How to Live Streaming – Youtube is a great invention to facilitate digital content creators since the early 2000s. Now, Youtube has a live broadcast feature that you can take advantage of.
YouTube Live is an excellent platform for businesses, gamers, and social streamers. The thing is, starting a YouTube live stream isn’t easy. If you don’t know about how to live stream on YouTube, better read this article to the end. We will show you how to live stream on YouTube through web browsers, mobile devices to mobile devices. Whichever method you choose, the starting point is the same: enable live streaming on YouTube.
How to Enable Live Streaming on YouTube
Live streaming is disabled on new YouTube channels by default. However, you can still activate it, here are some steps you must take:
- Verify your YouTube account, it’s a simple process. Select your country, the desired method of sending the verification code, and enter a mobile number that you can access. Enter the six-digit verification code when you get it to verify your account.
- Activate live streaming via the channel features page, YouTube Studio live stream page, or Live Control Room.
- Wait 24 hours for live streaming to be activated in your account.
- As long as there are no live streaming restrictions on your channel, you can now stream live on YouTube via a web browser or streaming encoder. If you want to use a mobile device to stream live, there’s an additional obstacle: your channel must have at least 1,000 subscribers.
4 Ways to Live Streaming on YouTube
You can stream live on YouTube via:
- Web browser
- Mobile device
- Software encoder
- Hardware encoder
Which way is the most suitable? Depends on your goals. Web or mobile will probably do the trick for streamers with the goal of socializing, while most gamer YouTubers prefer PCs to live stream game dexterity. Consider a hardware encoder if you live stream for your business or want a career as a digital creator. To grow your business from these features you should also look to subscription-based live streaming platforms for access to advanced features for monetization, analytics and lead generation.
Via Website
The easiest way to live stream on YouTube is directly from your web browser using an internal or external USB webcam. Webcams might meet your needs if you want to share your thoughts and engage with your audience in real time. You can also stream live through your browser with a separate camera such as a digital camcorder or DSLR. To do this, you will need a USB capture card to carry the video signal to your computer. Then YouTube can recognize the camera as if it were a plug-and-play webcam.
Once you’re ready with the camera, here’s how to stream live on YouTube via your web browser:
- Log in to your YouTube account and click the button “Create a video or post” in the upper right corner of the screen.
- select “Live Broadcast” from the drop-down menu.
- If prompted, grant YouTube and your browser the necessary permissions for live streaming (eg camera, microphone).
- In the Live Control Room, make sure “Webcam” is selected in the navigation bar at the top.
- Title your live stream, choose a privacy setting (public, private, or unlisted), and choose whether you want to live stream now or schedule an event for later.
- Click “More options”. Select your camera and microphone from the drop-down menu if they are not already listed.
- Click “Advanced settings” to toggle chat, age restrictions, and monetization (YouTube Partner Program members only).
- Hit “Next” and pose for the thumbnail. Hover over the thumbnail to bring up options to take another image or upload a custom thumbnail from your computer.
- Hit “Go live.”
Remember to hit “End Streaming” when you’re done. YouTube will automatically upload an on-demand live stream version to your channel so viewers who missed it can replay it. You can view and manage all current, scheduled and past live streams in the “Manage” tab in the Live Control Room.
How to Live Streaming on YouTube Via Smartphone
The way YouTube Live Streaming using mobile is ideal for sudden audience engagement and dynamic events where freedom of movement is key. Unfortunately, you have to have a wide network and a large audience. Only YouTube channels with at least 1,000 subscribers can stream live on mobile. These restrictions can be a pain, especially if mobile live streaming is a big part of your live video plan. Luckily, there are plenty of ways to go mobile on YouTube with fewer than 1,000 subscribers, including the popular Epiphan Webcaster X2.
However, once you reach the subscriber threshold, live streaming to YouTube on mobile is pretty simple:
- Download the YouTube app from the App Store (iOS) or Google Play (Android).
- Open the app and tap the camera icon in the top right corner.
- Grant all the permissions YouTube needs for live streaming (camera, microphone, photos, storage).
- Select “Go live”.
- Choose to record with your phone’s camera (camera icon) or what’s on your screen (phone icon).
- Set a title for your stream.
- Press “More options” to add a description, enable live chat and monetization (if eligible), set age restrictions, configure privacy settings, and (optionally) schedule a time for your live stream.
- Hit “Next” and take a picture for your live stream thumbnail or upload an existing one from your phone storage.
- Hit “Go live.”
Now you are ready for unlimited live streaming. Once done, press “Done” and then “OK” to end the streaming. The VOD version of your live stream will appear on your channel afterwards. You can access and manage these recordings and more via the “My videos” page within the “Library” tab.
Using Encoder Software
Use live streaming software if you want to share screens (e.g., to broadcast gameplay), access additional features such as live captioning and overlays, or use multiple cameras. Open Broadcaster Software (OBS), XSplit, and Wirecast are just a few of your choices.
Any streaming software will automatically detect the USB-based camera connected to your computer. You can also carry non-USB video signals such as HDMI to your computer via a USB capture card. Connect the capture card to your computer and the camera to the capture card and your streaming software will recognize the camera as a USB video class (UVC) device.
While the exact process of streaming live on YouTube with a software encoder will depend on the streaming software you’re using, you should at least go through the following steps:
- Download and install the streaming software of your choice.
- On YouTube, click the “Create video or post” button in the upper-right corner of the screen.
- Select “Go live”.
- In the YouTube Live Control Room, click “Stream” in the top navigation bar.
- Title your stream, choose a privacy setting, add a description, select the appropriate category, and upload a thumbnail image.
- Decide whether you want to stream now or schedule an event for later.
- Press “Create stream.”
- Copy “Stream name/key” from the window that appears. (Keep this character set private.) If the window doesn’t appear, or if you accidentally closed it, look for this information in the lower-left corner of the Live Control Room.
- Open your streaming software and paste the “Stream name/key” and, if necessary, the “Stream URL” of YouTube in the appropriate fields. You may find this in the settings or preferences menu; see the software’s user documentation if you’re not sure where to look.
- If you’re ready to go live now, start streaming through your streaming software.
- If you’re scheduling a YouTube live stream for later, open your streaming software when the time comes and turn on streaming. Return to the YouTube Live Control Room; You will see a streaming preview window. Press “Go live” in the top right corner to start streaming.
End your stream via streaming software after the show is over. The recordings will be automatically uploaded to your channel so people can watch them on demand. View and manage all your current, scheduled and past Live streams via the “Manage” tab at the top of the YouTube Live Control Room.
Also Read: YouTube Thumbnail Size
