Live streaming lets you interact with your audience in real-time with a video feed, chat and more.
1. Enable live streaming #
To live stream, you need to have no live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days and you need to verify your channel.
- Go to YouTube.
- From the top right, click Create
Go live.
- If you haven’t already, follow the prompts to verify your channel.
- Enabling your first live stream may take up to 24 hours. Once enabled, you can live stream instantly.
2. Choose a way to stream #
There are three types of streams: mobile, webcam and encoder. Choose the one that’s best for what you’re streaming.
Good for vlogging and quick updates from your phone or tablet.To create a mobile live stream, you need to meet the requirements.
Quickly live stream from your computer using a webcam.
You’ll need a computer with a webcam.
Learn how to stream with a webcam.
Encoders let you stream gameplay, overlays and use hardware like preamps, mics and cameras. This stream type is commonly used for gaming, sporting events, concerts and conferences.
Learn how to stream using an encoder.
Vertical live streams #
When your live stream is vertical (more tall than wide), viewers on mobile will now enter a full-screen viewing experience when watching it. This experience includes a scrollable live stream feed where viewers have access to fan funding features like Super Chat, Super Stickers and channel memberships. Viewers can also find these live streams when browsing YouTube Shorts.
| Feature | Horizontal live streams | Vertical live feed |
|---|---|---|
| Discoverable in the Shorts feed | No | Yes |
| Scrollable for more live streams | No | Yes |
| Clickable links in chat and channel description | Yes | No |
| Live ad mid-rolls and pre-rolls | Yes | No |
| 4K bitrate streaming (broadcast) | Yes | No (on YouTube app) |
| Premieres | Yes | No |
| Live Redirect | Yes | No |
| Memberships | Yes | Yes |
| Gift memberships | Yes | No |
What you can stream #
All content in live streams must adhere to our Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. If you suggest that you’ll live stream content that violates our Community Guidelines, we may age-restrict or remove your live stream. YouTube also reserves the right to restrict a creator’s ability to live stream at its discretion.
If you receive a warning on your live stream for violating our community guidelines, you can take policy training to allow the warning to expire after 90 days. However, if the same policy is violated within that 90-day window, the warning will not expire and your channel will be given a strike. If you violate a different policy after completing the training, you will get another warning. We may prevent repeat offenders from taking policy training in the future.
If your live stream is restricted, you may get a strike on your account. A strike will prevent you from live streaming for 14 days. If your account has been restricted from live streaming, you’re prohibited from using another channel to live stream on YouTube. This policy applies for as long as the restriction remains active on your account. Violation of this restriction is considered circumvention under our Terms of Service and may result in the termination of your account.
Leave a Reply