Setup Guide

How It Works

ChannelBackup uses Google's official YouTube Data API. No API keys to configure — just sign in with Google and we handle the rest.

1

Click "Connect YouTube"

Hit the red button on the homepage. You'll be redirected to Google's sign-in page — the same OAuth flow used by every Google app you've ever connected.

ChannelBackup requests read-only access to your YouTube account. The exact scope is youtube.readonly — it cannot post, delete, or modify anything on your channel.
2

Sign In and Authorize

Choose the Google account that owns your YouTube channel and click "Allow" on the permissions screen. Google will redirect you back to ChannelBackup.

Note: You may see a screen saying "This app hasn't been verified by Google." This is normal for newly registered apps. Click Advanced → Go to ChannelBackup (unsafe) to continue. We are in the process of Google's verification review.
3

Confirm Your Channel

You'll see your channel name, subscriber count, and video count. Verify it's the right channel, then choose what you want to include in the backup.

4

Download Your Backup

Click "Download Backup ZIP." We fetch your data from YouTube's API and package it into a ZIP file that downloads directly to your computer. This typically takes 15–60 seconds depending on channel size.

What's in the ZIP:
  • manifest.json — backup metadata and timestamp
  • channel.json + channel_summary.json — full channel data
  • videos.json + videos.csv — all video metadata
  • playlists.json + playlists.csv — all playlists with items
  • comments/ — per-video comment files (if selected)
5

Disconnect When Done

Click "Disconnect from YouTube" on the backup page. This clears your session from our server immediately. You can also revoke access anytime from your Google Account permissions page.

Ready to Back Up?

Takes about two minutes start to finish.

Connect YouTube →