Connect your YouTube channel to Viraly to schedule short video uploads, manage your content calendar, and track your channel analytics. This guide walks you through connecting your YouTube channel via your Google account.
Before You Connect
Before connecting your YouTube channel to Viraly, make sure you:
- Have a YouTube channel — You need an existing YouTube channel associated with a Google account to which you have access
- Know which Google account owns the channel — You will need to log into the Google account that owns the YouTube channel you want to connect
- Have a Viraly account — You need an active Viraly subscription
Connection Steps
Step 1: Open My Social Sets
From your Viraly dashboard, navigate to My Social Sets in the top-right user dropdown menu. Click on the social set where you want to add your YouTube channel, or create a new social set.
Step 2: Add a YouTube Channel
Click the Connect button on the YouTube card from the list of available platforms.
Step 3: Review Connection Information
An information dialog will appear explaining the connection process:
- You can connect multiple YouTube channels to Viraly
- Log into the Google account that owns the YouTube channel you want to link
- Grant Viraly permission to access your Google account
Click Authenticate with Google to proceed.
Step 4: Sign in to Google
You will be redirected to Google sign-in page. If you are not already logged in, enter your Google account credentials. If you have multiple Google accounts, select the one that owns the YouTube channel you want to connect.
Step 5: Grant Permissions
Google will show you the permissions Viraly is requesting. Review these permissions and click Continue to grant access.
Step 6: Select Your Channel
After authorization, you will be returned to Viraly where the account picker will display all YouTube channels associated with your Google account. Select the channel(s) you want to connect and click Connect.
If you have multiple channels, you can select more than one to connect them all at once.
Step 7: Connection Complete
Your YouTube channel is now connected! You will be returned to your social set where you can see the newly connected YouTube channel with its thumbnail and name.
Required Permissions
When connecting your YouTube channel, Viraly requests these Google permissions:
| Permission | Purpose |
|---|---|
| View your YouTube account | View your videos and playlists |
| Manage your YouTube account | View and manage your YouTube activity, including posting public comments |
| Manage your YouTube videos | Upload videos to your YouTube account |
Important: You must grant all requested permissions for video scheduling to work properly. If you decline any permissions, you may need to reconnect the channel.
After Connecting
Once your YouTube channel is connected, you can:
- Schedule video shorts — Upload and schedule video shorts for future publishing
- Set video details — Add titles, descriptions, and categories
- Choose visibility — Set videos as public, unlisted, or private
- View analytics — Track views, watch time, subscribers, and engagement
YouTube Video Features
When scheduling videos for YouTube, you can configure:
- Title — Your video title (up to 100 characters)
- Description — Video description with links and hashtags
- Category — Select from YouTube video categories
- Privacy — Public, Unlisted, or Private
- License — Standard YouTube license or Creative Commons
Managing Connected Channels
Connecting Multiple Channels
To connect additional YouTube channels:
- If the channel is owned by a different Google account, log out of Google first
- Log into the Google account that owns the channel
- Return to Viraly and repeat the connection steps
If you have multiple channels under the same Google account, they will all appear in the account picker during connection.
Viewing Channel Status
Go to My Social Sets to see all your connected YouTube channels. Each channel shows its connection status and thumbnail.
Refreshing Connection
YouTube connections use Google OAuth tokens that in some rare occasions can become expired due to Google security policies. If your connection needs refreshing, you will see a notification. Click the channel and select Reconnect to re-authenticate with Google.
Disconnecting a Channel
To remove a YouTube channel from Viraly:
- Go to My Social Sets
- Click on the social set containing the channel
- Click the three-dot menu on the YouTube channel
- Select Disconnect Profile
- Confirm the removal
Note: Disconnecting a channel will cancel any scheduled videos for that channel.
Troubleshooting
No Channels Found
If no channels appear after authorization:
- Check your Google account — Make sure you logged into the Google account that owns the YouTube channel
- Verify channel exists — Confirm you have a YouTube channel (not just a Google account)
- Try a different account — Log out and log into the correct Google account
Connection Failed
If the connection fails:
- Grant all permissions — You must accept all requested permissions
- Try a private window — Browser extensions can interfere. Try a private/incognito window
- Clear browser cache — Clear cookies and cache, then try again
Channel Shows as Unavailable
If your YouTube channel shows as “Unavailable” in the account picker, it means the channel is already connected to either this or another Viraly account. Each YouTube channel can only be connected to one Viraly account.
See our detailed guide: Why is my social profile listed as “Unavailable”?
Permissions Not Granted Error
If you see this error:
- Try the connection again
- On the Google consent screen, make sure you check all permission boxes
- Click Allow to grant all permissions
Video Upload Fails
If scheduled videos fail to upload:
- Check video format — Ensure your video meets YouTube format requirements
- Verify file size — Large files may time out; try compressing
- Reconnect the channel — Token may have expired; try reconnecting
- Check YouTube account status — Verify your channel is in good standing