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How to Get a YouTube API Key

Follow these step-by-step instructions to get your own YouTube Data API v3 key from Google Cloud Platform.

Important Information

• The YouTube Data API has a quota limit of 10,000 units per day (free tier)
• Each video analysis uses approximately 10-15 quota units
• Keep your API key secure and never share it publicly
• You can monitor your quota usage in the Google Cloud Console

Security Best Practices

• Always restrict your API key to only the YouTube Data API v3
• Add HTTP referrer restrictions if using in a web application
• Regularly rotate your API keys for better security
• Monitor API usage to detect any unauthorized access
• Never commit API keys to version control (Git)

Go to Google Cloud Console

Visit the Google Cloud Console to create a new project or select an existing one.

Visit Console

Sign in with your Google account
If you don't have a Google Cloud account, you'll need to create one (free tier available)

Create a New Project

Create a dedicated project for your YouTube API usage.

Click on the project dropdown at the top of the page
Click "NEW PROJECT" button
Enter a project name (e.g., "Video Analytics")
Click "CREATE"
Wait for the project to be created (usually takes a few seconds)

Enable YouTube Data API v3

Enable the YouTube Data API v3 for your project.

Go to API Library

Make sure your new project is selected in the project dropdown
In the API Library, search for "YouTube Data API v3"
Click on "YouTube Data API v3" from the search results
Click the "ENABLE" button
Wait for the API to be enabled

Create API Credentials

Create an API key to authenticate your requests.

Go to Credentials

Click "CREATE CREDENTIALS" at the top
Select "API key" from the dropdown
Your API key will be created and displayed
Click "Copy" to copy the API key
IMPORTANT: Keep this key secure and never share it publicly

Restrict Your API Key (Recommended)

Add restrictions to your API key for better security.

In the API key dialog, click "EDIT API KEY" or find your key in the credentials list
Under "API restrictions", select "Restrict key"
Check only "YouTube Data API v3"
Under "Application restrictions", you can optionally add:
- HTTP referrers (for website usage)
- IP addresses (for server usage)
Click "SAVE" to apply the restrictions

Use Your API Key

Paste your API key in the Video Analytics Platform.

Go back to the Video Analytics Platform home page
Click "Use your own YouTube API key (optional)"
Paste your API key in the input field
Your key will be saved in your browser for future use
You're all set! Start analyzing videos with your own quota.

Understanding YouTube API Quota

The YouTube Data API v3 uses a quota system to limit API usage. Each request consumes a certain number of quota units:

Video details: ~3 units per request
Channel details: ~3 units per request
Comments: ~1 unit per request
Total per analysis: ~10-15 units (depending on features used)

With the free tier quota of 10,000 units per day, you can analyze approximately 600-1000 videos per day.

You can monitor your quota usage in the Google Cloud Console Quotas page.

Common Issues & Troubleshooting

"API has not been used in project before or it is disabled"

Make sure you've enabled the YouTube Data API v3 in your Google Cloud project (Step 3). Wait a few minutes after enabling for the changes to propagate.

"The request cannot be completed because you have exceeded your quota"

You've reached your daily quota limit. You can either wait until the quota resets (midnight Pacific Time) or request a quota increase in the Google Cloud Console.

"API key not valid. Please pass a valid API key"

Double-check that you've copied the entire API key correctly. Make sure there are no extra spaces or characters.

"Requests to this API method are blocked"

Your API key restrictions might be too restrictive. Check your API key restrictions in the credentials page and ensure YouTube Data API v3 is allowed.

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