A Content ID claim can look alarming, especially when you have a valid music licence.
It does not automatically mean that your licence is invalid or that your channel has received a copyright strike.
If a claim appears on a project covered by a valid Sync & Go licence, check who made it and contact us so we can investigate it with you.
First, check what YouTube is telling you
A Content ID claim is created when YouTube detects a match between audio in a video and a reference supplied to its system by a claimant.
It is not automatically a copyright strike. Depending on the claimant’s settings, the claim may track the video, monetise it or block it.
The claimant information shows which company or rights administrator supplied the reference behind the match. The name may not be one you recognise, so it is important to review the details before responding.
Find the claim details
Open the notice in YouTube Studio and look for the claimant’s name, the track identified, the matched timestamps and the policy applied.
An unfamiliar company name does not by itself prove that the claim is fraudulent. It may belong to a distributor or rights administrator. However, it gives us the information needed to investigate where the claim came from.
Take a full screenshot of the claim before moving to the next step.
Contact Sync & Go before escalating
Send us the video URL, a full screenshot of the claim, the claimant’s name, the matched timestamps and your licence or order reference.
We will confirm whether the licence covers the video and check the claim details against the track you used.
If the licence covers the video
When the use is authorised, the uploader can dispute the claim through YouTube Studio. Contact Sync & Go before submitting the dispute. Once we have verified the licence and project details, we will provide the information you need to respond.
The dispute must be submitted by the person or organisation that controls the YouTube video. Sync & Go will help verify the licence and prepare the relevant information for that specific project.
What Sync & Go will investigate
We will compare the claim with our records, confirm the licensed use and try to identify the company behind the claim.
If the reference appears to be unauthorised, we will ask the claimant to release the video, explain who supplied the reference and remove the track from its Content ID catalogue.
The aim is not only to resolve one video. It is also to prevent the same incorrect claim from affecting other licensed projects.
Give the first dispute time
YouTube currently gives the claimant up to 30 days to respond to an initial dispute. The claimant may release the claim, reinstate it or allow it to expire.
If the dispute is rejected, do not appeal automatically. An appeal carries greater consequences, so contact us again before taking the next step.
Keep these details together
Is the claimant named in the notice?
Does the identified track match the music in the video?
Do the timestamps correspond to that track?
Does the licence cover this project and platform?
Have you sent Sync & Go the video URL, screenshot and licence reference?
A Content ID claim from a third party would be unexpected, but it can be investigated.
Check the details, contact us and keep the licence ready. Stay calm—we will help you work through it.