Short answer: never send your editor your Google password. Either add them in YouTube Studio → Settings → Permissions with the lowest role that does the job, or use a workflow where editors upload to a review tool and you publish, so they never touch the channel at all.
Sharing a password is how channels get hacked, lose 2-step verification, or get locked when an editor relationship ends badly. Here are both safe options.
Option 1: YouTube Studio permissions
- Open YouTube Studio → Settings (bottom left) → Permissions.
- Click Invite, enter your editor's Google email, and pick a role.
- They accept the email invite and switch to your channel from their own account.
Which role to give:
| Role | Can do | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Viewer / Viewer (limited) | See analytics and videos, no changes | Strategists, analysts |
| Subtitle editor | Edit captions only | Translators |
| Editor (limited) | Edit everything except revenue data | Most editors who upload |
| Editor | Upload, edit and publish, see revenue | Trusted long-term team members |
| Manager | Everything incl. managing permissions | Business partners only |
Tips:
- Give Editor (limited) unless they truly need revenue data.
- Remove access the same day someone stops working with you.
- Keep 2-step verification on the owner account, always.
The catch: anyone with Editor access can publish, change titles, or delete videos. There's no "upload, but wait for my approval" step inside YouTube itself.
Option 2: Editors upload for review, you publish
Most teams with more than one editor end up here, because it adds the step YouTube is missing: review and approval before anything goes live.
- The editor uploads each cut to a shared production board, not to YouTube.
- You review it with comments pinned to the exact second ("cut the pause at 2:14"), they upload v2, and you compare versions.
- When it's approved, the final file is published to your channel (title, description, tags, thumbnail, schedule) by you or the tool, without the editor ever having channel access.
This is exactly what VideoUpload does. I built it because I run YouTube channels with remote editors and got tired of passwords in WhatsApp and feedback lost in chat threads. Editors upload, you review and approve, and the original file goes to YouTube from our servers. (Full disclosure: I'm the founder.)
Which option should you pick?
- One trusted editor, you're fine with them publishing: YouTube Studio permissions, Editor (limited).
- Several editors, or you want to approve every video first: a review-and-publish workflow.
- Never: sharing your Google login, even "just for a day".
FAQ
Can an editor upload to my channel without my password? Yes. Invite them under Settings → Permissions with an Editor role, or have them upload to a review tool that publishes for you.
Can I stop an editor from publishing without my approval? Not with YouTube's built-in roles: Editor access includes publishing. You need an approval step outside YouTube, like a review board.
What's the difference between Editor and Manager? Managers can also add and remove people. Only give it to a business partner.
How do I remove an editor's access? YouTube Studio → Settings → Permissions → click the person → Remove access.
Is it safe to give my editor my 2FA codes? No. Anyone with your password and codes fully controls your channel and Google account.