Enter the key in OBS under Settings > Stream, but treat it like a password: never show the YouTube Live Control Room key field or OBS stream settings in a screen recording or broadcast capture. If the key has already appeared publicly, reset it in YouTube Studio and replace the saved key in OBS.
What the YouTube stream key does
YouTube describes stream keys as “like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” The key identifies where your encoder sends the feed and allows YouTube to accept it. For a radio-style broadcast, OBS sends the audio and any accompanying video to the YouTube stream you selected; the key is a credential, not something viewers need to see.
You do not necessarily need a new key for every broadcast. If you have streamed before, YouTube may load the previous stream settings and key. Use the key associated with the intended stream in Live Control Room.
Copy the key from the intended YouTube stream
- Open YouTube Studio and select Create > Go Live.
- Open the Stream tab. Create a stream if you do not already have the one you intend to use.
- Copy the stream key. If you are configuring OBS manually, also copy the stream URL shown for that stream. Do not paste the key into a script, on-screen note, or screen-recording scene.
YouTube’s encoder setup instructions use this stream information to connect encoder software to the selected live stream. Labels and available options can vary with YouTube and OBS versions.
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Add the key in OBS
Keep your broadcast scene separate from the credential screen while you set this up. In particular, do not have a display or window capture showing OBS settings or YouTube Studio if that capture is part of the stream or a tutorial recording.
- In OBS, open Settings > Stream.
- Choose YouTube as the service if it is available. Depending on the OBS version and connection flow, you may be able to connect the account or use a built-in YouTube configuration.
- If the configuration requires a key, paste the key copied from the intended YouTube stream into the stream-key field. If you are using a custom server configuration, enter the stream URL supplied by YouTube and the key; do not guess an endpoint.
- Select Apply or OK to save, then close Settings before you enable any capture that could show the settings window.
- Start the stream from OBS and check YouTube Live Control Room for the incoming feed before sharing the broadcast with viewers.
The direct YouTube option can reduce manual setup, while manual configuration makes you copy the URL and key yourself. Neither approach makes a visible key safe to show; keep the credential out of captured screens in either case.
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Keep the key out of the broadcast and recording
OBS can capture a whole display or a specific window. That makes the key vulnerable to accidental disclosure if you show the Live Control Room or OBS’s Stream settings while a relevant capture is active. This is a practical risk of what the capture includes, not a claim that OBS will automatically mask the key.
- Enter or change the key before you start a screen recording or go live with a scene that captures your desktop.
- If you need to demonstrate setup, pause or disable the relevant capture while entering the credential, or use a scene that excludes YouTube Studio and OBS settings.
- Review the scene preview before going live. Check for browser tabs, settings dialogs, notifications, or other captured content that could reveal the key.
- Do not include the key in screenshots, tutorial footage, chat messages, or documents you plan to share.
Use RTMPS when the YouTube preset supports it
YouTube describes RTMPS as “RTMP over a Transport Layer Security (TLS/SSL) connection” that provides encryption. Choose a YouTube RTMPS preset if OBS offers one, or use the RTMPS URL provided in Live Control Room when configuring a compatible custom server. Follow the URL and protocol YouTube supplies rather than constructing one yourself.
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RTMPS protects the encoder connection in transit. It does not conceal a key shown in a locally captured settings window or on a recording.
If you accidentally exposed the key
- In YouTube Studio, go to Create > Go Live > Stream for the affected stream.
- Find Stream key and select Reset next to the hidden key.
- Copy the replacement key and update the saved value in OBS > Settings > Stream.
- Start or reconnect the encoder with the new key and confirm that YouTube receives the feed.
Resetting invalidates the old key for the encoder, so any software still using it must be updated. YouTube says channel owners and managers can reset a key; editors and viewers do not have that permission. If you are troubleshooting an encoder-start error rather than responding to a possible exposure, YouTube also advises obtaining a new key in Live Control Room and updating the encoder for certain errors.
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