Quick Start
Get your first 24/7 live stream running on YouTube in under 5 minutes.
This guide walks you through everything you need to do to get your first YouCast stream live on YouTube. From creating an account to seeing the "LIVE" badge on your channel, the whole process takes less than 5 minutes.
Before you begin
Make sure you have a YouTube channel with live streaming enabled. YouTube requires phone verification to unlock live streaming on new channels. Visit YouTube Studio → Settings → Channel → Feature eligibility to check your status.
Step 1: Create Your Account & Start Your Trial
Visit youcast.cloud and click "Get Started Free". Register with your email address or sign in with Google. After registration you get a 1-day free trial — your dashboard is immediately available with no payment required.
Step 2: Upload a Video
Navigate to the Videos section in the left sidebar and click "Upload Video". Before uploading, we recommend preparing your video using a video editor or encoder (HandBrake, FFmpeg) to match YouTube's recommended specifications — this gives the best streaming quality. See the Supported Formats guide for details.
Click "Upload Video"
Select an MP4, MOV, MKV, or other supported file from your computer.
Wait for the upload to complete
YouCast uses resumable uploads (TUS protocol), so large files are safe even on slow connections. A progress bar shows upload status.
Transcoding completes automatically
Once uploaded, YouCast automatically transcodes the video to the format YouTube requires for high-quality streaming. This usually takes 1–5 minutes depending on file size and resolution.
Resumable uploads
If your internet connection drops during an upload, simply re-open the upload dialog and select the same file. YouCast will resume from where it left off rather than starting over.
Step 3: Choose How to Create Your Stream
YouCast offers two ways to create a stream. Choose the one that suits your setup:
Method A: Connect Your YouTube Channel (Recommended)
Go to Channels and click "Connect Channel". Authorize via Google OAuth — YouCast will then create YouTube Live events directly on your channel. This method lets you set thumbnails, tags, privacy, category, and description for each stream.
Method B: Use a Stream Key
Copy your stream key from YouTube Studio → Live streaming → Stream settings. In YouCast, create a stream and select "Stream Key" mode. This is the quicker option but limited to video selection and title only — no thumbnail or tags.
Step 4: Create a Stream
Navigate to Streams and click "New Stream". Fill in the stream details based on your chosen method:
- Stream title — name of the YouTube Live event
- Playlist — add videos from your library; drag to reorder
- Loop — enable auto-loop to repeat the playlist continuously
- (Channel method only) Thumbnail, tags, description, privacy, category
Step 5: Start the Stream
Once your stream is configured, click "Start Stream". YouCast initializes the cloud encoder and begins broadcasting within 30–60 seconds. The stream status on your dashboard changes from "Idle" to "Live".
Verify on YouTube
Open your YouTube channel in another browser tab to confirm the stream is appearing as a live broadcast. It may take up to 60 seconds for YouTube to show the live indicator publicly.
You're Live!
Congratulations — your 24/7 stream is now running in the cloud. You can close the browser, turn off your computer, and the stream will keep going. YouCast monitors stream health continuously and will automatically restart it if any interruption occurs.