Songnara uploads videos to your channel with your own Google key, a single JSON file. You make it once, and it works for every channel and every project.
Before you start
- Use the Chrome browser.
- Sign in with the Google account that owns the YouTube channel.
- Set aside about 15 minutes.
- Open console.cloud.google.com. If you are asked to accept the terms, tick the box and continue.
Button names below are written exactly as Google shows them.
Step 1: Create a project
- Open console.cloud.google.com/projectcreate.
- Fill in "Project name", for example your channel name.
- Click "Create".
- In the notification that appears, click "Select Project".
Check that the project name is shown at the top left before you go on.
Step 2: Turn on 3 YouTube services at once
- Open this link: turn on YouTube Data API v3, YouTube Analytics API and YouTube Reporting API.
- Click "Next", then "Enable".
- Wait for "You have successfully enabled".
Step 3: App information
- Open console.cloud.google.com/auth/branding and click "Get started".
- "App name": anything, for example your channel name. Remember it, you will see it when you log in.
- "User support email": choose your email.
- "Audience": choose "External" (not "Internal").
- "Contact Information": enter your email.
- Tick "I agree to the Google API Services: User Data Policy", click "Continue", then "Create".
Step 4: Website links
- Go back to console.cloud.google.com/auth/branding.
- Under "App domain" fill in:
- "Application home page": https://songnara.com
- "Application privacy policy link": https://songnara.com/privacy
- "Application terms of service link": https://songnara.com/terms
- Under "Authorized domains" click "Add domain" and enter songnara.com (without https://).
- Click "Save" and wait for "Branding changes saved".
Without this step, "Publish app" in step 5 cannot be clicked.
Step 5: Publish the app
- Open console.cloud.google.com/auth/audience.
- "Publishing status" still says "Testing": click "Publish app".
- In "Push to production?" click "Confirm".
- The status changes to "In production".
If you skip this step, the channel login ends every 7 days and only the emails listed as test users can log in.
Step 6: Create the key (JSON file)
- Open console.cloud.google.com/auth/clients/create.
- "Application type": choose "Desktop app". No other type works.
- Click "Create".
- In "OAuth client created", click "Download JSON" first, and only then "OK".
The file cannot be downloaded again once the dialog is closed. If you missed it, do step 6 again. The file name starts with client_secret_. Keep it safe and do not share it with anyone.
Step 7: Add it to Songnara
- Open Settings › AI Engine.
- In the YouTube key (JSON) row, choose the JSON file.
- Click Save Settings.
- Connect the channel from the YouTube window (the YouTube button in the Output Folder box).
First login
- Choose the Google account that owns the channel.
- You see "Google hasn't verified this app": this is normal, because the app is your own project. Click "Advanced", then "Go to (the App name you typed in step 3) (unsafe)".
- If the account has several channels, pick the one to connect.
- Tick every permission, then click "Continue".
Many channels
- One JSON file works for every channel and every project.
- "In production": other emails do not need to be registered. Google allows up to 100 accounts per project.
- Still "Testing": add every email under Audience › "Test users" › "Add users", or the login is blocked with "Access blocked".
Daily upload limit
Google allows 100 uploads per day for each key (per project, all channels together). The count resets at midnight Pacific time.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| The app rejects the file | An "API key" was made instead of a JSON file | Do step 6 again with "Desktop app" |
| The app rejects the JSON | The type is not "Desktop app" (for example "Web application") | Do step 6 again |
| "Publish app" cannot be clicked | Step 4 was not saved | Fill in the website links and click "Save" |
| The login ends every 7 days | The status is still "Testing" | Do step 5 |
| "Access blocked" | Status "Testing" and the email is not listed | Do step 5, or add the email under "Test users" |
| Upload fails or statistics are empty | The YouTube services are off, or a permission was not ticked | Do step 2 again, reconnect the channel and tick every permission |
| Uploads stop in the middle of the day | The daily upload limit is used up | Wait for the reset, or make another project |
| The JSON is not in Downloads | The dialog was closed before "Download JSON" | Do step 6 again |
Your Google data stays on your computer. Details are in the Privacy Policy.