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How to Set Up Password-Only Access for a Channel

Updated

Password-only access lets viewers into a channel with one shared password: no account, no email, no registration.

How it works behind the scenes

You create one shared viewer account. The channel's login layout signs every visitor into that account once they enter the correct password.

What your viewers see

  1. They open the channel link.
  2. A login screen asks for a password only.
  3. They enter the password you shared with them.
  4. The channel opens with the layout you built for the password-protected audience.

Common uses: staff-only or leadership streams, conference or event attendees, and private ministry or partner broadcasts.

Before you start

You'll need:

  1. A channel that already exists in the Control Panel
  2. A password you want viewers to use
  3. An email address for the shared viewer account. It doesn't have to be a real inbox. A format like noreply+eventname@yourdomain.com works well.

How to set up password-only access

There are three parts, and the order matters: create the audience, create the shared viewer account, then connect both to the channel.

Step 1: Create a viewer segment

A viewer segment is a group of viewers who see a specific version of your channel. This one will hold your shared password-only viewer.

  1. In the Control Panel, open Viewer Segments.
  2. Create a new segment with a clear name, such as NXT Level Conference or Staff Stream.
  3. Save the segment.

See Viewer Segments for more.

Step 2: Create the shared viewer account

This is the account every visitor will sign in as.

  1. Open Viewers and create a new viewer.
  2. Enter the email address you picked (for example, noreply+eventname@yourdomain.com).
  3. Set the password to the exact password you'll share with viewers.
  4. Assign the viewer segment from Step 1 to this viewer.
  5. Save the viewer. Write down the email and password, because you'll need both in Step 3.

See Add or Delete a Viewer for more.

Step 3: Turn on the password-only login

This step connects the login screen to the viewer account you created in Step 2. Have that viewer's email and password in front of you before you start.

  1. Open your channel and go to Customize Channel.
  2. Select the Default Experience.
  3. Set the layout to Login.
  4. Go to Options → Password.
  5. Turn on the password-only option.
  6. Fill in the three fields:
    • Password needed to get into the page: the password from Step 2
    • Email of user to login as: the email from Step 2
    • Password needed to get into the user's account: the password from Step 2
  7. Click Update.

Example: if the viewer from Step 2 is noreply+easter@yourchurch.com with the password Easter2026, fill in the fields like this:

Password needed to get into the page: Easter2026

Email of user to login as: noreply+easter@yourchurch.com

Password needed to get into the user's account: Easter2026

Step 4: Add the experience your viewers will see

The Default Experience is now just the login screen. The channel content your viewers see after entering the password lives in a separate viewer experience tied to your new segment.

  1. In Customize Channel, add a new viewer experience.
  2. Select the viewer segment from Step 1.
  3. Build the layout your viewers should see.
  4. Click Update.

Moving an existing layout? If you want this experience to match a layout you already have, contact Sardius Support. Our team will copy your settings over for you.

Step 5: Test it

  1. Open the channel link in a private or incognito browser window.
  2. Confirm you see the password prompt, not an email and password form.
  3. Enter the password and confirm the correct layout loads.

Once it works, share the link and password with your viewers.

Troubleshooting

What you see: "Invalid username or password"

Likely cause: the email or a password in Options → Password doesn't exactly match the viewer from Step 2

Fix: re-enter all three fields, checking capital letters and spaces.

What you see: an email and password form instead of a password-only prompt

Likely cause: the password-only option isn't turned on, or the Default Experience isn't set to the Login layout

Fix: repeat Step 3 and click Update.

What you see: your channel's content or settings disappeared

Likely cause: the layout was changed before the settings were backed up

Fix: contact Sardius Support. Our team can help restore your setup.

Need more help? Contact Sardius Support and include the channel name and the viewer segment you created.

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