel → Verified badge.
• Click Apply.
• If Studio asks you to turn on 2-Step Verification or finish your profile, do it and return to the form.
• Wait for the decision: YouTube checks that the channel is authentic and complete.

If the tab is missing, the system does not yet see 100,000 subscribers on your channel. YouTube Help notes that updates can take a few days after you hit the threshold, so if the form does not open right away, check back later. You cannot apply from the YouTube Studio mobile app — only in a desktop browser.

Why YouTube rejects or removes the badge

• Changing the channel name. The badge disappears automatically and you have to reapply. Changing your @handle does not remove it.
• Violations. Breaking the Community Guidelines or Terms of Service can lead to the badge being revoked or the channel being terminated.
• Lack of authenticity. Fan channels, copycat channels and topic channels without a real creator behind them usually fail review.
• Inactivity and an empty profile. A channel with no description, no banner or a long-abandoned feed is not considered complete.

After a rejection you can fix the issue and apply again. We compared how verification works on other networks, including paid options, in our guide to social media account verification.

How the check mark differs from the music note

Some channels show a music note ♪ instead of a check mark. That is the Official Artist Channel badge: YouTube merges an artist's music videos, releases and topic channel into one place. The note does not require 100,000 subscribers, but it usually requires several official releases (at least three, according to music distributors), and you apply through your distributor or label rather than in YouTube Studio.

If a verified channel becomes an Official Artist Channel, the check mark is replaced by the note. The two badges are never shown together.

How to reach 100,000 subscribers faster

The verification threshold is the same as for the Silver Creator Award — see our article on the YouTube Silver Play Button. What actually speeds up growth:

• a steady schedule and a clear channel topic, so viewers know why to subscribe;
• Shorts as a funnel to long videos, with a subscribe prompt at the moment of peak interest;
• strong thumbnails and titles, which decide whether people click in recommendations;
• collaborations with channels of a similar size.

If new uploads struggle to get their first impressions, you can give them a push with high-retention YouTube views from $0.95 per 1,000. Still, neither views nor subscribers guarantee a badge: it is granted to an authentic, active channel, not to a number on a counter.