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> Use this file to discover available pages before exploring further.
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# What permissions do I need to connect a YouTube channel to Transistor?

| If you want to learn *how* to connect, see [How do I distribute my video podcast to YouTube?](https://support.transistor.fm/en/article/how-do-i-distribute-my-video-podcast-to-youtube-1mwtu1i/) 

## What permissions do I need to connect a YouTube channel to Transistor?

You can connect a YouTube channel to Transistor (or other external services) if you are:
* ✅ The primary channel owner
* ✅ A Manager or Owner of a Brand Account associated with the channel, *only if* that channel’s permissions are managed by its Brand Account

 You **cannot** connect a YouTube channel to Transistor (or other external services) if you are:
* ❌ A manager, viewer or editor of a regular channel
* ❌ A Manager or Owner of a Brand Account associated with the channel, *if* that channel’s permissions are managed in YouTube Studio

---

## As a producer for someone else's podcast, how should I connect their YouTube Channel to Transistor?

As of August 2026, YouTube channel permissions can be managed in two ways:
1. **Directly in YouTube Studio.**
    * The default. Single owner only. More granular role types: viewer, editor, manager, owner - but only owner can connect channel to external services.
1. **By an associated Brand Account.** 
    * Must be specially set up ([see how](#2-how-do-i-use-brand-account-permissions)). Multiple owners allowed. Only manager and owner role types - either of them can connect channel to external services.

This means you have two options.

#### OPTION 1 - Keep permissions in YouTube Studio, guide the client in Transistor

Just invite the channel owner to be a [team member](https://support.transistor.fm/en/article/how-do-i-add-team-members-to-my-podcast-130y6kr/) on the show in Transistor, and ask them to connect their channel on the Distribution page.

| Pros | Cons |
| ---- |
| ✅ ✅ Simplest option in most cases | ⚠️ Requires you to give the client direct access to their show in Transistor, at least temporarily |
| ✅ Allows you to keep granular permission control (YT Studio permissions allow for many different roles, like Viewer, Editor, Manager, etc) |  |


#### OPTION 2 - Guide client to move permissions to a Brand Account, do the Transistor stuff yourself

Ask the channel owner to manage their channel permissions with a Brand Account. They should make you a Manager of the brand account. And then you can connect the channel to Transistor yourself.

| Pros | Cons |
| ---- |
| ✅ Helpful if you are going to be connecting the YouTube channel to lots of external services for a client in the future | ⚠️ ⚠️ Takes more work: the set-up in YouTube is a bit of a convoluted process |
| ✅ The client doesn't have to make a Transistor account | ⚠️ You're asking the client to do work anyway |
|  | ⚠️ You lose granular control of YouTube permissions (Manager and Owner are the only roles for Brand Account permissions) |

---

## How do I use Brand Account permissions?

These steps must be completed by the owner of the YouTube channel:

1. Make sure your channel is under a Brand Account.
    * **If it was the first channel** created under your Gmail, or is otherwise a personal channel directly associated with a Gmail account, it is not a Brand Account.
    * **If it is a new channel** you created in addition to a personal channel, it will be a Brand Account by default.
2. If not, transfer your channel to a Brand Account:
    * Create a second channel. This will cause a Brand Account to be created.
    * Transfer the first channel to the Brand Account associated with the second channel.
    * This replaces and deletes the second channel.
3. Go to **YouTube Studio > Settings > Permissions,** click “opt out of permissions in YouTube Studio”, and follow the instructions.
    * If this option is not available, then either you are not the channel owner, or the channel is not a Brand Account (in this case, return to step 2).
4. Click **Manage Permissions ↗** to add managers/owners to your Brand Account
5. Those managers/owners will now be able to connect your channel to external services like Transistor

#### Resources from Google

* [Check if you have existing brand accounts | Google Accounts](https://myaccount.google.com/brandaccounts)
* [Transferring a Brand Account | Google Help](https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/3056283?sjid=8911057399434175560-NC)
* [Learn more about Brand Accounts | Google Help](https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/7001996?visit_id=01785970694222-7839812399896993046&p=brand_accounts&hl=en&rd=1)