Fixing OAuth Testing Mode Error

Fixing OAuth Testing Mode Error | Generated by AI

Home 2026.07

Question: Why does YouTube Data API OAuth show ZhiweiTextToSpeech has not completed the Google verification process and Error 403: access_denied?

Answer:

This is not a YouTube Data API problem. It is a Google OAuth consent screen configuration problem.

Your OAuth app (ZhiweiTextToSpeech) is currently in Testing mode, and the Google account you used (lzwjava@gmail.com) is not listed as a test user.

Why this happens

When you create OAuth credentials, Google creates an OAuth application:

Google Cloud Project
        |
        |
OAuth Consent Screen
        |
        |
ZhiweiTextToSpeech
        |
        |
YouTube Data API scope:
youtube.upload

Because you request sensitive scopes like:

https://www.googleapis.com/auth/youtube.upload

Google requires OAuth verification for public apps.

But for personal/private tools, you usually don’t need verification.

You can use Testing mode.

Fix: add yourself as Test User

Go to:

Google Cloud Console

Then:

APIs & Services
    |
    OAuth consent screen
    |
    Audience

You should see:

Publishing status:
Testing

Find:

Test users

Add:

lzwjava@gmail.com

Save.

Then wait a few minutes.

Retry:

python upload.py

If you already authorized before

Delete cached OAuth token.

Your script probably created:

token.json

or:

token.pickle

Remove it:

rm token.json
rm token.pickle

Run again:

python upload.py

Browser login again.

Alternative: make app Internal

Only available if using Google Workspace:

OAuth consent screen

User Type:
    Internal

Then no verification.

For normal Gmail accounts:

External + Testing

is correct.

Why Google says “verification”

The confusing part:

“has not completed the Google verification process”

sounds like you need to submit an app review.

You do not need that if:

only you use it
only a few testers use it
it is your own CLI tool

Google allows up to 100 test users in Testing mode.

For your AI video uploader

I would keep it:

OAuth Consent Screen:
    External

Publishing status:
    Testing

Test users:
    your Gmail

Scopes:
    youtube.upload

Then your agent can use:

video_agent
    |
    +-- generate_video()
    |
    +-- generate_thumbnail()
    |
    +-- youtube_upload()
          |
          +-- refresh_token.json

No verification needed.

The refresh token will keep working until you revoke access or change the OAuth configuration.

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