YouTube channel owner left the company

Is this your situation?

Do this first

Which situation is yours?

• Another owner remains: that owner can take the most actions and control who manages the account.
• Only the departed person was owner: you need their Google Account.
• You want to confirm whether the channel uses channel permissions rather than Brand Account roles.
• You are listed as manager, not owner: a manager will not have the option to change the primary owner role.
• No one else was ever added to permissions.
• The departed person's Google Account was deleted.
• A Brand Account must have one primary owner.

How YouTube handles this

• A Brand Account can be jointly managed by multiple people through their own Google Accounts.
• Owners can take the most actions and control who manages the account.
• A Manager will not have the option to change the primary owner role on a Brand Account.
• If the primary owner account linked to the channel is deleted, the channel will also be deleted.
• It is recommended to have at least one other owner associated with a Brand Account in addition to the primary owner.

Which recovery path is yours?

1. Is there another owner on the Brand Account besides the person who left? That owner can take the most actions and control who manages the account.
2. Were you added only as a manager? A Manager will not have the option to change the primary owner role on a Brand Account.
3. Is the departed person's Google Account still active? To assign yourself as primary owner, you must have been an owner for 7 days or more.
4. Was the departed person the only owner and the account already deleted? If the primary owner account linked to the channel is deleted, the channel will also be deleted.
5. Is there no backup owner and no one else with access? It is recommended to have at least one other owner associated with a Brand Account besides the primary owner.

What not to do

• Asking the departed person for their password You want fast access back into the account.Why it happens: It feels like the fastest route back into the account.
• Assuming a Manager can reassign ownership A Manager will not have the option to change the primary owner role on a Brand Account.Why it happens: Manager and Owner roles are often treated as interchangeable.
• Waiting until the Google Account is deleted If the primary owner account linked to the channel is deleted, the channel will also be deleted.Why it happens: Offboarding steps often skip the Brand Account.Already happened: See what happens when the primary owner Google Account is deleted.

What to have ready

• Brand Account list Check which Google Accounts appear as owners or managers. Go to the Brand Accounts section of your Google Account.
• Your own role Confirm whether you are owner or manager. Select Manage permissions to see the list of managers.
• Departed person's account status Confirm whether their Google Account is still active. Check if their email still signs in.
• Time as owner Check how long any remaining owner has held the role. Confirm against the date added.
• Channel permissions vs Brand Account roles Confirm which system the channel uses. Check under YouTube Studio's Settings → Permissions.
• Other owners listed Check whether more than one owner exists. Review the Manage permissions list.

Stop this happening again

Quick reference

Keeping track of who has access