Though some streaming software such as Streamlabs OBS or OBS studio allows you to directly sign in through your YouTube (or Twitch/Facebook) account you can avoid it by entering your streaming key yourself.
We will go through the steps on how to find your YouTube stream key and as well as answer a few questions you may have.
How to Find Your Stream Key on YouTube
To learn how to find your YouTube stream key, complete the following:
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Step 1
First, make sure you are logged into your YouTube account.
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Step 2
Now, at the top right corner of the page (this does not need to be on your YouTube channel but can be any page on YouTube once you are logged in) you will see a button shaped like a video camera with a plus sign.
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Step 3
Once you click on that button click on “Go Live”. This will take you to the YouTube studio page which acts as the streaming dashboard screen.
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Step 4
On this page make sure the Stream Settings tab is selected.
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Step 5
Under the stream settings, you will see your hidden stream key. If you would like to see your stream key you can reveal it by clicking the reveal button (the eye symbol next to the stream key), or simply copy it by pressing the “Copy” button.
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Step 6
Now with the key copied you can enter it into your streaming software and begin streaming to YouTube.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should You Share Your Stream Key?
No matter which platform you stream on you should never share your stream key. Think of it as a password for your stream. Your stream key is unique to you and if anyone else has your stream key they will have access to live stream to your channel whenever they like.
Will My Stream Key Change?
A stream key will never change unless you manually reset it yourself. On the YouTube Studios page next to your stream key is shown there is a reset button. If you think your stream key has been compromised and would like to get a new one simply use the reset button. Make sure to update your streaming program with the new stream key if you do reset it.