How to Give Agency Access to Your YouTube Channel
Meta Description: Complete guide to granting agency access to your YouTube channel. Learn how to add managers and editors through Brand Accounts without sharing your password.
Introduction
YouTube remains one of the most powerful platforms for building an audience, showcasing expertise, and driving business growth. However, maintaining a successful YouTube presence requires consistent content production, optimisation, community engagement, and analytics monitoring—tasks that many businesses choose to outsource to professional agencies.
Granting agency access to your YouTube channel allows marketing professionals to upload videos, manage comments, create playlists, and optimise your content for search, all without requiring access to your personal Google account.
This comprehensive guide explains how to add agency members as managers or editors of your YouTube channel, the differences between access levels, and how to troubleshoot common issues during the setup process.
Prerequisites
Before you can grant agency access to your YouTube channel, ensure you have the following in place:
1. A YouTube Channel Connected to a Brand Account
For multiple users to manage a YouTube channel, the channel must be associated with a Brand Account (not a personal Google account). Most business channels are already set up this way. If your channel is tied to your personal account, you may need to move it to a Brand Account first.
2. Owner Access to the Brand Account
Only Brand Account Owners can add new managers or editors. If you created the channel, you are likely the Owner. Verify your role before attempting to add others.
3. The Agency's Google Account Email
Your agency will provide the Gmail or Google Workspace email addresses of the team members who need access. Each person must have a Google account.
4. Two-Factor Authentication Enabled
For security, ensure your Google account has two-factor authentication configured before modifying access permissions.
5. Clear Agreement on Access Level
Discuss with your agency whether they need Manager-level (full) access or Editor-level (limited) access. This depends on the scope of work they will perform.
Understanding YouTube Channel Roles
YouTube channels connected to Brand Accounts support multiple access levels:
Owner
Owners have complete control over the channel and the Brand Account. They can upload and delete videos, manage channel settings, view analytics, manage comments, and—importantly—add or remove other users. Owners can also delete the channel entirely. This role should be reserved for trusted principals like business owners.
Manager
Managers have nearly the same capabilities as Owners. They can upload videos, edit channel information, manage playlists, respond to comments, view analytics, and create live streams. However, Managers cannot add or remove other users, and they cannot delete the channel. This is the appropriate role for most marketing agencies.
Editor
Editors have limited permissions. They can upload videos and edit video details but cannot access analytics, manage comments, or modify channel settings. This role is suitable for agencies or individuals focused solely on content uploading.
Viewer (Communications Manager for some account types)
Some Brand Account configurations include a Viewer role that provides read-only access to analytics. This is useful for reporting purposes but is not commonly used for agency relationships.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Checking Your Channel Type
Before adding managers, confirm that your YouTube channel is associated with a Brand Account:
Step 1: Go to YouTube Studio
Open your browser and navigate to studio.youtube.com. Log in with the Google account associated with your YouTube channel.
Step 2: Access Settings
Click on Settings in the left-hand navigation menu, near the bottom of the sidebar.
Step 3: Check Channel Ownership
In the Settings dialog, look for the Channel section and click on Advanced Settings. Here you will see information about your channel type.
If your channel says "This channel is linked to a Brand Account," you can proceed with adding managers. If it shows your personal Google account, you may need to move the channel to a Brand Account first.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Adding Agency Access via Brand Account Settings
Step 1: Access Brand Account Settings
Navigate to myaccount.google.com and log in with the Google account that owns your YouTube channel.
Click on your profile photo in the top right corner, then select Manage Your Google Account. Look for Data and Privacy in the left navigation menu.
Step 2: Find Brand Accounts
Scroll down to the section labelled Data from apps and services you use and look for Brand Accounts or a link to manage Brand Accounts.
Alternatively, navigate directly to myaccount.google.com/brandaccounts.
Step 3: Select Your YouTube Brand Account
You will see a list of Brand Accounts associated with your Google account. Click on the Brand Account that corresponds to your YouTube channel.
If you have multiple Brand Accounts, identify the correct one by checking the associated services—YouTube should be listed.
Step 4: Manage Permissions
On the Brand Account details page, look for the Manage permissions link or button. Click this to view current Owners and Managers of the account.
Step 5: Add a New User
Click the Manage Permissions button to enter editing mode. Then click the Add new users icon (typically a person icon with a plus sign).
A field will appear for entering an email address. Type the Google account email address provided by your agency.
Step 6: Select the Role
Next to the email address, you will see a dropdown menu for selecting the role. The options are:
- Owner – Full control including user management
- Manager – Full operational control without user management
- Communications Manager – Limited to specific functions (varies by account type)
Select Manager for most agency relationships.
