Streaming to YouTube With Switcher Studio

Switcher Studio's YouTube integration allows you to easily stream to your YouTube channel. This article outlines the requirements and work steps to set up and start your livestream to YouTube using the Switcher Studio application on iOS.

In this article:

YouTube Livestreaming Requirements

NOTE: As of October 2024, YouTube mandates that Channels have at least 50 subscribers to live stream via mobile apps, including the Switcher app. If your Channel does not show as an available destination, check to see if your subscriber count has not met this threshold yet!

Enabling Livestreaming on YouTube

Before going live on YouTube, either directly or with Switcher Studio, you must enable livestreaming on your YouTube account. This is usually a one-time process.

Note: It can take up to 24 hours for YouTube to enable livestreaming.

Instructions:

  • Go to YouTube.com on a computer.

  • Log into your account.

  • Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner of the webpage.

  • Choose YouTube Studio.

  • Click on Settings via the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.

  • Choose Channel, followed by Feature Eligibility.

    • Enable "Standard Features" and "Intermediate Features".

  • Once verified, the window will display "Ready in 24 hours".

Click on your profile icon in the top-right corner of youtube.com to find the menu link for "YouTube Studio"!

Linking Your YouTube Account to Switcher Studio

You can link your YouTube account to Switcher Studio either directly through the Switcher Studio iOS app or the Switcher Dashboard. Many people prefer the Dashboard option because they can use a computer (and if you're already logged into YouTube, it makes the setup easier!)

Note: The YouTube linking authorization expires occasionally. If you receive an error message about a user token, or if you are prompted to relink your account, you can easily relink via the Dashboard or the iOS app.

Linking a YouTube Account Using the Switcher Studio Dashboard

  • Go to the Switcher Studio Dashboard in a web browser.

  • Click Platforms from the left sidebar.

  • Click the Connect button next to YouTube.

  • Click Connect Account.

  • Select the email address associated with your YouTube channel.

    • If you are not already logged into YouTube with that email address, you will be prompted to enter your Google password.

  • Click Allow.

    • You should receive a confirmation message that your account has been linked. If you are streaming right away, click Continue to move on to the next step. Otherwise, you can exit out of the Dashboard.

Linking a YouTube Account Using the Switcher Studio App

  • Go to the Outputs tab on your main Switcher device (box with arrow icon).

  • Next to Broadcast Mode choose Livestreaming.

  • Tap the orange New Event button or (if there is already an event displayed) the grey Change button and then New Event.

  • Tap the Connect Account button.

  • Select or enter the Google account associated with your YouTube channel.

    • If the account you want to use isn't shown, tap Use Another Account.

    • If prompted, enter the password for your Google account.

  • Tap Continue to allow YouTube Access.

  • Tap Continue.

    • A message will display indicating that your account has been linked.

Configuring the Livestream

After you have enabled livestreaming on YouTube and linked your YouTube account to Switcher, you can begin configuring the livestream settings.

Select the stream destination

  • Open the Switcher app on your main switching device, and go to the Outputs tab (box with arrow icon).

  • Tap the orange New Event button or (if there is already an event displayed) the grey Change button and then New Event.

  • Tap YouTube.

  • Choose the desired YouTube Channel.

  • Select the icons for any other platforms you'd like to stream to if you prefer Multistreaming!

  • Once all destinations have been selected, tap the orange Next button in the top-right corner of the window.

  • Enter in your event details, and run the SPEED TEST by tapping the dropdown arrow next to Stream Quality to choose the right resolution for your WiFi connection.

  • When you're all done, tap on Create Event at the bottom of the window!

Add the stream details and adjust the settings

  • Title: Tap the box to type in a title for the stream.

  • Event Description: Tap the box to type in a description of the stream.

  • Destination Settings: Tap the info icon (i) to adjust the privacy settings you want to use for the stream.

  • Stream Quality: Tap the desired setting based on your upload speed.

  • Tap Create Event.

  • Tap Continue.

Note: If creating a live video on YouTube to later be streamed through Switcher Studio, the latency setting on YouTube must be set to Normal.

Starting the Livestream in Switcher Studio

After tapping Create Event in the instructions above, you’ll be taken back to the main Switcher Studio screen, with the Outputs tab visible.

  • You should see the name of the stream you just created with the selected YouTube destination.

  • To go live, tap the record button in the top-right corner.


YouTube Settings - For Youtube.com Configuration Only

We recommend using the instructions above to create the livestream with Switcher Studio's YouTube integration. However, if you decide to create the stream directly on YouTube.com instead, and then use Switcher Studio to manage the stream, there are a few key settings to change:

Enabling Auto-Start & Auto-Stop

  • If you schedule a stream on YouTube.com, you will need to turn on the Enable Auto-Start and Enable Auto-Stop options.

  • If you are using Custom RTMP to stream to YouTube, you'll need to turn on the Enable Auto-Start and Enable Auto-Stop options.

Note: If these options are not enabled, your stream will not start/stop on YouTube unless you manually initiate/end it on YouTube.com.

To enable Auto-Start & Auto-Stop:

  • Go to the Live Control Room for your YouTube channel.

  • Click the calendar icon in the left-hand menu to manage your streams.

  • Click the title of the stream you want to edit.

  • Click the toggles next to Enable Auto-Start and Enable Auto-Stop.

    • When they are enabled, the buttons are blue and to the right.

Keyword(s): stream, livestream, youtube