YouTube Developer Documentation
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YouTube offers APIs and tools to integrate YouTube functionalities, like video playback and channel subscriptions, into your website or app.
Developers can utilize YouTube Player APIs for Android, iOS, and web embeds to customize video playback experiences.
The YouTube Data API enables access to features like video uploads, playlist management, and data retrieval for analytics and live streaming.
Resources like the YouTube Subscribe Button facilitate user engagement and channel growth directly within external platforms.
YouTube has a number of APIs and tools that let you embed
YouTube functionality
into your own website and applications.
IFrame Player API Reference Use an embedded player to play videos directly in your app.
iOS Helper Library Embed a YouTube IFrame Player into an iOS application.
YouTube Player Parameters Customize the playback experience with a variety of player settings.
YouTube Subscribe Button Enable users to subscribe to your YouTube channel with one click.
YouTube Data and Resources
Use the following table to find the YouTube API that best fits your needs:
API
Type
Description
Primary Users
Auth
YouTube app features
YouTube Data API Public
Add YouTube app features to your application, including the ability to upload videos,
create and manage playlists, edit video metadata, and more.
Developers
API Key / OAuth 2.0
YouTube Live Streaming API Public
Schedule live YouTube broadcasts and manage your broadcast video streams.
Technically, this API is part of the YouTube Data API.
Developers
API Key / OAuth 2.0
YouTube analytics and reporting
YouTube Analytics API Public
Real-time Dashboards. Targeted queries for demographics, traffic sources, and engagement.
MCNs & Labels
OAuth 2.0
YouTube Reporting API Public
Big Data. Bulk downloads of large datasets for financial reporting and performance analysis.
Data Analysts
OAuth 2.0
YouTube content ownership and management
YouTube Content ID API Restricted to YouTube Partnersdetails )
Rights Management. Bulk asset creation, policy updates, and claims management.
Content Owners
OAuth 2.0
Dimensional Data in YouTube APIs
Type
Content ID API
Data API
Analytics API
Reporting API
Revenue Data
✘
✘
✔
Granular
Asset/Ownership Data
✔
✘
✔
✔
ISRC UPC Data
✔
✘
✘
✔
Playlist Data
✘
Granular
✔
✔
Demographic Data
✘
✘
✔
✔
Policy Data
Granular
✘
✘
✘
Caption & Thumbnail Data
✘
✔
✘
✘
Dimension Breakdown
This table provides a granular breakdown of the data available in each API.
Note: The Reporting API supports the ability to distinguish between UGC (User-Generated Content) and PMV (Premium Music Video) content types, which is critical for royalty calculations.
Type
Dimension
Content ID API
Data API
Analytics API
Reporting API
DateTime Time Periods
✔
✔
✔
✔
Entity IDs Video ID
✔
✔
✔
✔
Channel ID
✔
✔
✔
✔
Asset ID
✔
✘
✘
✔
ISRC
✘
✘
✘
✔
Custom Partner ID
✘
✘
✘
✔
Content Owner ID
✔
✔
✘
✔
UPC
✔
✘
✘
✔
Playback Slices Traffic Source
✘
✘
✔
Granular
Content Type (UGC / PMV)
✘
✘
✘
✔
Platform
✘
✘
✔
✔
OS
✘
✘
✔
✔
Playlists
✘
Granular
✔
✔
Playback Location
✘
✘
✔
✔
User Slices Age Group
✘
✘
✔
✔
Gender
✘
✘
✔
✔
Country
✘
✘
✔
✔
Region
✘
✔
✘
✘
Metrics Views
✘
✔
✔
✔
Engaged Views
✘
✘
✔
✔
Claims
✔
✘
✘
Granular
Watch Time
✘
✘
✔
Granular
Likes / Dislikes
✘
Granular
✔
✔
Audience Retention
✘
✘
✔
✘
Cards Shown/Clicked
✘
✘
✔
✔
End Screens Shown/Clicked
✘
✘
✔
✔
Subscribers
✘
Granular
✔
✔
Shared
✘
✘
✔
✔
Impressions
✘
✘
✔
✔
Revenue
✘
✘
✔
Granular
Ad-Supported Financial Reports
✘
✘
✔
Granular
Subscription Financial Reports
✘
✘
✔
Granular
Annotations
✘
✘
✔
✔
Shorts Metrics
✘
✘
✔
✔
Platform Functions Activities
✘
Granular
✘
✘
Captions
✘
✔
✘
✔
Channels
✔
Granular
✘
✔
Policies
Granular
✔
✘
✘
Comments
✘
Granular
✔
✔
i18nRegions
✘
✔
✘
✘
i18nLanguages
✘
✔
✘
✘
Members
✘
✔
✘
✘
Playlists
✘
Granular
✔
✔
Search
✘
✔
✘
✘
Subscriptions
✘
✔
✔
✔
Thumbnails
✘
✔
✘
✘
Videos
✔
Granular
✔
✔
Ownership
Granular
✘
✘
✘
References
Granular
✘
✘
✔
Watermarks
✘
Granular
✘
✘
MetaData Artist
✔
✔
✘
✔
Description
✔
✔
✘
✘
Published Time
✘
✔
✘
✔
Title
✘
✔
✘
✔
Language
✘
Granular
✔
✔
Content Rating
✘
Granular
✘
✘
Content Details
✘
Granular
✘
✘
Except as otherwise noted, the content of this page is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License , and code samples are licensed under the Apache 2.0 License . For details, see the Google Developers Site Policies . Java is a registered trademark of Oracle and/or its affiliates.
Last updated 2026-05-28 UTC.
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