You can send a radio station’s audio to YouTube Live from a Windows PC with OBS Studio: capture either the Windows application playing the station or the audio device connected to an external mixer, add a visual, and send the feed using the stream URL and key from YouTube Studio. Before going live, confirm the channel is eligible and activated, check that your rights cover online transmission, and test the complete signal path.
Before you start: channel access and music rights
Check YouTube Live eligibility
YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions during the preceding 90 days. First-time live streaming activation can take up to 24 hours, so enable it well before the intended broadcast. See YouTube’s live-streaming access requirements.
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Confirm permission to stream the station online
A station’s permission to broadcast over terrestrial radio does not by itself establish permission to simulcast its audio on YouTube. Rights depend on the country, music repertoire, contracts and applicable licences. Confirm that the station’s permissions cover online transmission on YouTube with the relevant rights holders or a qualified adviser before streaming. YouTube also requires streams to comply with its Community Guidelines and respect audio and video rights; see YouTube’s stream settings guidance.
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The setup depends on where the station’s audio is playing. If it is playing in a Windows application, capture that application directly. If the signal comes from a physical mixer, capture the mixer’s audio device instead. Avoid capturing the same signal through two paths, which can produce echo or doubled audio.
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| Audio source | OBS approach | Important check |
|---|---|---|
| Internet radio or station feed playing in a Windows application | Use Application Audio Capture and select the application. | Disable global Desktop Audio in OBS to avoid capturing the same sound twice. OBS documents this source for Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11. |
| External radio mixer or audio console | Add an Audio Input Capture source and select the device receiving the mixer’s output. | Make sure the mixer output matches the PC input or connected interface. Do not also select the same device globally in OBS audio settings. |
OBS explains Application Audio Capture on Windows and audio input and output sources. A mixer may need a compatible interface or cable, depending on its output and the inputs available on the PC. A PC application feed can be captured directly without buying extra audio hardware.
Set up OBS and send the stream
- Install OBS Studio. Open OBS and create a scene for the radio simulcast. Give the scene a clear name so it is easy to identify if you use other scenes.
- Add the audio source for your setup. For a Windows application, use Sources → + → Application Audio Capture and select the application playing the station. Then open Settings → Audio and disable global Desktop Audio. For an external mixer, use Sources → + → Audio Input Capture, select the device connected to the mixer, and avoid enabling that same device globally as well.
- Add a suitable visual. Add station artwork, a logo or another appropriate image source to the scene. YouTube does not prescribe a particular visual design for a radio simulcast, but the outgoing video should be intentional and visible in the preview.
- Connect OBS to YouTube Studio. In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and create or select a stream. Copy the stream URL and stream key into OBS’s streaming configuration. Treat the stream key like a password: do not show it in a screenshot, scene or public post. YouTube provides instructions for setting up a live stream with an encoder and resetting a compromised key.
- Check the video and audio signal. Confirm that the preview shows the intended visual and that the OBS audio meters respond to the station. Listen to the encoder output if possible, not just the source application, to catch silence, clipping, doubled sound or an unintended desktop-audio capture.
- Start the encoder and go live. Start streaming from OBS. For a scheduled stream, wait until the preview appears in Live Control Room, then select Go live there. Check the stream status before sharing the live link.
Choose encoder settings that fit a radio simulcast
YouTube’s published encoder guidance supports RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, H.265 or AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio for RTMP/RTMPS, constant bitrate (CBR), and frame rates up to 60 fps. For a simple radio image, higher resolution or frame rate may not improve what viewers see; choose settings that suit the artwork or motion, the PC and the available upload connection.
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| Setting | Practical choice | YouTube guidance |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | Use RTMPS if OBS offers it; copy the server URL from Live Control Room. | YouTube recommends RTMPS, the TLS-encrypted form of RTMP. |
| Video encoder | Choose a supported encoder your PC can sustain. | YouTube lists H.264, H.265 and AV1. |
| Rate control | Set CBR. | YouTube’s encoder guidance specifies constant bitrate. |
| Keyframe interval | Set 2 seconds. | YouTube recommends 2 seconds and says not to exceed 4 seconds. |
| Stereo audio | Set 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps as the target. | YouTube recommends 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps for stereo audio. |
| Video bitrate at 1080p30 | Use only if the visual and connection justify it. | YouTube’s H.264 table lists 5 Mbps minimum and 14 Mbps recommended. |
| Video bitrate at 720p30 | Often sufficient for a static or simple radio visual. | YouTube’s H.264 table lists 3 Mbps minimum and 8 Mbps recommended. |
These are YouTube platform recommendations, not a guarantee that a particular PC or internet connection can maintain the bitrate. Review YouTube’s encoder settings, bitrates and resolutions for the current published guidance.
Check upload capacity and test before broadcasting
- Measure upload, not just download. YouTube recommends leaving 20% bandwidth headroom. A download speed result does not establish that the outgoing stream will be stable. See YouTube’s encoder guidance.
- Test the actual audio path. Use the real radio application or mixer, rather than a different audio source, so the test can reveal routing, level and duplication issues.
- Inspect the preview and stream health. Confirm both the picture and audio before opening the stream to viewers. YouTube recommends testing with audio and movement representative of the event, checking the preview, and monitoring audio, video and stream health continuously. See YouTube’s live-stream testing guidance.
- Monitor the broadcast. Watch OBS meters and YouTube’s status indicators during the stream. Keep the PC and its network connection available for the broadcast; this workflow sends the signal from your own computer.
Troubleshooting common problems
YouTube Studio says the channel cannot go live
Check channel verification and whether live-streaming restrictions apply. If this is the channel’s first live stream, activation may take up to 24 hours; enable it ahead of time rather than troubleshooting at the start of a scheduled broadcast.
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The stream starts, but YouTube receives no audio
Confirm the correct application is selected in Application Audio Capture, or the correct input device is selected for an external mixer. Check that the source is not muted and that OBS’s audio meters move. For a mixer, verify that it is sending signal to the chosen PC input or interface.
The audio echoes or sounds doubled
Look for duplicate capture. If Application Audio Capture is active, disable global Desktop Audio in Settings → Audio. If the mixer’s device is an Audio Input Capture source, do not select that same device globally as well.
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The audio works, but the preview is blank
Check that the scene contains an image or other video source and that it is visible in the scene preview. A radio feed still needs a video signal in the encoder scene; verify the selected visual is not hidden or obscured.
The stream drops or reports unstable connection
Check upload speed and leave YouTube’s recommended 20% headroom. Reduce video bitrate or resolution if the connection or PC cannot sustain the selected settings, then test again. Use the RTMPS server URL supplied by Live Control Room when available.
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The stream is interrupted after the key is exposed
Reset the stream key in YouTube Studio and replace the saved key in OBS. Anyone with the key may be able to send a feed to the channel, so do not include it in public screenshots or posts.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Or let it run in the cloud
If your goal is to keep a YouTube channel live 24/7 using pre-recorded station material, StreamNeo is an alternative to running OBS continuously on a Windows PC. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. StreamNeo loops uploaded videos from the cloud, so no computer or home connection has to stay on. It streams the uploaded video as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one flat price per slot; it does not re-encode or stream from a live camera. Automatic recovery can resume the stream if YouTube drops it.
The first day is free with no card, one free day per account. The Monthly price is $9.99 per month. StreamNeo is for YouTube only. See StreamNeo for details, or start the free day.
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