How to Go Live on YouTube

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Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: September 29, 2023 Tested

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Register for Live Streaming

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Going Live on on a Computer

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Going Live on Mobile

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Streaming Your Desktop to YouTube

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Q&A

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Tips

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Warnings

This wikiHow teaches you how to broadcast a live stream on YouTube. You can use both computers and mobile items to do this, but you'll first need to verify your account to register for streaming. You can also stream desktop content, such as a video game, to YouTube by using a free program called Open Broadcast Software (OBS) Studio.

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Register for Live Streaming

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1
Open YouTube. Go to https://www.youtube.com/ in your computer's web browser. This will open your YouTube account if you're logged in.
- If you aren't logged in, click SIGN IN in the top-right corner of the page, then enter your account email address and password. Make sure you're signing in with the account with which you want to go live.
Click the "Upload"
icon. It's in the list of icons in the upper-right side of the YouTube page. A drop-down menu will appear.

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You'll find this option in the drop-down menu. Doing so takes you to the live registration page.
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Click Get started. It's a blue button near the top of the page.
- If you're already registered for live broadcasts, you'll see a form to set up your broadcast instead. If so, skip ahead to creating your stream.
Click the "Select your country" drop-down box, then click the country in which you live in the resulting drop-down menu.
It's below the "Select your country" drop-down box.
Click the text box below "What is your phone number?", then type in your phone number.
It's a light-blue button below your phone number near the bottom of the page.
Open your phone's Messages app or section, open the text from YouTube (it's from a 6-digit number), and review the 6-digit code in the body of the text.
Type the 6-digit code you retrieved into the text box at the top of the page, then click Submit.
It's at the top of the page.
If asked to allow your webcam or change any other YouTube settings, do so. When you arrive at a page stating that you'll need to wait for 24 hours before continuing, you can proceed.
YouTube requires a full day to verify your account for live streaming. Once 24 hours have passed, you can proceed with broadcasting a live stream on your computer or on your smartphone.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Going Live on on a Computer

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1
Return to YouTube after 24 hours have passed. Once you've waited for 24 hours, you can re-open YouTube by going to https://www.youtube.com/ and signing into your account if necessary.
- Modern browsers such as Chrome, Firefox, and Safari support live streaming.
2
Set up a webcam if necessary. If you're going to stream from your computer, you'll need to have a camera of some sort.
- If you plan on streaming a game or a movie from your desktop, skip ahead to the "Streaming Your Desktop to YouTube" part instead.
Click the "Upload"
icon. It's a camera-shaped icon in the upper-right side of the page. A drop-down menu will appear.
This option is in the drop-down menu.
Doing so will let your web browser access your webcam.
6
Enter a name for your stream. In the "Title" text box, type in whatever you want to name your stream.
- This is the title that will display for the stream once you end it and upload it to your channel.
If you want to save your stream as unlisted or private, click the "Public" text field, then click Unlisted or Private in the resulting drop-down menu.
This is at the bottom of the page.
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Pose for a thumbnail. YouTube will use your attached camera to take a photo of whatever it's facing three seconds after loading this page.
- If you don't like the thumbnail as it appears, you can place your mouse cursor on the thumbnail and click RETAKE THUMBNAIL to retake it.
It's at the bottom of the page. Doing so will begin your live stream.
Click END STREAM at the bottom of the page, then click END when prompted. This ends your stream and saves the stream as a video on your channel.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Going Live on Mobile

