To send prerecorded video through OBS to YouTube Live, create or schedule a live event in YouTube Studio, enter that event’s stream URL and key in OBS, and make OBS send the video and audio you want viewers to see. For a scheduled event, start the encoder, check YouTube’s preview, then select Go live in Live Control Room. After the broadcast, YouTube may archive it automatically; keep a local recording as backup and add the finished archive to a YouTube playlist yourself.
What the stream key does—and what it does not do
The stream key connects an encoder such as OBS to a YouTube Live event. YouTube describes stream keys as “like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” The key handles the connection; it does not select or play a prerecorded video, create a playlist, or guarantee that the completed stream will be archived.
There are three separate jobs: configure OBS to connect to the event, send the intended prerecorded video and audio as OBS’s output, and organize the resulting archive on YouTube after the stream. Do not confuse a playlist of finished YouTube videos with a playlist or playback setup inside OBS.
1. Create or schedule the YouTube Live event
- Open YouTube Studio and choose Create > Go Live.
- Use the Stream tab to create a stream, or open Manage to schedule one. YouTube allows creators to create a new scheduled stream or reuse settings from a previous event.
- Set the event’s title, description, privacy and other available details. Check visibility before starting: YouTube offers public, private and unlisted settings, and the default visibility differs for users aged 13–17 and users aged 18 or older.
- Open the event’s stream settings and copy its stream URL and stream key. Keep the key private; do not expose it in screenshots, screen recordings, or examples.
YouTube’s encoder workflow is described in its instructions for using an encoder to go live. For a scheduled event, connect the encoder when it is time to start; once YouTube receives the feed and displays a preview, select Go live in Live Control Room.
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2. Connect OBS to the event
YouTube’s guidance is generic encoder guidance, not a verified, version-specific OBS menu walkthrough. OBS labels and placement can change between versions, so use the current OBS documentation for the version you have rather than relying on a guessed click path. The connection requires the values YouTube provides for the event:
- If OBS offers a YouTube service or preset, choose it and enter the event’s stream key as directed by the current OBS interface.
- If you configure the connection manually, enter YouTube’s stream URL in OBS’s server or RTMP field and enter the stream key in the corresponding key field.
Confirm that the event shown in YouTube Studio is the one you intend to stream to before sending video. A key is a credential: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to that event. If it is compromised, reset it in Live Control Room and replace it in OBS. YouTube says only a channel owner or manager can reset a stream key; see its guidance on stream keys.
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3. Send the prerecorded video and audio
Connecting OBS to YouTube is only the transport step. OBS must also be sending the intended video and audio feed. Use the current OBS documentation to configure file playback, any looping or sequencing you need, scene selection, and audio routing. The YouTube encoder instructions establish how to connect the encoder, but do not establish a particular OBS file source, playlist interface, or looping procedure.
Before the event, verify that the selected feed contains the complete program and that its audio is routed to the output YouTube receives. If you intend a continuous or repeated program, confirm the playback behavior in your OBS version; do not assume that adding multiple files creates an automatically repeating YouTube playlist.
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4. Test the feed and go live
YouTube recommends setting up the encoder well before a scheduled broadcast and starting it ahead of the planned start time so there is time to inspect the preview. Its live streaming tips and encoder troubleshooting guidance support these checks:
- Confirm that OBS is connected to the intended event and that YouTube Live Control Room receives a preview.
- Watch and listen to the preview to check that the correct video and audio are present and usable.
- Confirm that your local recording is being created and that the file is intact; do not wait until the end to discover that no backup was saved.
- For a scheduled event, start the encoder, inspect the preview, and then select Go live in Live Control Room.
5. Keep an archive and add it to a YouTube playlist
YouTube can automatically archive live streams that are shorter than 12 hours. A stream longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all, so an automatic YouTube archive is not a dependable sole copy for a longer broadcast. YouTube recommends recording a local archive as a backup; its live-stream archive guidance explains the limitation.
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After the event, find the completed archive in YouTube Studio and organize it with your other videos. Add the archive—and any separate highlight clips you want viewers to find—to a YouTube playlist. This is a post-stream YouTube organization step; OBS does not automatically place the archive in a YouTube playlist. Do not assume the archive will appear immediately or that YouTube has created a playlist for it. See YouTube’s playlist instructions.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Common problems and fixes
YouTube receives no signal
Check that OBS is using the stream URL and key for the correct event, and that the encoder is connected. If the key was reset, replace the old value in OBS. Consult YouTube’s encoder troubleshooting steps for connection problems.
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The preview is black, wrong, or silent
Check which video feed or scene OBS is sending and confirm the intended audio reaches the encoder output. Inspect YouTube’s preview before going live; a successful connection by itself does not prove the right program is being sent.
The live video is missing from the channel afterward
Check the event’s status and archive in YouTube Studio, but retain the local recording rather than relying on the platform copy alone. Streams exceeding 12 hours may not be captured, and YouTube does not promise that an archive will appear immediately.
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