[Fractalogic]

Hi!

I just wonder, what's the difference (if any) between creating a regular YouTube account directly on www.youtube.com, and creating a Google Account that's linked to YouTube? If I go for the Google Account, will I still have a username on YouTube like "Decoy8" to log in with and that will be shown on comments and such, or will it be my email address?...

I do have a YouTube account today, a regular one that was created prior to the Google acquisition. But I was thinking about creating a new one, and I'm trying to decide if it should be a YouTube only account or a Google Account that works with YouTube.

Has anyone tested this? I mean if there is no difference, then why is there a option to create a regular YouTube account or a Google Account linked to YouTube?...

Thanks!

[Fractalogic]

No answers yet?...

I have two other questions for you.

Is it possible to link more than one YouTube account to one single Google Account?

Can I remove a Google Account without removing my YouTube account that is linked to it?

[TheShooter93]

I think you have to create a Google account now in order to have an account on Youtube.

As far as I know, it's 1 Youtube account per Google account, and they're linked together.

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Though this doesn't apply if your Youtube account was created before the Google acquisition and a few months after. I've been on Youtube since '06, so I have the option of "un-linking" and some other things, but I don't think that's available to everyone.

[Fractalogic]

Is it possible to link more than one YouTube account to one single Google Account?

Can I remove a Google Account without removing my YouTube account that is linked to it?

I just saw this video:

According to that video, it is possible to remove the Google Account without removing the associated YouTube account. Actually, when you remove your Google Account, you will not be able log on to your YouTube account. But you can request a password reset for your YouTube account. When you receive the email you can click the link to restore your password, and then on the page that shows up you can type in a new password and you're all set. You can then use your YouTube account without any Google Acount associated to it anymore. However, it seems as if Google has made some update now that prevents this (according to the author of the YouTube video clip above).

Also, this is what it says in the YouTube Settings under Manage Account.

"Close Account

Closing your YouTube account will not close your Google Account."

Also, this is what it says about deleting Google accounts on the Google Accounts help page.

"If you delete your Google Account:

*You'll permanently remove the Google products associated with that account, such as your orkut profile, your iGoogle page, and your Web History.

*If you use Gmail with your account, you'll no longer be able to access that email. You'll also be unable to reuse your Gmail username.

Before deleting your Google Account, review the data associated with your account on the Google Dashboard. Keep in mind that deleting your Google Account will affect each product differently. We've put together a short list describing the behavior of a few products, but be sure to read up on specific information about other products that you're using."

Source: http://www.google.com/support/accoun...y?answer=32046

Meaning that if you have a YouTube account associated with a Google Account, and you decide to remove the Google Account, that would normally (note normally) also remove associated YouTube accounts and other accounts used with different Google products.

They refer to a list, they say "We've put together a short list describing the behavior of a few products" but they failed to include YouTube and explain how the removal of a Google Account will affect YouTube. They only explain how it affects AdSense, Google Docs, and Google Groups accounts. I believe that a majority of users of Google accounts have a YouTube account, which is why it's relevant to add this information.

"AdSense

If you delete a Google Account linked to an AdSense account, your AdSense account will remain active, but you will lose access to it. Submit a request to cancel your AdSense account before proceeding.

If you decide to become an active AdSense publisher again, submit a new application.

Google Docs

If you delete your account, collaborators and viewers of all the Docs you own will no longer be able to access them. You can advise a collaborator to create a copy of a Doc and then share the new copy with additional viewers or collaborators. You can also reassign ownership prior to deleting your account.

Google Groups

If you're signed up for any Google Group, you'll continue to receive emails in your inbox after you've deleted your Google Account. To stop receiving emails, unsubscribe from a group by sending an email to [Groupname]-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com. For example, if you wanted to leave google-friends, you'd send an email to google-friends-unsubscribe@googlegroups.com"

Source: http://www.google.com/support/accoun...y?answer=32046

So they don't say anything specific about YouTube accounts. But I will assume that removing the Google account will also remove the YouTube account.

I will try unlinking the Google account from my YouTube account from YouTube Settings page. I will let you know if it works.

[Fractalogic]

It doesn't work. They don't let you have a unlinked YouTube account anymore. After unlinking my YouTube account I was still able to log on to it with my old credentials but I was prompted to link it to either an existing Google account or a new Google account.

Your account has been unlinked.

Please relink your YouTube Account to a new or existing Google Account

You will no longer be able to sign in to YouTube without a Google Account.
If you do not want to link this YouTube account, you can sign out here.

Link to an existing Google Account

Create a new Google Account

As you can see, there is no option to actively choose not to link it to neither a new or an existing Google account. So you have to choose one of those two options, you have to link it, either to an existing Google account or a new one (i.e. link and create a new Google account at the same time).

After timed out log off, I tried to log on to my YouTube account again. This time I was prompted, again, but with somewhat different message to link my YouTube account.

Link your YouTube and Google Accounts

You will no longer be able to sign in to YouTube without a Google Account. If you do not want to link this YouTube account, you can sign out here.
Learn more here.

Why update?
Improved security
Better security reduces the
chance of account theft.

If you wish to close this account you can do so here.

It's as if they are forcing you to link your YouTube account. I didn't see that security information before. And there was no option to close the account before.

I seem to remember that there was some kind of "campaign" if you will, where YouTube forced users to link their YouTube accounts to a Google account. This was probably a little less than a year ago. I seem to remember getting these annoying prompts to link my account. I was not sure at the time what it was about, so I usually just clicked cancel or something. But it kept appearing each time I logged on to my YouTube account. So I believe I have completed the form once to get rid of it. That's probably how I got my YouTube account linked to a Google account in first place. Because like I said, I have created my YouTube account long before Google decided to acquire YouTube.

I would say that those accounts created before the acquisition were probably not linked to any Google services or products. But accounts created after the acquisition (2005 or something) were automatically linked and associated to a Google account in the background, so you would set up a YouTube account but also get a Google account at the same time.

I guess they wanted to streamline that whole account management process and make sure everyone who uses YouTube also has a Google account, probably to avoid some common errors and problems associated with Google and YouTube accounts (and there had been a few dozen of them over the time).

So I guess I will have to make do with the fact that it's no longer possible to have a YouTube account that's unlinked. Which is why I was considering creating a new YouTube account (and an inevitable Google account, yes).

[Fractalogic]

What's the best way to create a new YouTube account?... I know for example from previous experience that some Google accounts don't work with Google Talk if you don't have an active Google Mail account and things like that.

I have also experienced some problems with connecting Google accounts with my Android, depending on how they have been created and what services (Google products) are active for that account. Any thoughts about that?...

[fearofthedark]

I never knew it was so complicated
I think you must have a google account for youtube now. You can access youtube with your google account.