YouTube Toolkit
The YouTube Toolkit at beta.once.app/youtube is your home for everything YouTube: Official Artist Channel (OAC) requests, channel whitelisting, and YouTube Content ID, organized per artist.
If you release under more than one artist name, use the artist tabs at the top of the page to focus on one artist at a time.
Official Artist Channel (OAC) Requests
An Official Artist Channel merges your own YouTube channel with the auto-generated “topic” channel that holds your distributed music, and adds the music note badge to your channel.
You start an OAC request from any distributed release page using the YouTube OAC button (see YouTube OAC Action). The toolkit then tracks the request through its full lifecycle:
- Draft: you’ve started a request but haven’t submitted it yet
- Submitted: your request is with the ONCE team
- In review: we’re actively working on it with YouTube
- Approved or Rejected: the outcome, with a note from our team when there’s something you should know
Each request card shows a status timeline, the channel you submitted, the releases it covers, and any notes from ONCE. While a request is submitted or in review, its card also shows your live position in the review queue, so you can see where it stands. If a request is rejected, the note explains why, and you can update the details on the release page and resubmit.
Channel Whitelisting
When you upload your own music to your own YouTube channel, Content ID can claim your videos, even though the music is yours. Whitelisting tells YouTube that your channel belongs to you, so your own uploads stop getting claimed while re-uploads by other people are still protected.
To request whitelisting:
- Open the YouTube Toolkit and find the Channel whitelisting section
- Click Request whitelisting
- Enter your YouTube channel URL (required)
- Optionally add the artist name, your channel ID (starts with
UC), a link to a claimed video, and a note - Submit. The ONCE team is notified immediately
Your request appears in the list with a status: Requested, In review, Completed, or Rejected. When our team leaves a note (for example, if we need more information), it shows up under the request.
Whitelisting is account-wide. When a request is completed, the channel appears under Your whitelisted channels on the toolkit page and covers every current and future release automatically. There’s no need to re-request whitelisting for each new release.
Content ID Per Release
YouTube Content ID finds your music inside other people’s videos and collects royalties for you. It’s included by default on every distributed release.
The section includes an expandable explainer, “Content ID claimed a video on my own channel. Is that a problem?” The short answer: no, and it’s expected. Content ID scans every YouTube upload, including yours, so when you post your own song the system claims it just like anyone else’s re-upload. The claim routes that video’s music revenue to you; it is not a strike and does not harm your channel. If you’d rather your own uploads carry no claims at all, request channel whitelisting (see above): it exempts your channel while keeping claims active for everyone else.
The Content ID per release section lists each of your distributed releases with:
- Content ID status: Active, Opted out, or Ineligible
- A link to the release on YouTube Music when it’s live
- Any eligibility notes: for example, releases with non-exclusive samples or loops can be flagged as ineligible for Content ID while remaining live on all stores
Opting a release out of Content ID
Some artists prefer not to have their music claimed in other people’s videos (for example, if you actively encourage re-uploads or remixes). You can opt any release out of Content ID with the Opt out button.
Before opting out, know that:
- You stop earning royalties when other people use that music in their videos
- Re-uploads of your music on YouTube will no longer be claimed automatically
- The release stays live on YouTube Music and every other store
- The change can take a few days to fully process on YouTube’s side
- Opting back in requires a redelivery; ask Note or contact support@once.app to re-enable it
FAQ
Do I need an OAC before requesting whitelisting? No. Whitelisting and OAC are independent: you can request either one at any time, as long as you have music distributed through ONCE.
Why is my release “Ineligible” for Content ID? Content ID requires exclusive rights to the audio. If your release contains non-exclusive samples or loops (for example, from a sample pack that other artists also use), it can’t be fingerprinted for claims. It still distributes normally to all stores.
How long does whitelisting take? Whitelist requests go straight to the ONCE team and are typically handled within a few business days. You’ll see the status change in the toolkit as it progresses.