Get started with live streaming - Computer (2025)

Live streaming lets you interact with your audience in real time with a video feed, chat and more.

Intro to live streaming on YouTube

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.

Pin messages

You can pin your own message or a viewer's message in live chat. Pinned messages are shown below Super Chat. To pin a message:

1. Go to the chat window during a live stream or Premiere.
2. Find a message from live chat, even your own, and click or tap 'More' .
3. Click or tap Pin .

Note: You can only pin one message at a time. To replace a pinned message, simply pin another message. Only you, not your moderators or viewers, can pin messages.To unpin a message, tap 'More' on a pinned message Unpin.

Create a live poll

1. At the bottom of the chat window, clickCreate a poll .
2. Create your poll.

3. To end a poll and see the results in the chat, in the banner at the top of the chat, clickEnd poll.

4. Select Ask your community.

Start a Live Q&A

Live Q&A lets you find and select questions within your live chat to answer for your viewers. To start a Live Q&A:

1. Schedule or start a live stream or a Premiere.
2. At the bottom of the chat window, click Start a Q&A.
3. Add a prompt and click Start Q&A.

Answer questions from the chat

Once you've started a Live Q&A, the 'Questions list' will appear in the chat window. To answer a question:

1. Select a question from the questions list.
2. Click 'Menu' Select question. The question will be pinned to the top of the chat window and visible to your viewers.
3. Click Close to remove a question banner from the chat window.

End a Live Q&A

1. To end your Live Q&A, click End Q&A at the top of the chat. All unanswered questions in the list will be deleted and Live Q&A sessions will be available in chat replay.

• To delete a question that you've submitted that has not been pinned to chats, go toMy Activity.
• To delete questions that are pinned to the chat window, click 'Menu'Delete.

Turn reactions on or off

You can turn reactions on or off during a live stream within your Live Control Room. You can change this setting at any point during your stream.

1. On a computer, go to YouTube Studio.
2. At the top right, click CREATEGo live.
3. From the Live Control Room, click the 'Stream' tab.
4. Click EditCustomisation.
5. Select Reactions.
6. Toggle the settings on or off.

Choose a way to stream

There are multiple methods of streaming by using a mobile, webcam, encoder or console. Choose the one that's best for what you're streaming.

Mobile

Good for vlogging and quick updates from your phone or tablet. To create a mobile live stream, you need to meet the requirements.

Learn how to mobile stream.

Webcam

Quickly live stream from your computer using a webcam. You'll need a computer with a webcam.

Learn how to stream with a webcam.

Encoder

Encoders let you stream gameplay and overlays, and use hardware like preamps, mics and cameras. This type of stream is commonly used for gaming, sporting events, concerts and conferences.

Learn how to stream using an encoder.

Games consoles

Modern game consoles from PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo allow you to directly stream from the device. Please review each console maker's instruction manual for directions on how to stream.

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 undertake 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 undertaking 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.