How are people setuping a youtube channel in 2026?

Same as before, mostly. Sign in with the Google account you want it under (or make a separate one for the business), click your profile picture and Create a channel, pick the name and handle. Then before uploading anything: - profile picture, banner, a short description that says what the channel is about - verify your phone number in Studio settings. It unlocks custom thumbnails and longer uploads, and people miss it - set upload defaults (description template, tags, category) so you don't type them every time Making it a brand account is worth it if anyone else will ever help manage it, because you can add people without giving out your login.