How to go live on YouTube

YouTube sets a few conditions before a channel can stream at all, and a few more for streaming from a phone. Enabling live streaming for the first time can take up to 24 hours, so turn it on at least a day before you plan to broadcast. After that, you can go live straight away.

Sources: YouTube Help: Get started with live streaming, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Create a live stream via webcam, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Create a live stream on mobile, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder, checked 15 October 2026

A webcam stream needs no extra software, which makes it the simplest way for a small business to run a Q&A or product demo from a laptop.

1. Sign in to YouTube in Chrome or Firefox.
2. In the upper right, click Create, then Go live.
3. On the left, select Webcam.
4. Enter a title and description and choose a privacy setting. You can also schedule the stream for a later date here.
5. Click Next. Your camera takes a thumbnail.
6. Check that the right webcam and microphone are selected, then click Go live.
7. When you've finished, click End stream at the bottom.

• If you're 18 or over, the stream defaults to public. You can switch it to unlisted or private.
• While live, click Share screen next to the mic button to show your whole screen, a window or a tab. A webcam and microphone must be connected.
• To change chat or monetisation settings, click Edit. You can do this before or during the stream.

Source: YouTube Help: Create a live stream via webcam, checked 15 October 2026

Mobile streams suit quick updates from an event, a shop floor or a job site.

1. Open the YouTube app.
2. At the bottom, tap Create, then Live.
3. Tap Edit to set the details: visibility and audience, a later date if you want to schedule it, screencast if you want to show your phone's screen, and chat options.
4. Tap Go live.
5. Tap Finish to end. A recap shows the stream's stats, and an archive is saved to your channel.

• Channels with between 50 and 999 subscribers may have the number of viewers on a mobile stream limited, and the archive set to private by default. YouTube says this can take several weeks to lift after you reach 1,000 subscribers.
• To rehearse first, tap Create, then Go live, and choose Practice mode below the Next button. It's a private space with no audience, and it's still rolling out to all creators.
• After the stream, the recap may offer to save a Short highlight. It's saved as a private video until you change it.

Source: YouTube Help: Create a live stream on mobile, checked 15 October 2026

An encoder is streaming software or hardware. Use one to share your screen, switch between cameras or use external microphones. YouTube publishes a list of verified encoders, none of them made by YouTube. Scheduling a stream gives you a watch page to share in advance, and viewers can set reminders.

1. In YouTube Studio, click Create, then Go live to open the Live Control Room.
2. To schedule, open the Manage tab and click Schedule stream. Reuse a previous stream's settings or create new ones.
3. In your encoder, choose YouTube if it's offered. Otherwise copy the stream URL from YouTube into the encoder's server field (it may say RTMP server).
4. Copy the stream key from YouTube into the encoder's Stream Key field.
5. Start the stream in your encoder, wait for the preview in Live Control Room, then click Go live.
6. To finish, click End stream and stop sending from the encoder. Streams under 12 hours are archived automatically.

• YouTube's streaming tips: set up the stream at least 2 hours ahead, start the encoder at least 15 minutes before the start time, and keep about 20% of your upload bandwidth spare.
• Live Control Room streams go out in horizontal (16:9) and vertical (9:16) formats at once by default. The vertical version is a centre crop and can be found in the Shorts feed.

Sources: YouTube Help: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Streaming tips, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Get started with live streaming, checked 15 October 2026

If the Go live option is missing or a stream won't start, work through these checks:

1. Check the channel is verified and that you turned on live streaming at least 24 hours ago.
2. Look for strikes. A Community Guidelines strike stops live streaming for 14 days, a copyright strike on an active stream can turn it off, and any live restriction in the last 90 days blocks access.
3. On a phone, check the channel has at least 50 subscribers and the device runs Android 8.0+ or iOS 8+.
4. If you've reached the daily limit for creating live streams, try again in 24 hours.
5. Each channel can have up to 10 active streams, and 3 per stream key. Once either limit is reached, you can't start another.
6. If chat, comments or reminders are missing, check the audience setting. Made-for-kids streams have them turned off.

Sources: YouTube Help: Get started with live streaming, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Avoid restrictions on YouTube live streaming, checked 15 October 2026; YouTube Help: Create a live stream on mobile, checked 15 October 2026

Live streams are run in YouTube itself, from YouTube Studio or the YouTube app. Zolyp, which publishes this guide, publishes to YouTube as one of 9 platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Business, X, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Threads). It creates video uploads and Shorts with titles and descriptions written for search, can set a custom thumbnail on a standard video, and schedules them with the posts on your other networks. You approve the week before anything goes live.