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1
Open YouTube. Tap the YouTube app icon, which resembles a white triangle on a red background. This will open your YouTube home page if you're logged in.
- If you aren't logged in, select your account and/or enter your email address and password when prompted.
- Make sure you're doing this at least 24 hours after you register your account for live broadcasting.
Tap the "Upload"
icon. It's at the top of the screen.
3
Allow YouTube to use your camera and photos. Tap ALLOW ACCESS, then tap OK for each prompt.
- On Android, you'll tap ALLOW instead of OK for each prompt.
It's at the bottom of the screen.
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Allow YouTube access again. Tap ALLOW ACCESS once again, then tap OK or ALLOW on each prompt.
- If prompted to turn on super chat, tap either TURN ON or NOT NOW when the prompt appears.
Tap the "Title" text box at the top of the screen, then type in the title you want to use for your stream.
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Select a viewing privacy option if necessary. If you want to save your stream as unlisted, tap Public below the title text field, then tap Unlisted in the resulting drop-down menu.
- An unlisted stream will be viewable only to the people who have a direct link to the stream.
- You cannot list a stream as private when using the YouTube mobile app.
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Pose for your thumbnail. YouTube will take a picture of your face within three seconds of opening this page.
- If you don't like the thumbnail, you can tap the "Edit"
  icon in the top-right corner of the thumbnail and then tap Retake thumbnail to retake the picture.
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Tap GO LIVE. It's a blue button at the bottom of the screen. This will begin the live stream.
- You may have to tap STREAM IN PORTRAIT to confirm your smartphone's orientation.
10
End your stream when needed. Tap X in the top-right corner of the screen, then tap END when prompted.
- On Android, you'll tap OK instead of END.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Streaming Your Desktop to YouTube

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1
Retrieve your YouTube stream key. Each user has a verification code specific to them that they can use to link streaming software (e.g., OBS) to a YouTube live stream. To retrieve your key, do the following:
- Go to https://www.youtube.com/live_dashboard_splash in your computer's web browser, then log in if prompted.
- Click the Stream now tab on the left side of the page.
- Scroll down to the "ENCODER SETUP" heading.
- Click Reveal to the right of the "Stream name/key" text field.
- Copy the stream key by clicking it and then pressing Ctrl+C (Windows) or ⌘ Command+C (Mac).
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Install OBS Studio. Open Broadcast Software Studio is a free program that you can use to broadcast your computer's on-screen content through numerous streaming services, YouTube included. To install it, do the following:
- Go to https://obsproject.com/download in your computer's web browser.
- Select your operating system if the website doesn't automatically determine it.
- Scroll down and click Download Installer.
- Double-click the downloaded setup file.
- Follow the on-screen installation instructions.
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Open OBS Studio. Click or double-click the OBS Studio app icon, which resembles a white fan on a black background, to do so.
- On a Mac, you may first have to open the Applications folder to find OBS Studio.
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Click File. This option is in the upper-left side of the window. A drop-down menu will appear.
- On a Mac, click OBS Studio in the upper-left corner of the screen.
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Click Settings. It's in the File drop-down menu. Doing so opens the Settings window.
- On a Mac, click Preferences... in the drop-down menu.
You'll find this on the left side of the window.
Click the "Service" drop-down box, then click YouTube / YouTube Gaming in the resulting drop-down menu.
Click the "Stream key" text box, then paste in your stream key by pressing Ctrl+V (Windows) or ⌘ Command+V (Mac).
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Click Apply, then click OK. Both options are at the bottom of the window.
- If you don't see Apply and OK on a Mac, just close the Preferences window.
If you're playing a game or streaming a movie, open and set up the media in question.
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Click Start Streaming. It's a button in the lower-right side of the OBS Studio window. Your stream will begin.
- You can check that your stream is live by going to https://www.youtube.com/live_dashboard_splash and looking at the video in the middle of the Stream now section.
Click the Stop Streaming button in the bottom-right corner of the OBS Studio window. Your streamed content will be saved to your YouTube channel as a video.

Community Q&A

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Question

How would I have a discussion with two or more people while broadcasting live?

Community Answer

Use Discord. It is free to register and you can easily talk with whoever you want!

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Question

Are there FCC or other licenses needed to play or post music and videos when broadcasting live on YouTube

Tristen Avant

Community Answer

No. You are given the Standard YouTube License when you post/stream on your channel.

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Question

It's saying I don't have the requirements. What do I do?

Community Answer

Go to settings, scroll down to "apps" and scroll down until you see "YouTube". Tap on it and press "Microphone, camera, storage". Set up each of those, and you're ready to livestream!

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Tips

If your YouTube account is already verified when you go to register for live streaming, you'll arrive at the page notifying you that you need to wait for 24 hours.

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If you haven't done so already, it might be helpful to watch YouTube Live videos before streaming your own so you have a better idea of how to conduct your stream.

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