How to Hide Your Subscribers on YouTube - A Detailed Guide for Streamers

Hey friend! If you‘re a streamer or gamer who has recently started a YouTube channel, you might be wondering if you should hide your subscriber count.

I get it – displaying a low number of subscribers can be intimidating! It may discourage viewers from subscribing to your new channel.

But as a tech-savvy gamer myself, I think hiding subscribers should be a strategic, careful decision. Let‘s dive into the pros and cons so you can decide what‘s best for your channel!

Should You Hide Your YouTube Subscribers?

When you first create a YouTube account, your subscriber number is shown publicly below your channel name.

Hiding this subscriber count can be helpful when:

You‘re just starting out and have only a handful of subscribers
You have way more subscribers than views (this looks suspicious)

However, once your channel grows, hiding your subscribers may not be the best idea.

For example, studies show that channels with high subscribers tend to gain viewers faster thanks to social proof. Displaying your subscriber count can indicate your channel offers quality content worth following.

According to influencer marketing firm Mediakix, channels with over 1,000 subscribers gain on average 114% more views than channels with fewer than 1,000 subscribers. More subscribers = more social proof = higher viewership.

So don‘t hide your subscriber count forever! Use this tactic temporarily when first starting out, and reconsider as your channel grows.

Now let me walk you through how to hide subscribers on desktop YouTube Studio step-by-step. I‘ll also share my tech insights as a long-time gamer and streamer!

Step 1: Access Desktop YouTube Studio

First, you‘ll need to access YouTube Studio on a desktop browser:

On your PC or Mac, open Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or your preferred browser.
Go to studio.youtube.com or search "YouTube Studio."
If you‘re on mobile, use your browser – don‘t use the YouTube Studio app.
Sign in to your Google account if needed.

The YouTube Studio mobile app simply doesn‘t have the option to hide subscribers yet. As a tech nerd, I hope Google adds more creator options to the mobile app soon!

For now, desktop is the only way to go.

Step 2: Click on Settings

Once you‘re logged into YouTube Studio on desktop, you‘ll see a dashboard with your latest channel stats.

On the left side you‘ll see navigation links – click "Settings" here. This is where you can customize your channel.

Step 3: Navigate to Channel Settings

In your YouTube Studio settings, you‘ll see options like "General" and "Upload defaults."

Click the "Channel" tab at the top to access your core channel settings. This is where you can hide subscribers.

Step 4: Access Advanced Settings

On the Channel page, you‘ll first see basic info like country and keywords.

Click "Advanced settings" at the top to reveal more options. This is where you can really customize your channel!

As a gamer, I love having access to detailed settings like this. It really allows me to fine tune my channel to match my style and preferences.

Step 5: Toggle Off Subscriber Count

Scroll down until you see the "Subscriber count" section.

Uncheck the box next to "Display the number of people subscribed to my channel." This hides your subscriber number.

Don‘t forget to click "Save" at the bottom to apply your changes!

Step 6: Confirm It‘s Hidden

Double check that your subscriber count is now hidden:

Open an incognito/private browser window and view your channel page. You shouldn‘t see your subscribers anymore.
You can also log out of your channel to view it as a public visitor.

If you still see a subscriber count, go back and make sure you unchecked the display setting and saved your changes.

The Pros and Cons of Hiding Subscribers

Let‘s explore some potential advantages and disadvantages of hiding your subscribers as a streamer:

Pros

Removes embarrassing low sub counts on new channels
Prevents viewers from thinking your channel is dead if you have way more subs than views
Forces viewers to judge quality by content, not subs

Cons

High sub counts attract viewers and help channels grow
Hiding subscribers reduces transparency between you and your audience
Removes an important metric that indicates authority and credibility

Generally, hiding subs makes the most sense when you‘re just starting out and have minimal followers.

But if your channel starts to gain traction, transparency becomes important. As a gamer and tech expert myself, I prefer being upfront with my audience.

YouTube Studio Mobile App Limitations

This is a super important point:

You cannot hide subscribers using the YouTube Studio mobile app!

The option simply does not exist. I was disappointed to discover this myself as a huge mobile user.

Unfortunately, the YouTube Studio mobile app only provides access to basic creator tools right now.

Advanced options like hiding subscribers are desktop-only. Bummer!

As a streaming expert and mobile geek, I hope Google adds more robust features to the YouTube Studio mobile app soon. But for now, desktop is required.

Don‘t waste time trying to find a non-existent "hide subscribers" button in the mobile apps. You have to use desktop YouTube Studio.

Using Mobile Browsers to Hide Subscribers

While not ideal, it is possible to use a mobile browser to access the desktop YouTube Studio site.

This allows you to hide subscribers directly on your phone or tablet if needed.

However, the site isn‘t optimized for small screens, so expect to zoom in a lot! I only recommend this as a last resort when a desktop isn‘t available.

Should You Buy Fake Subscribers?

When starting a new YouTube channel, it can be tempting to buy fake subscribers to pad out your count.

As both a streamer and techie, I strongly advise against this!

Purchasing fake subscribers or bots violates YouTube‘s terms of service. It could potentially get your channel banned.

These "subscribers" are often inactive accounts or bots that won‘t actually engage with your content anyway. It‘s totally pointless!

Savvy viewers can also easily spot channels with fake subscriber activity. This damages your credibility rather than helps.

How to Gain Legit YouTube Subscribers as a Streamer

Rather than buying fake subs, focus on earning legit subscribers the right way:

Optimize your titles and thumbnails – Catch viewers‘ attention by making compelling titles and eye-catching custom thumbnails. Study what works well for popular gaming channels.
Promote selectively – Share your videos on relevant subreddits, forums, and gaming websites. Don‘t spam – let quality content speak for itself.
Engage with your audience – Reply to comments, answer questions, and offer value to build loyalty with viewers. Your fans will become repeat viewers.
Collaborate with others – Work with other streamers and gaming influencers to cross-promote content and expose each others‘ audiences to your channels.
Analyze your metrics – Study your YouTube analytics to learn about your viewers and optimize your content for higher retention and viewership.
Stay patient and consistent – Don‘t get discouraged. If you stick to a regular upload schedule, your subscriber count will slowly but steadily grow.

Using these organic strategies, you can build an authentic audience that drives long-term growth. Stay patient and keep improving your content.

FAQs About Hiding YouTube Subscribers

Here are quick answers to some common questions:

Can I hide subscribers in the YouTube mobile app?

No, you can only hide subscribers in desktop YouTube Studio.

Do hidden subscribers still count towards my total?

Yes, YouTube fully counts your hidden subscribers internally. Only the public count is hidden.

Will hiding subscribers hurt my search rankings?

No, hiding your subscriber count does not impact search rankings or suggested videos placement.

Can I hide subscribers on a second channel?

Yep, you can hide subscribers on any of your YouTube channels using the same process.

What if my subscribers suddenly disappeared?

If your sub count drops to zero, you may have accidentally hidden them. Double check your settings.

Key Takeaways: Hiding YouTube Subscribers

Here are the critical points to remember:

Use desktop YouTube Studio to hide subscribers – the mobile app doesn‘t support it
Carefully weigh the pros and cons before hiding subs on larger channels
Focus on quality content and community building rather than buying fake subs
Be patient and stay consistent – legitimate growth takes time

Hiding your subscriber count can be a smart temporary tactic as a new YouTuber. But long-term, authentic organic growth is far more important.

I hope this detailed guide helps you make the right decision for your gaming channel and audience! Let me know if you have any other questions.

Now get out there and start creating awesome streamer content! 👾