Use the opening lines of your stream description and a pinned live-chat message to point viewers to one relevant uploaded video. Then add chapters to that video so viewers can find the promised section, and use its end screen to suggest a next watch. A key caveat: links in live chat are clickable on horizontal streams, but not in the vertical live feed in the YouTube mobile app.
Choose the right handoff for the viewer
Start with a specific viewer need and one destination. For example, a continuous music stream might point to a channel upload explaining the song’s background; a tutorial stream might point to a longer lesson covering one topic in depth. Tell viewers what they will get from the video rather than asking them to “watch more.”
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Use a playlist instead of a single video if the next useful step is a sequence of related uploads. Chapters are different: they help viewers navigate sections inside the destination video, but they do not create a link from the live stream.
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Make the destination easy to find in the description
Put the destination URL and a short reason to watch in the first visible lines of the live stream description. YouTube’s description guidance notes that viewers may need to expand the description to see the rest, so do not bury the important link lower down. Give each stream a description suited to its content, and use a related playlist when it offers a better route than one video. YouTube’s tips for video descriptions
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Post and pin a link in live chat
- Open the live chat for your stream in YouTube Studio or the YouTube watch page. Use the horizontal live stream view when you want viewers to click the chat link.
- Post a concise message. Include the destination URL and the reason to open it, such as “For the full explanation of this section, watch : [URL].”
- Pin the message. Use the message’s options menu and choose the pin option, then confirm if prompted. You can pin your own message or a viewer’s message, but only one message is pinned at a time. Only the creator can pin or replace it. YouTube Help: pin messages in live chat
- Replace it when the destination changes. Since only one message can be pinned, update the pin to match the current stream segment or the most useful next video.
YouTube’s link guidance says live-chat URLs are clickable in horizontal live streams. In the vertical live feed viewed in the mobile app, links in live chat and the channel description are not clickable. Tell those viewers what the video is called and which channel to search for; keep the title distinctive and easy to recognize. Sharing links with your audiences
Add chapters to the destination video
Chapters divide an uploaded video into timestamped sections with individual previews. Add them in the video’s description, using timestamps that accurately match the content. For manual chapters, YouTube requires the first timestamp to be 00:00, at least three timestamps in ascending order, and each chapter to last at least 10 seconds. YouTube Help: Video Chapters
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- In YouTube Studio, open Content and select the destination video.
- In the video details, edit the description and add chapter timestamps on separate lines. For example:
00:00 Introduction
01:24 How the process works
03:10 Common mistakes
04:35 Next steps - Check that 00:00 is first, that timestamps increase, and that each section covers at least 10 seconds of video.
- Save the description, then review the video to ensure each label accurately describes the section viewers land on.
Make the chapter label support the promise in your pinned message. If the chat says a video explains a particular setup, the corresponding chapter should take viewers to that explanation—not to an unrelated section.
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1Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteGive viewers a next step with an end screen
An end screen can promote a specific video or playlist on an eligible uploaded video. It occupies the final 5–20 seconds, and the video must be at least 25 seconds long. Some video formats and viewing surfaces are excluded, so check the editor for availability. You can review end-screen performance in YouTube Analytics. YouTube Help: Add end screens to videos
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- In YouTube Studio, open Content, select the related upload, and open its Editor.
- Choose End screen and add a video or playlist element.
- Place it in the final portion of the video, check that it does not obscure important content, and save.
- After the video has accumulated views, use Analytics to assess end-screen performance and decide whether the suggested next item is useful.
How the handoff options differ
| Method | Destination | Where it appears and link behavior | Limits or eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| Opening lines of stream description | Uploaded video or playlist | Stream description; viewers may need to expand it. In the vertical live feed in the YouTube mobile app, channel-description links are not clickable. | Keep the key link and reason to watch near the beginning. |
| Pinned live-chat message | Uploaded video or playlist | Live chat; URLs are clickable on horizontal live streams, but not in the vertical live feed in the YouTube mobile app. | One pinned message at a time; only the creator can pin or replace it. |
| Chapters | A section within an uploaded video | In the destination video description and playback navigation; they do not link from the live stream. | First timestamp 00:00, at least three timestamps, ascending order, and each chapter at least 10 seconds. |
| End screen | Eligible uploaded video or playlist | Final 5–20 seconds of an eligible upload; viewers can continue to another item. | Video must be at least 25 seconds; some formats and surfaces are excluded. |
| Live Redirect | A Premiere or another live stream | Handoff after a live stream ends; it is not a route to an ordinary uploaded video. | Sending creator must have more than 1,000 subscribers and no Community Guidelines strikes. |
Use Live Redirect only for a live-event handoff
Live Redirect is for sending viewers from one live stream to a Premiere or another live stream—not to a regular uploaded video. The sending creator must have more than 1,000 subscribers and no Community Guidelines strikes. Schedule the Premiere first, configure the redirect in the live stream settings, and tell viewers to wait briefly after the stream ends while the screen reloads. Check YouTube’s current setup and eligibility details before planning an event transition. How to use YouTube Live Redirect and Manage live stream settings
Keep a 24/7 stream running while you guide viewers
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Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting common handoff problems
Viewers say the live-chat link cannot be clicked
Check whether they are watching the vertical live feed in the YouTube mobile app. Links in that context are non-clickable. Tell viewers the destination’s exact video title and channel name so they can search for it.
The pinned message is not the one you posted
Only one message can be pinned at once, and only the creator can change it. Pin the new message using its options menu; confirm the old destination is no longer the one viewers see.
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The description link is hard to find
Move it and its short explanation into the opening lines. Longer descriptions require expansion, so a link lower down may be missed.
Chapters do not appear or the timestamps are wrong
Review the destination description for a first timestamp of 00:00, at least three timestamps in ascending order, and sections lasting at least 10 seconds. Then check the timestamps against the actual video content and save any corrections.
The end-screen option is unavailable
Confirm the video is at least 25 seconds long and that the format and viewing surface support end screens. YouTube excludes some formats and surfaces.
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Live Redirect does not offer the intended video
Redirect is for a Premiere or another live stream, not an ordinary upload. Check the sender’s eligibility and schedule the Premiere before configuring the handoff.
Quick Recap
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