YouTube Channel to Google Account Migration Guide

Important Notice

Logging in using a YouTube channel will be discontinued in the near future (Termination date to be determined). All accounts currently authenticated through YouTube will be deactivated and removed from our system after the transition period. To ensure uninterrupted access to your Thumbnail Test account, please migrate to Google account authentication as soon as possible. This is separate from the channels you've added to your team for testing; those will not be affected.
for testing

What's Changing?

We're upgrading your sign-in experience from YouTube channel authentication to Google account authentication. This change provides:

Better Security: Enhanced protection through Google's OAuth 2.0
More Reliable Access: Fewer authentication issues and faster sign-in
Future-Proof: Ensures continued access as we phase out YouTube login

Migration Process

What Will Happen During Migration

When you sign in with a Google account, one of these scenarios will occur automatically:

Scenario 1: Email Match (Seamless Experience)

If your Google account email matches your YouTube channel email:

✅ All of your test data and results will be preserved
✅ Your team memberships and permissions stay intact
✅ Your settings and preferences carry over
✅ Your billing and subscription information remains linked

Steps:

Sign out of your current Thumbnail Test account
You should be redirected to the sign-in page, if not it's located here: https://app.thumbnailtest.com/auth/signin
Click "Continue with Google"
Select the google account you'd like to use to sign into Thumbnail Test going forward
Grant the necessary permissions when prompted

If your email was the same as your YouTube channel's you can verify the migration in Account Settings (click on your avatar in the top right of the page) - you should see ✅ Linked next to Account migration

Scenario 2: Email Mismatch

If your Google account email differs from your YouTube channel email:

A new Thumbnail Test account may be created
If you were a team member, ask your team owner/admin to remove your old YouTube account first (to free up a member seat) and then invite your new Google account back to the team
If you were a team owner, follow the detailed team ownership transfer process below

NOTE: You can tell if a new account was created if it takes you through the onboarding process again.

Team Owner Migration Process (Email Mismatch)

If you're a team owner and your Google account email differs from your YouTube channel email, follow these steps:

Log in with your YouTube account
Create an invite link for your team in the team settings
Log out
Sign in with your new Google account
Use the invite link to join your own team
Log out
Sign back in with your YouTube account by clicking on the Continue with YouTube Channel button
Find your google account in the member list
Click on the 3 dots next to their email
Click on Transfer Ownership and confirm the transfer
Log out
Sign back in with your Google account
Verify you're now the team owner
Remove the old YouTube account from the team

Checking Your Migration Status

Note: This section only applies to users whose Google account email matches their YouTube channel email.

After signing in with Google, go to Account Settings (click on avatar in the top right of the page) and look for the "Account migration" section:

✅ Linked: Successfully migrated
❌ Not linked: Migration incomplete (contact support for assistance)

Why This Change is Happening

YouTube Login Deprecation: YouTube channel authentication will be discontinued
New Google-Integrated Features: We're adding features that require Google account authentication, such as Google Sheets integration for exporting data
Improved Reliability: Google OAuth provides more stable authentication
Enhanced Security: Better protection for your account and data
Simplified Access: Faster sign-in process with fewer permission complexities

What Happens After Migration

Your Data Stays Safe

All thumbnail tests remain accessible
Team memberships are preserved
Settings and preferences carry over
Billing information stays linked

Improved Experience

Faster sign-in with Google OAuth
Better security through Google's infrastructure
Easier account management with standard Google features
More reliable authentication process

Timeline and Urgency

YouTube login is being phased out - migrate as soon as possible
All YouTube-authenticated accounts will be deactivated and removed after the transition period
No specific deadline yet announced, but don't wait
Migration is free and preserves all your data
Support is available to help with any issues

Getting Help

If you encounter any issues during the migration process, please contact our support team.

Live Chat: Available in the app (lower right corner)
Email: support@thumbnailtest.com
Response Time: Usually within 24 hours

What to Include When Getting Help

Your current account email
Your Google account email (if different)
Screenshot of migration status from Settings (if applicable)
Any error messages you're seeing


Don't wait! YouTube login will be discontinued soon and all YouTube-authenticated accounts will be deactivated. Migrate to Google account authentication today to ensure uninterrupted access to your Thumbnail Test account.

Need Help? Contact our support team through the live chat or at support@thumbnailtest.com

Updated on: 03/06/2025