How to Manage YouTube Permissions

To connect your YouTube channel, you must have the Owner role on the channel.
During the connection process, make sure to accept all requested permissions.

Manager, Editor, or similar roles in YouTube Studio do not have API access and won’t be able to complete the connection.

Recent changes in YouTube permissions

Google has updated the access management system for YouTube channels.
Previously, permissions were managed through Brand Accounts, which determined which users could connect the channel to external tools.

Since 2024, YouTube has been gradually migrating all channels to the new Channel Permissions system, managed directly in YouTube Studio.

• If your channel is still linked to a Brand Account, you’ll see the option “Add or remove managers”, which redirects to myaccount.google.com/brandaccounts.

• If your channel has already migrated to the new system, permissions are managed in YouTube Studio → Settings → Permissions.

👉 In this new system, Manager or Editor roles can manage the channel within YouTube Studio but cannot connect it via the API.
This action is reserved only for users with the Owner or Primary owner role.

✅ You can assign the Owner role to another user from YouTube Studio → Settings → Permissions. This allows that person to connect the channel through the API.

How to manage YouTube channels

YouTube allows you to manage your channels individually or as part of a team.
There are two possible setups:

1. Channel linked to your personal Google Account: The channel uses your Google account’s name and photo. Only you can access and connect the channel.

2. Channel linked to a Brand Account: The channel can have a different name from your Google account. You can grant other users Manager or Owner roles to manage the channel. However, only the owner can connect the channel through the API.

From a single Google account, you can manage several Brand Accounts or YouTube channels without logging out.
More information in YouTube Help: Manage Brand Accounts.

How to check your permissions on the channel

1. Go to your channel and click your profile icon.
   Then select Settings.

2. Open Channel permissions.

3. Click Manage permissions.

4. You’ll see which users have access and what roles they have.

With this, you can check if your user has the Owner role and therefore the necessary permissions to connect your YouTube channel.

Can you move your channel to another account?

Yes. YouTube allows you to:

• Move a channel from a personal account to a Brand Account.

• Transfer a channel from one Brand Account to another.

You can do this from the Advanced account settings.