PostEaseThe short answer
YouTube Live is live streaming on YouTube: you broadcast video as it happens, and viewers watch and talk to you in live chat. YouTube’s Help Center puts it as live streaming that “lets you interact with your audience in real time with a video feed, chat, and more.”
To go live, a channel needs to be verified and free of live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days, and the person streaming must be at least 16. Streaming from a phone has one more requirement: at least 50 subscribers. When the stream ends, YouTube can keep it on your channel as an archive.
Four ways to stream
YouTube names four methods. Each suits a different setup:
| Method | What you need | What YouTube says it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile | The YouTube app on an Android 8.0+ or iOS 8+ device, and at least 50 subscribers | Vlogging and quick updates from your phone or tablet |
| Webcam | A computer with a webcam | Going live quickly from your computer |
| Encoder | Streaming software or hardware connected to YouTube Studio | Gameplay, overlays, preamps, mics and cameras; gaming, sport, concerts and conferences |
| Game console | A PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo console that streams directly | Streaming from the console itself, following its maker’s instructions |
Who can go live
YouTube lists the same core conditions for every method: verify your channel, have no live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days, and be at least 16 years old. YouTube says streams that break the age rule are taken down, and the account may temporarily lose the ability to stream. On mobile, YouTube adds that the first live stream can take up to 24 hours to become available after you turn streaming on; after that, you can go live instantly.
Mobile streaming has a subscriber threshold. With 50 to 999 subscribers, YouTube may limit the number of viewers on a mobile stream, and the archive is set to private by default. YouTube says that after a channel reaches 1,000 subscribers, it may take several weeks for that limit to be lifted, and a channel keeps mobile streaming unless it drops below 50.
Horizontal and vertical at once
By default, a stream started from the Live Control Room in YouTube Studio goes out in both 16:9 and 9:16 at the same time. The vertical version is a center crop unless you choose Fit to phone width or Stacked, and it is what viewers see in the Shorts feed. Both versions share one URL, one go-live notification and one live chat. You can turn this off with Dual stream in the stream settings, but YouTube notes the vertical format cannot be added once the stream has started.
YouTube’s Help Center compares the two formats:
| Feature | Horizontal stream | Vertical live feed |
|---|---|---|
| Found in the Shorts feed | No | Yes |
| Clickable links in chat and channel description | Yes | No |
| Live mid-roll and pre-roll ads | Yes | No |
| Premieres and live redirect | Yes | No |
| Memberships and gifted memberships | Yes | Yes |
Scheduling, guests and practice
In the mobile app you can schedule a stream for later from the same Create, Live screen, then start it from the calendar icon when the time comes. Go Live Together lets an eligible creator bring one guest at a time onto a mobile stream, invited by link; the guest needs a YouTube channel. YouTube says the host channel earns the ads on that stream and is responsible for everything said in it, guests included. Live Practice Mode, rolling out on mobile, opens a private session with no audience so you can rehearse before going live.
After the stream: archives and highlights
If a stream is shorter than 12 hours, YouTube can archive it automatically, and YouTube warns that a stream longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. It recommends recording a local copy as a backup. You can change an archive’s visibility or delete it from YouTube Studio under Content, then the Live tab. On mobile, the recap at the end shows stream stats and may offer to save a Short highlight pulled from the stream, saved as a private video until you publish it.
Rules while live
Live streams follow the Community Guidelines like any other video. YouTube says a first live warning can expire after 90 days if you take policy training, unless the same policy is broken again in that window. A strike stops you from live streaming for 14 days, and using another channel to stream while restricted counts as circumvention under the Terms of Service.
Questions
How many subscribers do you need to go live on YouTube?
On a computer, with a webcam or an encoder, YouTube lists no subscriber minimum: you need a verified channel with no live restrictions in the past 90 days. On mobile, you need at least 50 subscribers, and under 1,000 the audience may be limited.
How old do you have to be to live stream on YouTube?
At least 16, according to YouTube’s Help Center. Streams that break the rule are taken down, and the account may temporarily lose live streaming.
Does YouTube save a live stream after it ends?
Yes, if the stream is under 12 hours. YouTube can archive it automatically on your channel, where you can change its visibility or delete it. Streams over 12 hours may not be saved.
Can I schedule a YouTube live stream?
Yes. In the app, tap Create, then Live, then Edit, and pick a date under Schedule for later. On a computer, scheduled streams are managed in the Live Control Room in YouTube Studio.
Sources
- YouTube, Get started with live streaming, checked October 2026.
- YouTube, Create a live stream on mobile, checked October 2026.
- YouTube, Archive live streams, checked October 2026.
- YouTube, Invite a guest to your live stream with Go Live Together, checked October 2026.