Much like any streaming service today, YouTube certainly played catch up in terms of further monetizing its features. Rebranding from YouTube Red to YouTube Premium in 2018, this paid service ensures anyone gets an uninterrupted streaming experience. Now, you can assert and pay for YouTube Premium upfront. But if you chance a promo, you might be wondering how to redeem a YouTube Premium code you won for free or someone has gifted you.
For context, it isn’t new for platforms to give free months of trials of their paid services. It’s an effective marketing ploy to get people to try their services and then ask them later on to subscribe. In the case of YouTube Premium, you’ll get a chance to experience, again, the leisure of watching videos without the ads interrupting in the middle.
Now we have piqued your interest, it’s time to teach you how to redeem a YouTube premium code.
Related: What Is YouTube Premium and How to Get It?
Inside This Article
What Is a YouTube Premium Code?
YouTube Premium code is a series of unique series of characters that has information that can help boost someone’s access to Google services. When redeemed successfully, the gift card or code is converted into a digital currency that users
can use to purchase specific Google services such as the following:
- YouTube Premium, Music Premium, or YouTube TV
- Movies and TV shows on YouTube
- Digital content on Google Play
- Channel memberships
- Super Chats and Super Stickers (on mobile)
Moreover, redeeming a YouTube Premium code can boost someone’s Google Play balance. Here’s another plus in getting a YouTube Premium: you get access to exclusive content that the rest of the world does not. “New, original series and movies from some of YouTube’s biggest creators,” says YouTube. It is interesting what a small series of characters called code can bring, isn’t it?
How to Redeem YouTube Premium Code?
So, how do you redeem a YouTube Premium code? Of course, this is assuming you have one. Otherwise, we will give you an inside scoop on how and where to get one a little later. But, if you do have one, you might simply want to punch the code in and enjoy streaming.
If that is the case, here’s what you need to do:
- Using your smartphone or PC, sign in to your Google Account which you wish to associate the code with.
- Go to youtube.com/redeem.
- Next, copy or enter the code on your gift card.
- Click Next. then choose which service you wish to buy.
- Select Google Play balance as your payment method.
- Click Buy to complete the transaction.
Now, enjoy your free YouTube Premium subscription!
Where to Get a YouTube Premium Code or Gift Card?
It’s curious to know where one could chance a gift card or YouTube Premium code. Do you get it when you purchase a physical item from Google? Do you need to immerse yourself in any of the Google proprietary apps to chance a code yourself? Where does one get a YouTube Premium code?
There are a few places to check in order to get a gift card or a code. Essentially, the goal is to add credits to your Google Play balance in order to buy Google services like YouTube Premium. Below are some things you can do to get a gift card or code.
A. Refer a Friend
If you refer a friend, you get a chance to get months of free YouTube Premium subscription. This is also a good place to get a gift card or code especially if you use YouTube Premium religiously before your current subscription expires. So, before it expires, you might want to refer friends and family to use your code for them to give YouTube Premium a try.
Here’s how to send a referral code to your family and friends:
- From your smartphone, open your YouTube Premium app.
- Tap your profile icon then select Your Premium benefits.
- Click Get up to 12 months of Premium.
- Tap Share invite link.
- Select your preferred sharing method from the bottom menu and choose a recipient.
- You can add a custom message or click send to invite friends and start earning rewards.
The beauty of referring friends or family to try YouTube Premium through a referral code, the credit would automatically reflect on your balance.
B. Use a Google Pay Referral Code
If you received a Google Pay referral code from your friends, you can score a free gift card or code to increase your Google Play balance in order to buy another round of YouTube Premium subscriptions. Here’s how to redeem a YouTube Premium code using a Google Pay referral code:
- Open the YouTube Premium app and click Referral Code in the upper right corner.
- Type in the referral code and choose Google Play balance as your payment method.
How Many Months of Subscription Is a YouTube Premium Code Worth?
YouTube gives you a chance to experience Premium for a month, especially if it is your first time giving it a try as a promotion. On top of it, if you didn’t like the service and its features, you can cancel at any time without incurring any additional charge so long as it is within the one-month free billing period.
However, if you get a free gift card or YouTube Premium code, you’ll find that the period they cover differs. We can’t really say which codes will give you a one-month free subscription, which will give you two, or even three months as it will depend on the value of the gift card you get or purchase. Some codes will only give you seven days of free YouTube Premium subscription.
Nevertheless, you should consider yourself lucky if you score a gift card or YouTube Premium code.
Why Is YouTube Premium Redeem Not Working?
Before we wrap things up, we think it is worth mentioning that the currency in a gift card or code should reflect the currency where the code has been used. Some people stumble into problems when redeeming their YouTube Premium code because of this very reason.
If you are getting an error saying your gift card code is not valid in your region/country when redeeming your code, the first thing you need to make sure of is to confirm that your gift card country/region matches your country/region of residence. You can change your billing information on your Google account to remedy this issue. However, the issue in this is you may not be able to use your existing Google Play credit.
So, make sure the following are in check to avoid issues when redeeming your gift card:
- Your billing information is accurate and reflects your permanent residence.
- The gift card should match the region/country it has been issued with the region/country of the email/account redeeming it.
Final Thoughts
Folks, we know how much you miss the old days of YouTube without the ad invasion. We wouldn’t be discussing the pros and cons of ads — that’s going to be a discussion for another day and article. However, if it does not hurt your purses, you can always pay for YouTube Premium. Otherwise, we hope this guide on how to redeem YouTube Premium code serves its purpose, which is to shed the information you need regarding this very topic.
