How to Add Someone to a YouTube Channel

YouTube channel permissions live inside YouTube Studio, but the underlying ownership sits on the Google Account (or Brand Account) that created the channel. Choose the narrowest role that lets the collaborator do their job — most editors should get Editor, not Manager.

Before you start

Two things to confirm before you even open Permissions:

• Your channel is linked to a Brand Account

  Brand Accounts allow multiple owners and managers without anyone sharing a password. Personal-account channels still support Studio permissions but lose the shared-ownership model.

  Verify: YouTube Studio → Settings → Channel → Advanced settings → Account information. If you see "Move channel to a Brand Account", the channel is on a personal account.

• The collaborator has a Google Account on the email you will invite

  YouTube invites go to the Google Account that owns that email. If the collaborator uses a non-Google address as their login, the invite cannot be accepted.

• You have at least Manager-level access yourself

  Editors cannot invite new users — only Owners and Managers can. If your role is Editor, ask the owner to do it.

Invite a collaborator through YouTube Studio

1. 1

   Open YouTube Studio

   Sign in at studio.youtube.com using the Google Account that has Manager or Owner access on the channel.

   Where: studio.youtube.com

2. 2

   Go to Settings → Permissions

   Click Settings in the bottom-left of YouTube Studio, then select the Permissions tab.

   Where: Studio → Settings (gear) → Permissions

3. 3

   Click Invite

   Click "Invite" at the top-right of the Permissions panel. A dialog opens for the collaborator email and role.

4. 4

   Enter the collaborator's Google Account email

   Type the Google Account email exactly. Aliases (e.g. you+work@gmail.com) do not work — use the exact address.

5. 5

   Choose the narrowest role that works

   For most video editors: Editor. For people who run permissions: Manager. For analysts: Viewer.

   Confirm: The role selector shows the role you picked and a one-line capability summary.

6. 6

   Send the invitation

   Click "Send invite". YouTube emails the address; the collaborator must click the accept link within 30 days.

   Confirm: The Permissions list now shows the invitee with a "Pending" badge.

   If this fails: Invitation did not arrive

7. 7

   Record the grant somewhere durable

   YouTube does not log why or when permissions were granted. Keep a small record — email, role, date, reason, and a planned review date.

YouTube channel roles, at a glance

Use the narrowest role that does the work. The most over-granted role is Manager — most collaborators do not need it.

Editor is the right starting point for most freelance video editors. Manager should be reserved for people you trust to manage delegation, not just content.

Common mistakes creators make

• Giving Manager when Editor was enough

  Managers can invite and remove other people. That is delegating delegation — usually unintended.

  Why it happens: Manager reads as "manages the channel" rather than "manages permissions".

  Already happened: Change a collaborator's role

• Sharing the channel password instead of using roles

  Sharing the password breaks the audit trail, defeats 2FA, and orphans access when one party leaves.

  Why it happens: Cultural inertia — and some older tools used to require it.

  Already happened: Why password sharing is dangerous

• Forgetting old collaborators

  Freelancers and past editors often remain in the Permissions list long after the work ended.

  Why it happens: YouTube does not show how long a permission has been in place, and there is no expiry mechanism.

  Already happened: How to clean up old channel access

• Confusing Brand Account ownership with Studio Permissions

  Adding a Manager in Studio does not make them an owner. If the Brand Account primary owner is lost, even a Manager cannot reclaim the channel.

  Already happened: Recover after losing Google Account access

Pre-invite checklist

• Confirmed the channel is on a Brand Account (or accepted the limits of a personal account)
• Got the collaborator's exact Google Account email
• Picked the narrowest role that fits the actual work
• Decided whether revenue visibility is intended
• Recorded the grant + planned review date somewhere durable
• Communicated the role and its scope to the collaborator

Frequently asked questions

Delvia

Access issues are easier to prevent when roles, owners, and responsibilities are recorded clearly

Most access problems trace back to the same gap — no clear record of who has access, what role they hold, and what should happen when that changes. Delvia helps you keep that record so problems are visible before they become incidents.