How to Go Live on YouTube in 2026: A Step-by-Step Guide

To go live on YouTube in 2026, verify your channel with a phone number, enable live streaming and wait up to 24 hours for the feature to activate. After that you have three options: stream from a webcam right in your browser, stream from your phone with the YouTube app (you need at least 50 subscribers), or broadcast through an encoder such as OBS Studio using the server URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. For a 1080p60 gaming stream, YouTube recommends 17 Mbps in H.264 or 12 Mbps in HEVC and AV1.

What your channel needs before the first stream

There is no separate application for live streaming, but YouTube automatically checks a few conditions. If even one is not met, the "Go live" button simply won't work.

• A verified channel. YouTube sends you a code by SMS or a voice call to your number. Once verified, you unlock live streaming, videos longer than 15 minutes and custom thumbnails. One phone number can be linked to no more than two channels per year.
• A clean record. Your channel must have had no live streaming restrictions in the last 90 days.
• Age. According to YouTube Help, users aged 16 and over can stream. For accounts aged 13-17, mobile streams are Unlisted by default.
• First-time activation. The first time you open the live section, YouTube doesn't enable the feature immediately: activation can take up to 24 hours. Plan your first stream for the next day at the earliest.

Mobile streaming has more requirements. You need at least 50 subscribers and a phone running Android 8.0 or later, or an iPhone with a supported iOS version. While your channel has fewer than 1000 subscribers, YouTube may limit the number of viewers of a mobile stream, and its recording is saved as private by default. After you reach 1000 subscribers the limit isn't lifted right away; it can take several weeks.

Three ways to go live

All options start in the same place: on YouTube, click "Create" in the top right corner and choose "Go live". The Live Control Room opens. What happens next depends on what you are filming with.

Method	Best for	Limitations
Webcam	Talk streams, Q&As, a quick start with no software	Only camera and microphone, no scenes or game capture; you can't choose the latency
Phone	IRL, vlogs, streaming outdoors	50+ subscribers; viewer limit possible until 1000 subscribers
Encoder (OBS and others)	Gaming streams, overlays, multiple cameras, on-screen donations	Needs a PC and a stable upload speed; setup takes 15-30 minutes

Streaming from a webcam

This is the shortest path: there is nothing to install. YouTube officially supports Chrome 60+ and Firefox 53+.

1. In the Live Control Room, choose "Webcam" on the left.
2. Allow your browser to access the camera and microphone.
3. Enter a title and description, choose the visibility and, if you want to schedule the stream, a date.
4. Click "Go live". You can end the stream with the "End stream" button at the bottom of the screen.

The downside is that only you will be on screen. A browser can't show a game, your desktop or a scene with overlays.

Streaming from a phone

1. Open the YouTube app and tap "Create", then "Go live".
2. Tap "Edit" and fill in the title, visibility and other settings.
3. Tap "Go live".

A mobile stream always runs with interactive settings, so you can't adjust the latency or rewind. Before heading outside, test your mobile connection: if your phone keeps switching between cell towers, the picture will fall apart.

Streaming with an encoder and OBS

For games and anything that needs scenes, this is the main method. The encoder takes the image from your screen, camera and microphone, compresses it and sends it to the YouTube server. The free OBS Studio is enough for most people, and we have collected other options in our roundup of streaming software.

1. In the Live Control Room, open the "Stream" tab. For your first stream, click "Create stream"; next time YouTube will fill in your previous settings together with the key.
2. Copy the stream key and the stream URL (server). In OBS you don't have to paste the address manually: in "Settings" → "Stream", choose YouTube as the service and the server is filled in automatically, so you only paste the key. If the service isn't in the list, paste the URL into the server field (it may be called RTMP server) and the key into the "Stream Key" field.
3. Build your scene: game or screen capture, camera, microphone.
4. Click "Start Streaming" in OBS. After a few seconds a preview appears in the Live Control Room, the stream becomes available to viewers and your subscribers get a notification.
5. To finish, stop the stream in OBS. If the stream was scheduled, click "End stream" in the studio.

The stream key works like a password: anyone who knows it can broadcast to your channel. Don't show it on stream or in screenshots, and if the key does leak, create a new one right away in the stream settings. A single key can have no more than three active streams, and a channel no more than ten.

Quality settings: the bitrate from YouTube's table

YouTube accepts H.264, HEVC (H.265) and AV1. Newer codecs give the same picture at roughly 70% of the bitrate, but they also require support from your graphics card. Below are the official recommended values, with the minimum in brackets.

Resolution	H.264, Mbps	HEVC / AV1, Mbps
720p, 30-60 FPS	8 (min 3)	6 (min 2)
1080p, 30 FPS	14 (min 5)	10 (min 4)
1080p, 60 FPS	17 (min 6)	12 (min 4)
1440p, 30 / 60 FPS	21 / 34 (min 7 / 8)	15 / 24 (min 5 / 6)
2160p (4K), 30 / 60 FPS	42 / 50 (min 11 / 14)	30 / 35 (min 8 / 10)

YouTube also sets the other parameters explicitly: CBR mode (constant bitrate), a keyframe interval of 2 seconds (4 at most), up to 60 frames per second, and AAC audio at 128 kbps in stereo. Do HDR streams in HEVC: AV1 doesn't support it.

