How To Transfer Youtube Subscriptions From One Account To Another May 2026

The Ultimate Guide: How to Transfer YouTube Subscriptions from One Account to Another

Published by TechGuides | Est. reading time: 8 minutes

Troubleshooting: Why Isn't This Working?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Can I transfer subscriptions from YouTube to a different platform (like PeerTube or Odysee)? A: Yes, using the same subscriptions.json file. Many alternative platforms have import tools that read YouTube's export format.

Q: Will the channel owner know I unsubscribed and resubscribed? A: No. Channel owners only see subscriber counts, not individual names. Unless you are a very famous person, they will not notice.

Q: What about YouTube Music? A: This guide covers YouTube video subscriptions. YouTube Music (saved songs, albums, artists) is a separate data set in Google Takeout, labeled "YouTube Music." The Ultimate Guide: How to Transfer YouTube Subscriptions

Q: I deleted my old account. Can I still get my subscriptions? A: No. Once the account is deleted, Google purges the data. You cannot recover it.

How to use PocketTube:

Step 1: Export from Old Account

  1. Install PocketTube on your browser.
  2. Log into your Old YouTube account.
  3. Click the PocketTube icon in your toolbar.
  4. Go to Settings -> Export Data.
  5. Choose "Export Subscriptions" -> Save the file as subscriptions.json.

Step 2: Import to New Account

  1. Log out of your Old account completely.
  2. Log into your New YouTube account.
  3. Install PocketTube on this browser (or keep it installed).
  4. Click the PocketTube icon -> Settings -> Import Data.
  5. Upload the subscriptions.json file.
  6. Crucial step: PocketTube will ask, "Group or Subscribe?" Choose Subscribe.
  7. Watch the magic happen. The extension will automatically click the "Subscribe" button on every single channel from your old list.

Pros: Takes 2 minutes. Preserves every sub. Cons: Requires a third-party extension. Google occasionally changes their page layout, which can break extensions temporarily.

Method 1: The "Takeout & Thunderbird" Method (100% Safe, No Extensions)

This is the most secure method because it uses Google’s official data export tool and a desktop email client. It requires no third-party apps accessing your passwords.

Step 2: Extract the list

  1. Unzip the file. Navigate to the folder: Takeout/YouTube/YouTube Subscriptions/
  2. Open the subscriptions.json file with any text editor (Notepad, TextEdit, or VSCode).
  3. You will see a messy list of code. You are looking for the URLs that look like: "channelId": "UCXuqSBlHAE6Xw-yeJA0Tunw" Copy this link? No. You need a converter.

Step-by-Step (Using YouTube Subscription Manager):

Prerequisite: You must complete Steps 1-7 of the Google Takeout method above. You need your subscriptions.json file on your computer. How to use PocketTube: Step 1: Export from Old Account

  1. Install the YouTube Subscription Manager extension in your browser (Chrome/Firefox/Edge).
  2. Log out of your old YouTube account. Log into your new YouTube account.
  3. Click the extension icon in your browser toolbar.
  4. Look for an option labeled "Import" or "Restore from file."
  5. Upload your subscriptions.json file.
  6. The extension will read the list and automatically click "Subscribe" on every single channel.
  7. Monitor the process. If you have 500+ subscriptions, it may take a few minutes. Do not close the browser tab.

Warning: YouTube has anti-bot measures. If you import 2,000 subscriptions in 10 seconds, YouTube may temporarily rate-limit you (or ask you to verify you aren't a robot). The best extensions add a delay (e.g., 1 second per subscription) to avoid this.

Problem: "I keep getting 'Action not allowed' errors."

Fix: YouTube is rate-limiting you. Wait 24 hours or reduce the number of subscriptions per minute. Use an extension with a "slow mode" (5 seconds per subscription).