YouTube Access Checklist Before Hiring an Editor or Agency

Is this your situation?

Where teams go wrong

• Granting Manager when Editor would do A Manager can manage permissions in YouTube Studio.Why it happens: The roles are assigned without comparing what each can do.
• Sharing the password instead of a role Channel permissions let you give others access via specific roles.Why it happens: Granting access is treated as easier through shared credentials.
• Assuming Editor can manage permissions The Editor role cannot manage permissions.Why it happens: The role is assumed to include control over who else has access.
• Overlooking that Owners can delete the channel The Owner role has no limitations and can delete the channel.Why it happens: Owner access is given without weighing what that level allows.

What good practice looks like

How YouTube handles this

• Channel permissions let you give other users access to your channel via specific roles.
• Migrating to channel permissions helps prevent security risks such as password sharing.
• Only managers and the owner can view names and emails of people who have access to a channel.
• Only channel owners and managers can use YouTube Studio's cleanup tool.
• A Brand Account owner must switch to channel permissions to add or remove access to a channel.

Before you start

• Decide Manager versus Editor before inviting A Manager can manage permissions in YouTube Studio.Verify: Compare the role against what the hire actually needs to do.
• Confirm the Editor cannot touch permissions The Editor role cannot manage permissions.Verify: Check the Permissions list to see who can edit it.
• Check whether revenue visibility is appropriate The Viewer role can view revenue data, including chat revenue and viewer activity tab.Verify: Consider whether the hire needs analytics-only access.
• Review who can already see access details Only managers and the owner can view names and emails of people with access.Verify: Check the current Permissions list for who holds Manager or Owner.

Which scenario is yours?

1. Does the hire only need to upload and publish content? The Editor role can upload and publish content.
2. Does the hire need to manage permissions and other users? The Manager role can manage permissions in YouTube Studio.
3. Does the hire only need to see performance numbers? The Viewer role can view revenue data, including chat revenue and viewer activity tab.
4. Is the channel still using Brand Account roles instead of channel permissions? Channel permissions let you give other users access via specific roles.
5. Does the hire only need to work with video subtitles? The Subtitle Editor role can add, edit, publish and delete subtitles on eligible videos.

Keeping this working over time

• Review the channel's Permissions list before each new hire is added.
• Only managers and the owner can view names and emails of people with access to a channel.
• Revisit the role comparison whenever a new agency or editor is considered.
• Confirm the Editor role still cannot manage permissions before extending its access.

If control is already lost — Someone removed me from my YouTube channel

Keeping track of who has access