Streaming to YouTube

YouTube Live is one of the most popular live streaming platforms. pMix has a built-in YouTube preset that configures the recommended settings automatically.

Prerequisites

  • A YouTube account with live streaming enabled (may require 24-hour activation for new accounts)
  • A stable internet connection with at least 4–8 Mbps upload speed

Getting your stream key

  1. Go to YouTube Studio
  2. Click Go Live (or the Create button → Go Live)
  3. Choose Stream (for a persistent stream key) or Schedule (for an event)
  4. Under Stream Settings, copy your Stream key

Keep your stream key private — anyone with it can stream to your channel.

Configuring pMix

  1. Open Settings → Streaming
  2. Select YouTube as the platform
  3. Paste your stream key
  4. Review the settings (pMix applies YouTube’s recommended defaults):
Setting Recommended value
Resolution 1920x1080
Frame rate 30 fps
Video codec H.264
Bitrate 4500 kbps
Keyframe interval 2 seconds
Audio AAC, 128 kbps

YouTube supports up to 4K streaming, but 1080p at 4500 kbps provides a good balance of quality and reliability for most connections.

Going live

  1. Tap the Start button in pMix’s output controls
  2. pMix connects to YouTube’s RTMP ingest server
  3. In YouTube Studio, you’ll see the preview populate within 10–30 seconds
  4. YouTube may show a brief buffering period — this is normal
  5. Your stream is now live to your audience

Ending the stream

  1. Tap Stop in pMix
  2. The RTMP connection closes
  3. YouTube ends the live stream and begins processing the VOD (video on demand) recording

Tips

  • Test your connection before going live with a private/unlisted stream
  • Monitor the health indicator in pMix’s status bar — yellow or red indicates potential issues
  • YouTube’s latency settings (Ultra-low, Low, Normal) are configured in YouTube Studio, not in pMix
  • Stream recordings are automatically saved to your YouTube channel as VODs
  • If you experience buffering or drops, try lowering the bitrate to 2500–3000 kbps

Troubleshooting

  • “Stream key invalid” — Double-check the key in YouTube Studio; make sure there are no extra spaces
  • Stream not appearing in YouTube Studio — Ensure your internet connection is stable and the RTMP URL is correct
  • Poor quality — Increase the bitrate (up to 8000 kbps for 1080p) if your upload speed supports it
  • Stream dropping — Lower the bitrate, switch to a wired connection, or use a more stable network