Do you want to live stream on YouTube through Open Broadcasting Stream (OBS)?
You’ll need to provide your YouTube stream key to do it.
If you don’t know where it is, this guide will help you.
You’ll learn where to find it easily amidst YouTube’s settings.
How to find your YouTube stream key
- Go to YouTube studio and sign in to the channel you want to live stream from.
- In the top-right corner, click the camera icon and select “Go Live”
- Select Right Now if you want to go live now
- After you click on Streaming Software, the stream settings will appear
- There, you’ll find your Stream key
Read below to see where you can find the YouTube stream key or RTMP URL for OBS!
Related guide: How to Change Your YouTube Channel Banner
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Where Can You Find the YouTube Stream Key?
Go to YouTube studio and sign in to the channel you want to live stream from.
In the top-right corner, click the camera icon and select “Go Live.”
You need to activate the feature first if you haven’t gone live before.
A security check period is 24 hours before you can go live.
Wait for 24 hours, and then follow the steps below.
After the live feature is new window will appear, asking you whether you want to host the stream now or later.
Select Right Now if you want to go live now.
Choose the latter when asked if you want to use the in-built webcam or streaming software.
After you click on Streaming Software, the stream settings will appear.
There, you’ll find your Stream key.
Click on Copy to copy it to your clipboard.
Take this key and paste it into a streaming software like OBS.
But be careful that you don’t share this key with anyone.
If they have it, they can stream with it in your name.
Conclusion
Live streaming on YouTube can be done through the in-built webcam or streaming software.
Streaming software gives you additional customization options like graphics and overlays.
Professionals choose this software for extra control over their live streams.
To use it, you’ll need the stream key, which you can find if you Go Live on YouTube.
Go through the steps there, and you’ll find the Stream key!
FAQ
Can you live stream on YouTube without a stream key?
Yes, you can use the in-built camera or specific software that doesn’t ask for stream keys.
Restream is such software that lets you go live almost instantly.
You don’t need encoding software either.
The program allows you to display a chat overlay, upload a logo and brand, play background music, share your screen, invite guests to the stream, and customize captions.
If you’re a beginner, it’s also perfectly fine to use the in-built camera option.
This will let you go live on YouTube without additional security checks or requirements.
However, going live on mobile does require you to have at least 1000 subscribers.
There are no such requirements on a computer, though.
What is a YouTube stream key?
Think of a stream key like a password that allows streaming software access to your YouTube channel.
This allows you to live stream on YouTube through the special software.
Every streaming platform has a unique stream key, though.
It acts like an address that tells your encoder (streaming platform) where to send the live video after you’re done with it.
You can reset the YouTube stream key by going to your Live Control Room and clicking “Reset.”
This would reset your stream key if someone had access to your old one.
Why doesn’t the YouTube live stream end?
Many users have reported that YouTube doesn’t recognize when the Live stream ends.
It still thinks the live stream is going, and there’s nothing you can do.
There’s no “End Livestream” button because YouTube got rid of it.
YouTube may not recognize this even if you end the stream through the external streaming software.
The only solution would be to contact YouTube customer support and ask for assistance.
Until they bring back the “End Livestream” button, there aren’t too many things you can try to stop the live stream.
Clear your cache, restart your computer, or try stopping the live stream from the live stream software.
Hopefully, these solutions work.
