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In YouTube Studio, select Create > Go Live > Stream, then find the Stream key section in Live Control Room. Copy the key into your encoder’s Stream Key field. If the key is missing or compromised, a channel owner or manager can reset it there; then replace the saved key in the encoder too.
Find the stream key in YouTube Studio
- Sign in to YouTube Studio and make sure the channel you intend to stream on is selected.
- Click Create in the upper-right corner, then select Go Live to open Live Control Room.
- Choose Stream from the left navigation.
- Locate Stream key and use its copy control. Paste the value into the encoder’s Stream Key field. The encoder also needs the Stream URL; the key and URL are separate fields.
YouTube describes stream keys as “like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” Treat the key as a private credential: do not share it in public screenshots or chats. YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings.
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If the Stream key section is missing
- Check the selected channel. Studio may be open to a different channel than the one you intend to stream on.
- Open Live Control Room’s Stream tab. The key is found in the Stream section, not by looking for the separate Stream URL.
- Check your role if you need to reset it. YouTube allows channel owners and managers to reset a key; editors and viewers cannot. If you cannot see or use the reset control, confirm your channel role.
- Consider whether the software uses a key at all. If the encoder signs in to YouTube through an account-login integration instead of accepting a manually entered key, YouTube directs users to the software provider’s support team.
YouTube’s standard key-reset guidance is for streams using an encoder or mobile device, not webcam streams. If Studio’s labels or controls differ from these steps, consult YouTube’s live-stream troubleshooting guidance.
Reset a key and update your encoder
- In Live Control Room, open Stream and find the hidden stream key.
- If you are the channel owner or manager, use the reset control next to the key.
- Copy the replacement key from Studio.
- Open the encoder’s stream settings and replace its saved Stream Key value. Keep the Stream URL in its own field.
- Start the encoder again. If the start error remains, YouTube recommends generating a new key in Live Control Room and updating the encoder with it.
Resetting makes the old saved value in the encoder stale. Changing the key in Studio alone will not update an encoder that still stores the previous one. YouTube Help: Fix live stream errors.
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Check reused settings and dual-format streams
Previous or scheduled streams
If you have streamed before, earlier stream settings may load automatically, including the previous key. When creating a scheduled stream, Reuse settings can also carry over settings from an earlier stream. Verify which key is selected rather than assuming a newly created stream has a new key. YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings.
Horizontal and vertical output
Some third-party encoders that send horizontal and vertical formats simultaneously use a key dropdown in the Stream tab to choose a second key for the vertical stream. Check that each format is being sent to its matching key. YouTube Help: Stream in both horizontal and vertical formats.
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Common problems and fixes
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The encoder rejects the key after a reset | The encoder still has the old saved key | Copy the replacement key from Studio and replace the saved Stream Key value in the encoder. |
| You cannot reset the key | Your channel role does not have reset permission | Ask a channel owner or manager to reset it. Editors and viewers cannot reset a key. |
| The key seems to have reverted | Previous stream settings or Reuse settings loaded an earlier key | Check the selected key in the Stream tab and confirm the value entered in the encoder. |
| One format works but the other does not in a dual-format setup | The horizontal and vertical outputs may be using mismatched keys | Check the Stream tab’s key dropdown and match each format to its intended key. |
| Your streaming software has no Stream Key field | It may connect through YouTube account login instead of a manually entered key | Contact that software provider’s support team, as YouTube advises. |
Or let it run in the cloud
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