Create a reference

References can be created when uploading a video and turning on Content ID matching for the video. References can also be created through uploading spreadsheet templates or through the YouTube Partner API.

To be used as a reference file, a video must:

• Be uploaded to a channel that you own.
• Consist of material for which you have exclusive rights.

Create a reference from a new video

To create a reference from a new video that you're uploading, you need to turn on Content ID matching for the video. Doing this means that your uploaded video becomes the reference file that Content ID uses to find matches of user-uploaded videos.

1. Begin the upload process as described here.
2. On the Rights Management page, under the Policies applied to copies of your video section, click the Turn on Content ID matching tick box.
3.  Select a match policy from the drop-down menu.
   • If your video is too short for Content ID, a note will appear: 'Video is too short for Content ID matching'.
4. Complete the remaining steps of the upload process.

Create a reference from previously uploaded videos

If you've already uploaded a video, you can create a reference from it after upload. You can also create a reference from multiple previously uploaded videos at once.

1. Sign in to Studio Content Manager.
2. From the left-hand menu, select Videos .

3. Click the tick box next to the video or videos that you want to create references from.
   • To refine the list of videos, click the filter bar  at the top and select a filter.
4. From the top banner, click Edit .
5. Select Content ID matching.
6. Click Enable.
7. Click the Match policy  drop-down menu and select the match policy that you want to apply to user-uploaded videos that match the video or videos that you've selected.
   • When creating references from more than one video, the same match policy must apply to all videos.
8. Click APPLY.
9. Click UPDATE VIDEOS.