On June 15, 1760, he succeeded his retired father as the head of the Tokugawa family and on October 10, he was officially appointed as Shogun to take over Shogunate and promoted to Shonii (Senior Second Rank) and Naidaijin (the Minister of the Interior).
宝暦10年（1760年）5月3日、父の隠居により徳川宗家の家督を相続し、9月2日には正式に将軍宣下を受けて第10代将軍職を継承し、正二位・内大臣に昇叙する。