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Generating a YouTube API key

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o51r15 edited this page Jun 18, 2026 · 1 revision

You can give Pinchfork a YouTube API key to make Fast Indexing faster and more accurate. Most users don't need this, but it's valuable if you archive channels that upload frequently or delete videos quickly.

Note: By default, an API key supports Fast Indexing for roughly 65 sources at a 10-minute polling interval. If API access fails, the app falls back to RSS automatically.

Caution: Use a burner Google account completely separate from your main account. Google can restrict or revoke API access if they dislike the usage pattern.

Generating the key

  1. Visit the Google Cloud Console — confirm you're using the expected Google account (upper right).
  2. Create a new project.
  3. Search for and enable the YouTube Data API v3.
  4. Go to Credentials → Create Credentials → API Key.
  5. Copy the generated key.
  6. Restrict the key to the YouTube Data API v3 only (recommended).

Adding the key to Pinchfork

Paste the key into the YouTube API Key field on the Settings page. Pinchfork will use it automatically for Fast Indexing going forward.

Verifying it works

After saving the key, use the test button (the play icon next to the API key field) to validate it instantly. Pinchfork will check the key against a known public playlist and show a checkmark or an error with a reason.

You can also verify by checking the logs after the next Fast Indexing run — look for Fetching recent media IDs from YouTube API without a Failed to fetch YouTube API entry following it.

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