To enable YouTube live streaming, verify the channel and make sure it has no live-streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. The creator must be at least 16, and first-time activation can take up to 24 hours. Parental controls help parents manage what a child watches; they do not bypass the creator-age or channel-eligibility requirements.
How to turn on live streaming for a YouTube channel
- Check age and channel eligibility. YouTube requires the creator to be at least 16, the channel to be verified, and no live-streaming restrictions in the previous 90 days. See YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility and setup guidance.
- Verify the channel if needed. Follow YouTube’s channel verification process while signed in to the account that owns the channel. Verification is an account requirement, not a camera or equipment setting.
- Enable live streaming. In YouTube Studio, open the Create menu and choose Go live, then follow the on-screen activation steps. If this is the channel’s first activation, access may take up to 24 hours to become available; switching it on does not guarantee you can stream immediately.
- Choose a streaming method. YouTube supports mobile, webcam, encoder, and console streaming. Pick the method that fits your setup after eligibility is confirmed. A webcam is optional for computer-based streaming and does not enable an otherwise ineligible channel.
Mobile live streaming has an additional threshold
To stream from the YouTube mobile app, the channel needs at least 50 subscribers, must be verified, must have no live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days, and must have live streaming enabled. First-time mobile access may also take up to 24 hours to become available. The general age requirement still applies.
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For users ages 13–17, YouTube’s stated default privacy setting for mobile live streams is unlisted; adults’ default is public. The creator can change the privacy setting. This is an age-specific default, not a parental control or an exception to the eligibility rules.
Where to find YouTube parental controls
Parents can manage supervised-account viewing settings through Family Center or Family Link. These controls shape the child’s YouTube experience; they do not activate live streaming, replace channel verification, or grant an exception to the minimum creator age.
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Family Center in YouTube
- Sign in with the parent account.
- Open the profile picture, then Settings > Family Center.
- Select the child’s profile and manage the available settings for the supervised account or teen.
Family Link
- Open Family Link and select the child.
- Choose Controls > Content restrictions > YouTube.
- Adjust the available content and viewing controls for that child’s account.
Depending on the account and available settings, parents can choose a content level, block channels, review or clear watch history, pause watch or search history, disable autoplay, and set a daily Shorts-feed limit. These are viewing controls, not creator eligibility settings. See YouTube’s guide to supervised experiences and parental controls.
Can a child live stream with parental controls?
Parental controls do not change YouTube’s minimum creator age: the person live streaming must be at least 16 and the channel must meet the other eligibility requirements. YouTube’s help page states: “You must be at least 16 years old to live stream.” If a stream does not meet the minimum-age policy, YouTube may take it down and temporarily restrict the account’s access to live streaming.
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Separate from who may create a stream, YouTube’s child-safety policy addresses minors appearing in broadcasts. Live streams featuring minors under 16 who are not visibly accompanied by an adult may have live chat disabled or be removed, and the channel may lose live-streaming access or other features temporarily or permanently. Adult accompaniment does not remove the separate age-16 requirement for the creator. YouTube advises adult supervision, age-appropriate activities, and privacy practices. Read YouTube’s child safety policy for live streams.
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- The channel is not verified: Complete YouTube’s verification process for the channel, then try again.
- Live streaming was just enabled: First-time activation can take up to 24 hours. Wait for activation to finish rather than assuming the feature is available immediately.
- The channel has a recent live-streaming restriction: YouTube requires no live-streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. Equipment changes or parental settings do not clear this eligibility condition.
- The creator is under 16: Parental consent or Family Link settings do not confer an age exception.
- The attempt is from a mobile device and the channel has fewer than 50 subscribers: The mobile method has its own subscriber threshold. Consider another supported method only if the channel satisfies YouTube’s general requirements; changing devices does not waive the age, verification, or restriction rules.
- The channel is eligible but a minor appears in the broadcast: Review YouTube’s child-safety policy, including its rules on visible adult accompaniment and possible chat or stream restrictions.
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