How to set up live streaming from Zoom to YouTube

To stream your Zoom meetings or webinars live to YouTube, you’ll first need to enable live streaming in your Zoom account settings. Then, during your meeting or webinar, choose the option to “Live on YouTube” from the “More” menu.

Prerequisites

• Zoom Account: You must have a Pro, Business, Education, or Enterprise Zoom account.
• Admin Privileges: You need account owner or admin privileges within your Zoom account to enable live streaming.
• Zoom Webinars License (Optional): Required only if you want to live stream a Zoom Webinar.
• YouTube Channel: You’ll need a YouTube channel and the ability to live stream on that channel. It may take 24 hours to enable live streaming for your YouTube channel. Check your YouTube account settings to ensure live streaming is enabled.
• Zoom Desktop Client: Ensure you’re using the latest version of the Zoom desktop client.
• YouTube Stream Key: Have your YouTube stream key ready, which can be found in your YouTube Studio.

Enable Live Streaming for Meetings or Webinars

1. Sign in to the Zoom web portal: Go to the Zoom website and sign in with your administrator account.
2. Navigate to Account Management: In the navigation menu, click on “Account Management,” then select “Account Settings.”
3. Find the “Allow livestreaming” setting: On the Account Settings page, use the search bar and type “Allow livestreaming.” This setting appears under the “In Meeting (Advanced)” section.
4. Enable Live Streaming: Toggle the “Allow livestreaming of meetings” option to the on position (blue). This enables live streaming for meetings.
5. Select YouTube: Ensure the YouTube option is checked. You can also select other streaming platforms if desired.
6. Enable Live Streaming for Webinars (if needed): If you intend to stream webinars, repeat steps 4 and 5 for the “Allow livestreaming of webinars” option, also located in the “In Meeting (Advanced)” section.
7. Lock the Setting (Optional): To ensure users cannot change this setting at the group or user level, click the lock icon.

Start Live Streaming to YouTube During a Meeting or Webinar

1. Start Your Meeting or Webinar: Begin your scheduled Zoom meeting or webinar as the host.
2. Click “More”: Once the meeting or webinar has started, find the “More” button in the meeting controls. It’s represented by three dots.
3. Select “Live on YouTube”: In the “More” menu, click on “Live on YouTube”.
4. Authenticate with YouTube: Your web browser will open, prompting you to sign in to your YouTube account (if you’re not already signed in).
5. Authorize Zoom: Grant Zoom the necessary permissions to stream to your YouTube channel. Click “Allow.”
6. Enter Stream Information (if prompted): If prompted, enter the required stream information, such as the video title, description, and privacy settings (Public, Unlisted, or Private).
7. Go Live: Click the “Go Live!” button. Zoom will begin streaming your meeting or webinar to your YouTube channel.
8. Monitor the Stream: A “Live on YouTube” indicator will appear in the top-left corner of your Zoom meeting window. You can monitor the stream through your YouTube Studio.
9. End the Stream: To stop the live stream, click the “Stop Streaming” button in your Zoom meeting controls (under the “More” menu where you started the stream). The live stream will end on YouTube as well.

Start Live Streaming to YouTube Using Stream Key Method

1. Start Your Meeting or Webinar: Begin your scheduled Zoom meeting or webinar as the host.
2. Click “More”: Once the meeting or webinar has started, find the “More” button in the meeting controls. It’s represented by three dots.
3. Select “Live on Custom Live Streaming Service”: In the “More” menu, click on “Live on Custom Live Streaming Service”.
4. Enter Stream Information: Zoom will prompt you to enter the Stream URL, Stream Key and Live Streaming page URL.
5. Stream URL: Use rtmp://a.rtmp.youtube.com/live2
6. Stream Key: Go to YouTube Studio, Manage -> Live -> then choose stream.
7. Live Streaming Page URL: Paste your YouTube channel url.
8. Go Live: Click the “Go Live!” button. Zoom will begin streaming your meeting or webinar to your YouTube channel.
9. Monitor the Stream: A “Live on Custom Live Streaming Service” indicator will appear in the top-left corner of your Zoom meeting window. You can monitor the stream through your YouTube Studio.
10. End the Stream: To stop the live stream, click the “Stop Streaming” button in your Zoom meeting controls (under the “More” menu where you started the stream). The live stream will end on YouTube as well.

Common Issues

• YouTube Live Streaming Not Enabled: If you don’t see the “Live on YouTube” option, double-check that you have enabled live streaming in your Zoom account settings, as described above. Also confirm that your YouTube channel is enabled for live streaming. It can take up to 24 hours for YouTube to activate live streaming after enabling it.
• Authentication Problems: If you encounter errors during the YouTube authentication process, ensure you are using the correct Google account associated with your YouTube channel. Clear your browser’s cache and cookies, or try a different browser.
• Poor Video Quality: Live streaming quality depends on your internet connection. Ensure you have a stable and fast internet connection for optimal streaming quality. Also, check the video settings in your Zoom client and YouTube Studio to adjust the resolution and bitrate.
• Audio Issues: If viewers on YouTube cannot hear the audio, verify that your microphone is properly configured in Zoom and that the correct audio output is selected. You may need to adjust the audio levels in both Zoom and YouTube Studio.
• Stream Delay: There is often a slight delay between the live Zoom meeting and the YouTube stream. This is normal and can vary depending on network conditions. You can monitor the stream’s latency in YouTube Studio. Consider informing meeting participants about the delay if you plan to interact with viewers on YouTube.