To stream a radio station to YouTube Live from a Windows PC, capture the station’s audio in OBS, add a still image or other suitable visual, then send the feed to YouTube using a stream URL and stream key from YouTube Studio. If the station audio plays in a Windows app, OBS can capture that app directly; if it comes from an external mixer, capture the mixer’s connected audio device. Before going live, confirm YouTube channel eligibility and online music rights, test the preview, and make sure your upload connection can sustain the stream.
Before you set up the stream
Confirm that YouTube Live is available on your channel
YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions during the preceding 90 days. First-time live streaming can take up to 24 hours to activate, so enable it well before a scheduled broadcast. Check YouTube’s current live-streaming requirements if the channel’s eligibility is unclear.
Confirm permission to stream the station online
A station’s permission to broadcast over terrestrial radio does not by itself establish that it may simulcast the same programming on YouTube. Rights depend on the country, music repertoire, contracts and licence terms. Confirm that the station’s permissions cover the intended online transmission with the relevant rights holders or a qualified adviser. YouTube also requires streams to comply with its Community Guidelines and audio and video rights rules.
Choose the right audio path
- Station audio plays in a Windows application: use OBS Application Audio Capture to select that app. This avoids capturing unrelated computer sounds.
- Station audio comes from an external mixer: connect the mixer’s output to a compatible PC input or audio interface, then capture that device in OBS. The correct cable and interface depend on the mixer’s output and the computer’s available inputs.
Set up OBS and capture the station audio
For audio playing in a Windows app
- Install and open OBS Studio, then create or select the scene you will use for the broadcast.
- In the scene’s Sources panel, select + and add Application Audio Capture. Choose the application playing the station feed. OBS documents this source for Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11; consult its Application Audio Capture guide for current setup details.
- Open Settings → Audio and disable global Desktop Audio capture. Capturing the app and the same sound through Desktop Audio can duplicate the signal and create echo.
- Play the station feed and watch the OBS audio mixer. The meter for the selected app should respond. Listen through OBS monitoring or a test stream to confirm the sound is clear and not doubled.
For an external mixer
- Connect the mixer’s audio output to a suitable input on the PC or an audio interface. Match the connection to the actual output; do not assume a microphone input accepts every mixer line-level signal safely.
- In OBS, add an Audio Input Capture source to the scene and select the connected device. OBS also provides Audio Output Capture sources where appropriate. See its audio sources guide.
- If you capture the device as a scene source, avoid selecting the same device again globally in Settings → Audio. Capturing it twice can produce echo or a doubled signal.
- Run the mixer at its normal broadcast level and check OBS’s meter for clipping or very low levels. The meter should move with the station feed.
Add a visual for the radio stream
YouTube Live is a video stream, so include a suitable picture even when the programme is audio-only. A station logo, programme artwork or other image you have permission to use can provide a static visual. In OBS, add an image source to the scene and position or size it as needed. Check the OBS preview to ensure the picture appears as intended; YouTube does not prescribe a particular visual design for a radio simulcast.
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Connect OBS to YouTube Live
- Open YouTube Studio → Create → Go live and use Live Control Room to create or select the stream. YouTube’s encoder setup guide explains the current process.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for the stream. Treat the key like a password: anyone with it may be able to send a feed to your channel. Do not show it in a public screenshot, scene or post.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube as the service, and enter the stream details. If OBS offers a server choice, use the RTMPS server URL shown in Live Control Room; YouTube recommends RTMPS, the encrypted form of RTMP.
- For a scheduled stream, start streaming from OBS first. Wait for the incoming feed and preview to appear in Live Control Room, check the picture and audio, then select Go live there.
If a stream key is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio before the next broadcast. YouTube’s stream key help describes managing and resetting keys.
Choose video, audio and network settings
Use a resolution and bitrate suited to the visual, PC and upload connection. A static radio image usually does not need a high frame rate. YouTube’s published encoder guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, H.265 or AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), and frame rates up to 60 fps. It recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, YouTube recommends 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. Check the current encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions, since platform guidance can change.
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| Video setting | YouTube H.264 bitrate guidance | When it may fit |
|---|---|---|
| 720p at 30 fps | 3 Mbps minimum; 8 Mbps recommended | A simple visual where a lower upload rate is preferable. |
| 1080p at 30 fps | 5 Mbps minimum; 14 Mbps recommended | Higher-resolution artwork or visuals, if the connection and PC can sustain it. |
These are YouTube’s platform recommendations, not a guarantee that your internet connection or computer can maintain the chosen rate. Check upload capacity rather than download speed, and leave 20% bandwidth headroom, as YouTube advises in its encoder guidance. If the outgoing connection is unstable, reduce the video bitrate or resolution and test again.
Test and monitor before and during the broadcast
- Start the station audio and check that the correct OBS source meter responds without clipping or duplication.
- Start the encoder and inspect YouTube’s Live Control Room preview. Confirm the artwork, audio and stream health before going live to viewers.
- Test with audio and movement representative of the actual programme. YouTube advises: “Make sure to test before you start your live stream.”
- During the broadcast, keep an eye on OBS and YouTube’s stream health, and listen for silence, distortion, dropouts or echo.
Troubleshoot common problems
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No audio in OBS | The wrong application or device is selected, or the source is not receiving signal. | Confirm the station is playing; reselect the app or input device and watch its mixer meter. |
| Echo or doubled audio | The same sound is captured both as a scene source and through global Desktop Audio or a global device. | Disable the duplicate capture in Settings → Audio. |
| Audio is present but YouTube has no preview | The encoder may not be connected, or the stream details may be wrong. | Check the stream URL and key in OBS, confirm the encoder is streaming, and verify the selected stream in Live Control Room. |
| Video or audio stutters | The upload connection or PC may not sustain the selected bitrate. | Check upload capacity, preserve bandwidth headroom, and lower the video bitrate or resolution before testing again. |
| Stream key may have been exposed | The key was visible in a screenshot, public scene or post. | Reset the key in YouTube Studio and update the encoder with the new key. |
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