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Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →To record a YouTube live stream, keep a local recording while you broadcast and use YouTube’s automatic archive as a second copy. YouTube may archive streams shorter than 12 hours, but longer streams may not be captured. Afterward, find the replay in YouTube Studio under Content > Live, then make a highlight, trim the replay in Studio, or download your own upload for editing elsewhere.
Choose how to keep a recording
| Option | Best for | Important check |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic YouTube archive | Keeping a replay available in Studio | Streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured. YouTube recommends a local archive as a backup. YouTube Help |
| Local recording during the broadcast | A separate backup and a source copy for later editing | Check during the stream that the recording file is growing and that audio and video are being captured. YouTube Help |
YouTube’s archive feature applies to encoder, webcam, and mobile streams, but an archive is not guaranteed. For a stream that matters, use both the platform archive and a local recording. An external drive can be a place to store that local file; YouTube does not specify a required drive size or model.
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Set up a local recording before going live
Prepare the broadcast
- In YouTube Studio, set up your stream in the Live Control Room and choose the workflow that suits the broadcast: mobile, webcam, or encoder.
- If you use an encoder, connect it with the YouTube Live server URL and stream key, then check the preview before starting the broadcast. Treat the stream key like a password: do not share or publish it. YouTube describes encoder setups as useful for gameplay, overlays, and external audio/video hardware. YouTube Help
- Enable local recording in your streaming workflow before going live. During the broadcast, verify that the local file is increasing in size and monitor whether the audio and video are recording correctly. YouTube live streaming tips
Keep the local source file until you have checked the YouTube replay and completed any edits you need. It is your fallback if the platform archive is missing, and it avoids relying on a downloaded copy that may be lower resolution.
Find and manage the YouTube replay
- Open YouTube Studio and select Content, then Live.
- Choose the past broadcast to open its details.
- Use the content controls to change the replay’s visibility or delete it. Mobile stream archives can also be managed from the mobile My videos page. YouTube Help
YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived; streams longer than 12 hours may not be captured at all. The archive guidance does not promise a replay for every broadcast, so check Studio after the stream and retain the local recording for important events.
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- 【Package Content & Note】 1x HD Audio Capture Card , 1x USB 3.0 to USB C Adapter (A-side 3.0, B-side 2.0), 1x user manual. Please note that you need to restart the OBS Studio software after the audio setup is complete, otherwise it will result in no sound output. When using an adapter, if the device is recognized as USB 2.0, try using the other side with the USB-C port. Simply flip the capture card and reconnect it to be recognized as USB 3.0
Make a highlight from a live stream
A highlight is useful when you want to publish a shorter moment rather than edit the entire replay. You can create one while live or after the stream ends. A stream marker helps locate the section afterward.
- During the broadcast, add a stream marker near a moment you may want to feature.
- In YouTube Studio, open the stream and start creating a highlight.
- Use the marker on the timeline to find the moment. Adjust the selection and timestamps; mute or unmute as needed, and set the title and privacy.
- Review the selection, then create the highlight. YouTube says created highlights are automatically published. YouTube Help
Because the highlight is published when created, check its selection and privacy settings before you finish.
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Trim the replay in YouTube Studio
For simple edits to the existing upload, Studio’s Editor can trim the beginning or end, or remove a middle section with New cut. YouTube says trimming works on videos shorter than six hours without re-uploading; the video keeps its URL, views, and comments. YouTube Help
- On a computer, open YouTube Studio and select Content.
- Choose the video, then open Editor.
- Use the trim controls to select material at the beginning or end. To remove material in the middle, choose New cut.
- Preview the result carefully, then save only when you are satisfied.
Know the save limitations before editing
- YouTube says an unedited video with more than 100,000 views may not be saveable, except for face blurring, unless the channel is in the YouTube Partner Program.
- As of June 2025, YouTube says saved Editor changes cannot be undone using “Revert to original.” Keep the local source and preview the edit before saving.
The limits above are described in YouTube’s Editor guidance; the page does not state publication years for the six-hour or view-count thresholds. YouTube Help
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Download your upload for editing elsewhere
If you need a post-production workflow outside Studio, YouTube lets you download your own upload from the video’s menu in Studio’s Content section. Its guidance documents MP4 downloads at 720p or 360p depending on video size, so a download may not preserve the original stream resolution. Google Takeout is another option for downloading all your uploaded videos. YouTube Help
When the download option may be unavailable
- The video was removed.
- The video has a copyright or Community Guidelines strike.
- The video uses a pre-approved audio track.
- You have already downloaded it five times in 24 hours.
The download feature is for your own uploads, not other users’ videos. For a straightforward trim or highlight on the existing video, Studio is the direct route; for broader editing, use your local source when available, since the documented Studio download may be lower resolution than the original.
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Check rights before broadcasting and publishing the replay
Before going live, make sure you have the rights needed for music, video clips, and other third-party material. YouTube’s live-stream terms say creators warrant that they have the necessary rights for exploitation of live content on Google services worldwide, including music licensing rights. The terms also apply to live and archived content. YouTube livestream terms
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsReview rights again before leaving a replay public: permission for material in a live broadcast does not become unnecessary when the stream is archived.
Or let it run in the cloud
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