Step 7: Invite Additional Team Members
If your agency has multiple team members who need access, repeat the process for each email address. You can add multiple users before saving.
Step 8: Save Changes
Click Invite or Done to send the invitations. Each person will receive an email invitation to join the Brand Account.
Step 9: Confirm Acceptance
Contact your agency to let them know invitations have been sent. They must accept the invitation by clicking the link in the email. Once accepted, they will appear in the permissions list without a "pending" status.
Step-by-Step Instructions: Adding Users via YouTube Studio
YouTube also provides a path to manage permissions directly from YouTube Studio:
Step 1: Open YouTube Studio
Navigate to studio.youtube.com and log in with your Owner account.
Step 2: Access Settings
Click on Settings in the left sidebar.
Step 3: Navigate to Permissions
In the Settings dialog, click on Permissions in the left menu. This shows all current users with access to your channel.
Step 4: Invite New Users
Click the Invite button. Enter the agency's email address and select the appropriate role (Manager or Editor).
Step 5: Send Invitation
Click Save or Done to send the invitation. The agency will receive an email and must accept to gain access.
Converting a Personal Channel to a Brand Account
If your YouTube channel is currently tied to your personal Google account, you cannot add managers without converting it to a Brand Account:
Step 1: Go to YouTube Settings
In YouTube (not YouTube Studio), click on your profile picture and select Settings.
Step 2: Advanced Settings
Click on Advanced Settings under the Account section.
Step 3: Move Channel
Look for the option Move channel to a Brand Account. Click this and follow the prompts to either create a new Brand Account or move the channel to an existing one.
Step 4: Verify the Move
After the process completes, verify that your channel now shows as linked to a Brand Account. You can then proceed with adding managers.
Common Issues and Troubleshooting
Issue: Cannot See the Permissions or Manage Permissions Option
You may not be an Owner of the Brand Account. Only Owners can manage permissions. Check your role or contact the current Owner to request access.
Issue: The Invite Button is Not Appearing
Ensure you are logged into the correct Google account—the one that owns the Brand Account. Try logging out and logging back in.
Issue: Agency Says They Cannot Accept the Invitation
Verify that the email address you used matches their Google account exactly. If they use a Google Workspace account, the invitation must be sent to that specific address.
Issue: Invitation Expired
Invitations expire after a period of time. If the agency did not accept promptly, you will need to resend the invitation.
Issue: Manager Cannot See All Features
Some features require Owner-level access. If the agency needs capabilities like user management, you may need to grant Owner access—though this should be done carefully.
Issue: Channel Not Associated with a Brand Account
Follow the steps in the section above to move your channel to a Brand Account before attempting to add managers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my agency access my Gmail or Google Drive?
No. Brand Account access is separate from your personal Google account. The agency can only manage the YouTube channel (and potentially other services connected to the Brand Account like Google Business Profile).
Can the agency delete my videos?
Yes, Managers and Owners can delete videos. If this is a concern, consider granting Editor access only, which allows uploading but limits other permissions.
Can I remove agency access later?
Yes. Return to the Brand Account permissions page and remove the agency's email. Their access is revoked immediately.
How many people can I add to my Brand Account?
You can add up to 200 users to a Brand Account, combining Owners, Managers, and other roles.
Can the agency monetise my channel or access revenue data?
Managers can view monetisation reports and analytics. However, payment settings in AdSense are typically tied to the Owner's account and require separate access.
Can multiple agencies have access simultaneously?
Yes. You can add multiple agencies as Managers, each with their own team members. Be mindful of managing too many users for security reasons.
What happens if I delete the Brand Account?
Deleting the Brand Account will delete the YouTube channel and all its content permanently. Only Owners can delete Brand Accounts, and there are multiple confirmation steps to prevent accidental deletion.
Conclusion
Granting agency access to your YouTube channel is straightforward once you understand the Brand Account system. By adding your agency as Managers, you enable them to handle content uploads, optimisation, and community engagement while retaining full ownership and control.
Remember to grant the minimum necessary access level—Manager for most agency work, or Editor if you only need help with uploads. Review your permissions periodically and remove access when agency relationships end.
If you are looking for a professional agency to grow your YouTube presence, Core Operative AI offers comprehensive video marketing services. From content strategy to SEO optimisation and channel management, we help businesses build engaged audiences on YouTube.
Ready to accelerate your YouTube growth? Contact Core Operative AI today to discuss how we can help your channel reach its full potential.
Last updated: February 2026