The table is a ceiling, not an obligation. If your upload speed is 15 Mbps, there is no point in setting 17: the stream will start to stutter. Keep your bitrate at about 75% of your stable upload speed, and you will find a detailed breakdown in our articles on how to choose a stream bitrate and what internet speed you need for streaming. To start with ordinary home internet, 1080p30 at 6-8 Mbps is enough: the picture is a little softer than recommended, but without dropouts.

Latency, visibility and scheduled streams

Latency

In the stream settings for an encoder broadcast there are three latency options:

• Normal - the best quality and the least buffering for viewers. All resolutions and features are supported. A good fit if you hardly talk to chat.
• Low - most viewers see a delay of under 10 seconds. 4K is unavailable.
• Ultra-low - under 5 seconds for most viewers, handy for an active chat and interactive shows. The risk of buffering grows, 4K is unavailable, and any problems with your internet are more noticeable to viewers. For this mode YouTube advises HEVC or AV1.

For a gaming stream with chat, people usually choose low latency. Webcam and phone streams have no latency choice: they always run in interactive mode.

Next to it is the DVR switch. It lets viewers rewind the stream, but not further back than its start. On streams longer than 12 hours, rewinding may be limited.

Visibility

Just as with regular videos, there are three modes: Public, Unlisted and Private. For a test stream choose "Unlisted" and send the link to a friend: that way you check the sound and picture without attracting random viewers. In the same window, mark whether the stream is made for kids and, if needed, set an age restriction.

Scheduled streams

A scheduled stream creates the page for the upcoming broadcast in advance. Viewers see a countdown and can click "Notify me", and you get a ready link to announce it on Telegram or Discord.

1. In the Live Control Room, open the "Manage" tab and click "Schedule stream".
2. Choose "Reuse settings" from a previous stream or "Create new".
3. Set the title, thumbnail, date and time.
4. At the scheduled time, start the stream in OBS, wait for the preview in the studio and click "Go live".

Recording your stream

YouTube saves a recording of streams shorter than 12 hours automatically, including in 1440p and 4K. If a stream is longer than 12 hours, the recording may not be saved at all, so it is better to split marathons into parts. Finished recordings are in YouTube Studio: "Content" → the "Live" tab. There you can also change the visibility or delete a recording.

For cutting clips and videos for other platforms, it is easier to record locally in OBS alongside the stream. It doesn't depend on YouTube's compression and stays with you even if the broadcast drops.

Monetizing streams in brief

Income from streams comes through the YouTube Partner Program (YPP). There are two tiers:

• 500 subscribers, 3 public videos in 90 days and 3000 watch hours in a year (or 3 million Shorts views in 90 days) unlock Super Chat, Super Stickers, memberships and gifts in streams.
• 1000 subscribers and 4000 hours in a year (or 10 million Shorts views in 90 days) add ad revenue.

For Super Chat and memberships you must be over 18. In monetized streams, pre-roll ads turn on automatically, and mid-roll ads are inserted by YouTube itself or on your schedule: every 6, 12, 18, 24 or 30 minutes.

There is an important restriction for Russia: according to YouTube Help, creators from Russia currently cannot apply to the YPP. Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Ukraine are on the program's country list.

Common mistakes when going live

• Going live on the day you register. The feature turns on in up to 24 hours. Verify your channel and open the live section in advance.
• Bitrate above your upload speed. In OBS statistics the dropped frames climb, and viewers see endless loading. Lower the bitrate or the resolution instead of hoping YouTube will cope.
• VBR instead of CBR and default keyframes. The stream runs unevenly and the studio shows warnings about its health. Set CBR and a 2-second interval.
• The key got into the frame. That is all it takes to broadcast on your channel. Replace the key immediately.
• Someone else's music in the background. YouTube checks live streams too: on a match the stream may be replaced with a placeholder, and if you don't remove the track, interrupted or ended.
• Streaming without a test. Spend the first 5 minutes with Unlisted visibility and watch the stream on a second device: sound, game volume, desync.

The most common beginner problem isn't technical: the stream is on, but the chat is silent. An empty viewer counter scares off random visitors, and such a stream gains reach more slowly. We help you get past this stage: on the YouTube promotion page you can get viewers, likes and subscribers, and in the viewer control panel you can build your own plan for the length of your stream.

Frequently asked questions

How long do I wait after enabling live streaming?

Up to 24 hours. That time goes to activating the feature after your first request; after that you can start streams right away.

Can I stream on YouTube with no subscribers?

From a computer, yes: the webcam and OBS don't require a minimum number of subscribers, a verified channel is enough. From a phone you need at least 50 subscribers.

Where do I find my YouTube stream key?

In YouTube Studio: "Create" → "Go live" → the "Stream" tab. The server URL is there too. If you stream regularly, YouTube keeps the key between streams.

What bitrate should I use for 1080p60?

YouTube recommends 17 Mbps in H.264 or 12 Mbps in HEVC and AV1, with a minimum of 6 and 4 Mbps. If your upload speed doesn't allow it, drop to 1080p30 or 720p60.

Is the stream saved after it ends?

Yes, if it is shorter than 12 hours: the recording appears in the "Live" tab of the "Content" section. For mobile streams on channels under 1000 subscribers, the recording will be private by default.

Can I earn from streams in Russia?

YouTube currently doesn't accept new Partner Program applications from creators in Russia, so Super Chat and ads aren't available to new channels from Russia. Many Russian-speaking streamers accept donations through third-party services and show them on screen through OBS.