YouTube upload API for videos, Shorts, thumbnails, and metadata workflows
Upload and schedule YouTube videos or Shorts through a social publishing workflow that keeps media, metadata, status, and cross-channel promotion connected.
Last updated: May 2026
1const response = await fetch("https://api.bundle.social/api/v1/post", {2 method: "POST",3 headers: {4 "x-api-key": process.env.BUNDLE_SOCIAL_API_KEY,5 "Content-Type": "application/json"6 },7 body: JSON.stringify({8 teamId: "team_123",9 title: "YouTube product walkthrough",10 postDate: "2026-05-14T10:00:00.000Z",11 status: "SCHEDULED",12 socialAccountTypes: ["YOUTUBE"],13 data: {14 YOUTUBE: {15 type: "VIDEO",16 text: "Product walkthrough",17 description: "A practical walkthrough of the new workflow.",18 uploadIds: ["upload_video_123"],19 privacy: "PUBLIC"20 }21 }22 })23});YouTube uploads as a standalone integration
What bundle.social handles
YouTube upload is part of distribution
Videos rarely ship alone. bundle.social helps your product upload and schedule YouTube content next to the campaign.
Workflow
How it works
Connect accounts once, then create and schedule posts with channel-specific fields from one API.
Upload the video file
Use the Media Upload API to securely transfer large video files. Get a reference ID to use in your post payload.
Define metadata and compliance
Set titles, descriptions, privacy status, and required compliance flags like madeForKids.
Schedule the launch
Queue the YouTube video alongside your other social channels for a coordinated launch.
Capabilities
YouTube upload workflows for product teams
Handle videos, Shorts, thumbnails, and publishing state from one API workflow.
Video and Shorts publishing
Create YouTube payloads for long-form videos and short-form distribution. We handle the complex resumable upload flows.
Media upload references
Upload video assets first, then reference upload IDs when creating YouTube posts. Avoid timeouts on large files.
Metadata fields
Keep descriptions, titles, privacy settings, and thumbnails close to the publishing payload. Set compliance flags like madeForKids.
Cross-channel campaigns
Schedule YouTube launches with supporting posts on other social platforms. One API call orchestrates the entire launch.
Platform specifics
YouTube upload rules developers should model explicitly
YouTube publishing is not just a file upload. Metadata, child-directed content flags, Shorts detection, and quota behavior all affect production workflows.
Made for Kids is required
YouTube requires a madeForKids decision for content that targets children. Treat it as a compliance field in the YOUTUBE payload, not an optional marketing detail.
Shorts are auto-detected
There is no special Shorts button. YouTube classifies Shorts from duration under 3 minutes and vertical or square aspect ratio.
Title and metadata
YouTube requires a video title, supports descriptions up to 5,000 characters, and treats long-form videos, Shorts, thumbnails, and privacy status as one metadata workflow.
Developer example
Schedule a YouTube upload
Examples use bundle.social's public API shape: API key authentication, a post date, selected social account types, and platform-specific data.
1const response = await fetch("https://api.bundle.social/api/v1/post", {2 method: "POST",3 headers: {4 "x-api-key": process.env.BUNDLE_SOCIAL_API_KEY,5 "Content-Type": "application/json"6 },7 body: JSON.stringify({8 teamId: "team_123",9 title: "YouTube product walkthrough",10 postDate: "2026-05-14T10:00:00.000Z",11 status: "SCHEDULED",12 socialAccountTypes: ["YOUTUBE"],13 data: {14 YOUTUBE: {15 type: "VIDEO",16 text: "Product walkthrough",17 description: "A practical walkthrough of the new workflow.",18 uploadIds: ["upload_video_123"],19 privacy: "PUBLIC"20 }21 }22 })23});Supported content
Honest limitations
- YouTube account permissions and API quota rules still apply.
- Large video files should be uploaded before post creation so they can be referenced reliably.
- Some YouTube-specific metadata depends on native API availability.
Guarantees
Developer-first infrastructure
2% error rate
We handle the platform edge cases, media processing, and rate limits so your requests succeed.
Verbose errors
When native APIs fail, we return human-readable error messages and actionable recovery steps.
Flat pricing
No per-post counting. Predictable pricing for teams managing many users, workspaces, and connected accounts.
Same-day support
Direct access to the engineers building the API. We respond to technical issues the same day. Sometimes the same hour. Test us c;
Resources
Technical guides & documentation
YouTube Data API v3: Complete Guide
Technical guide to YouTube Data API v3, resumable uploads, and quota management.
YouTube Shorts API - What Google's Documentation Won't Tell You
The undocumented gotchas of the YouTube Shorts API.
API Reference: Upload Media
How to reliably upload large video files before publishing.
FAQ
Questions developers ask before building
Can I upload YouTube Shorts?
Yes, where the connected account and content type are supported.
Does this replace YouTube Data API?
No. bundle.social uses native APIs underneath and provides the workflow around upload, scheduling, and status.
Can I schedule a YouTube video?
Yes. Create a YouTube post with a future postDate and scheduled status.