Step 6. YouTube Publishing

The YouTube section is responsible for automatically uploading the finished video to your channel. FOXI Studio takes the final .mp4 from Builder, uses the title, description, tags, and thumbnail ideas from Step 1, applies the selected thumbnail, sets category, language, region, and publishing schedule.

This is not content generation anymore; it is distribution. Enable YouTube publishing only after you have manually checked several finished videos: audio, subtitles, thumbnail, editing quality, and compliance with YouTube rules.

When to enable YouTube upload

Enable automatic upload if:

• Builder already creates stable final videos;
• you have checked text, voice, images, subtitles, and thumbnails;
• the channel is ready for publishing;
• you understand the publishing schedule you need;
• YouTube OAuth authorization is configured and tested.

Do not enable auto-upload on the first tests. First download the finished video from Project Files, watch it as a viewer, and only then publish it.

Main switch

At the beginning of the tab there is Enable this step (YouTube upload).

If the switch is off, FOXI will not upload the video to YouTube even during the full cycle. This is a safe testing mode: you can generate and render videos, but publish manually.

Final step (delete topic on success) means that after a successful upload the topic is treated as complete. If you want to check videos manually first, do not make YouTube the final step until you are fully confident.

OAuth: how it differs from a YouTube API key

YouTube API keys are used for Scout and topic analysis. They read public YouTube data: search videos, analyze competitors, and retrieve available public statistics.

Uploading videos requires a different type of access — YouTube OAuth authorization. OAuth confirms that the channel owner has allowed FOXI to upload videos, set thumbnails, and schedule publications.

In simple terms:

Access	What it is used for
YouTube API key	Scout, topic research, public data analysis.
YouTube OAuth	Video upload, thumbnail upload, publishing, and scheduling.

client_secrets.json

OAuth usually requires a client_secrets.json file from Google Cloud Console. It is created in the same Google Cloud project where YouTube Data API v3 is enabled.

General order:

1. Open Google Cloud Console.
2. Select the project where YouTube Data API v3 is enabled.
3. Go to APIs & Services → Credentials.
4. Create an OAuth client ID.
5. If Google asks you to configure the OAuth consent screen, fill in the required fields and add the channel email as a test user if the app is in testing mode.
6. The application type is usually Desktop app or the option supported by the current integration.
7. Download the JSON file and upload it to FOXI using Upload client_secrets.json.

Secret files and tokens must not be published, sent in chat, or inserted into documentation. Always blur email, client ID, client secret, and real project names on screenshots.

Authorize channel (Browser)

After uploading client_secrets.json, click Authorize channel (Browser).

FOXI opens a Google browser window. Select the correct account and channel, carefully verify that it is the YouTube channel where videos should be published, and confirm access.

If Google shows a warning for a testing app, this can be normal for a private integration, but you must be sure you are using your own Google Cloud project and your own channel.

After successful authorization, FOXI saves an access token for the project/channel. You usually need to repeat OAuth only if the token was deleted, access was revoked, Google Cloud settings changed, or you connect another channel.

Video category

Video category tells YouTube the general type of your video.

What to choose:

Channel type	Common option
Educational, scientific, medical, historical	Education or Science & Technology
Stories, facts, documentary style	People & Blogs, Education, or Entertainment
Gaming	Gaming
News and politics	News & Politics
Music	Music

If you are not sure, check competitor categories and ask the AI Assistant: “which YouTube category should I choose for my project?”

Region, language, and time zone

Region / Language helps FOXI choose the right publication localization and connect the schedule to your audience.

Examples:

• English channel for the US — USA (English) and America/New_York or another target zone;
• English channel for the UK — UK (English) and Europe/London;
• Russian channel — Russia and the appropriate time zone;
• Spanish channel for Mexico — Mexico (Spanish) and America/Mexico_City.

Time zone is especially important for scheduled publishing. If it is wrong, the video may go live at the wrong hour for your audience.

Thumbnail

Thumbnail number (1–4) selects which generated thumbnail to use during upload.

FOXI usually generates several thumbnail variants. Before automatic upload, open project files and check which thumbnail is best:

• is the text readable on a small screen;
• are there no unwanted artifacts;
• does the image match the topic;
• does it comply with platform rules;
• is the contrast strong enough.

If the thumbnail is weak, regenerate it in Step 3 instead of publishing a video with poor CTR.

Publishing mode

FOXI supports two main scenarios:

Mode	When to use it
Scheduled	Recommended for regular channels. Videos go live by schedule.
Instant (Public)	Only for manual tests or when the video must go live immediately.

For automatic production, Scheduled is usually better. Publishing many videos at once can look unnatural and make channel management harder.

Publishing schedule

In the schedule you define days and times for video releases. In the interface, you can select days and add times with buttons — FOXI builds the technical schedule string automatically.

Safe logic example:

• 1 video per day for a new channel;
• 2 videos per day only if the channel is already being tested and content is stable;
• publish during active hours of the target audience;
• keep a consistent rhythm so YouTube and viewers get used to the schedule.

If you run multiple channels, do not copy the same schedule blindly. Different languages, countries, and niches have different active hours.

Metadata: title, description, and tags

FOXI takes the title, description, tags, and other SEO data from Step 1 results. Before the first automatic publication, check this data:

• the title must not be misleading;
• the description must match the video;
• tags should be relevant;
• links and disclaimers should be correct;
• medical, financial, and legal topics need careful wording.

If you need to change metadata style, it is better to fix Step 1 prompts through the AI Assistant and Prompt History instead of editing every video manually.

Cost and limitations

Uploading to YouTube is usually cheaper than video generation, but it may be limited by the plan, OAuth access, YouTube Data API quota, and Google Cloud app status.

If the button is unavailable or upload does not start:

• check your plan;
• check whether the YouTube step is enabled;
• check OAuth authorization;
• make sure the final .mp4 exists;
• open the log and ask the AI Assistant to explain the error.

Safe first launch

For the first YouTube connection, use this order:

1. Generate one test video.
2. Check the final .mp4, audio, subtitles, and thumbnail.
3. Check the title, description, and tags.
4. Upload client_secrets.json.
5. Click Authorize channel (Browser) and connect the correct channel.
6. Select Scheduled, then set date and time.
7. Start one publication.
8. In YouTube Studio, verify that the video appeared with the correct thumbnail, description, and publishing time.

Common issues

Google says the app is not verified

This can happen when the OAuth app is in testing mode. Check that you are using your own Google Cloud project and that the channel email is added as a test user.

The wrong channel was selected during authorization

Revoke access in the Google account, remove the old token from the project, and authorize again with the correct channel.

The video does not upload

Check whether the final .mp4 exists in project files, whether the YouTube step is enabled, whether quota is available, and whether OAuth has errors.

Thumbnail was not set

Check the thumbnail number, thumbnail file availability, and OAuth permissions. YouTube may restrict custom thumbnails for unverified channels.

The video went live at the wrong time

Check the time zone, start date, and schedule. For international channels, the time zone should match the target audience, not your personal location.

Next step

After publishing on YouTube, you can reuse the content on your website. Continue to Step 8 · WordPress if you want to automatically create an article based on the video materials.