How to Live Stream a Pre-Recorded Video on YouTube
To live stream a pre-recorded video on YouTube, turn on live streaming for your channel, export the video as an MP4, and schedule a stream in YouTube Studio. At the start time, a streaming tool sends the file to YouTube as a live feed. If a cloud service sends it, your computer can be off; if you use OBS, your computer and internet connection must stay on until the video ends.
This is often called simulive: a finished video, broadcast once at a set time, with a real live chat beside it. Below are the four steps, the two ways to send the video, and an honest comparison with YouTube Premieres, which is free and sometimes the better choice.
Step 1: Turn on live streaming for your channel
YouTube asks for two things before your first live stream: a verified channel, and no live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. You must also be at least 16 years old. YouTube's help page lists these requirements.
- Open YouTube Studio on a computer.
- Click Create, then Go live.
- Follow the prompts to verify your channel with a phone number, if YouTube asks for it.
YouTube says that enabling a live stream for the first time may take up to 24 hours. After that, you can go live instantly. Do this at least one day before your event, not on the day.
Step 2: Prepare the video file
Export the finished video from your editor. The safest choice is an MP4 file with H.264 video and AAC audio, because every streaming tool and platform accepts it.
If you stream the file yourself from OBS, YouTube's recommended encoder settings apply (source):
| Resolution | Video bitrate (H.264) |
|---|---|
| 720p, 30 fps | 4 Mbps |
| 1080p, 30 fps | 10 Mbps |
| 1080p, 60 fps | 12 Mbps |
For all three, set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds and the audio to AAC at 128 Kbps stereo.
A cloud service converts your upload for streaming, so the export settings matter less there. Still, watch the full file once before the event. A frozen frame or a silent minute in the file will also be in the live stream.
To check a file against YouTube's specs in your browser, drop it into the free video pre-flight checker. The file stays on your computer. For more on bitrate, read our bitrate guide.
Step 3: Schedule the stream in YouTube Studio
A scheduled stream gives you a watch page before the event. You can share its link, and viewers can click Notify me to get a reminder when it starts.
- In YouTube Studio, click Create, then Go live.
- Open the Manage tab and click Schedule stream.
- Add the title, description, thumbnail and start time.
- Choose the visibility: public, unlisted or private.
- Copy the stream key, or leave the event for your streaming tool to connect to.
You can skip this step and let a streaming tool create the event for you. Scheduling it in YouTube Studio first gives you the watch page link early, so you can put it in emails and posts.
Step 4: Send the video to YouTube at the start time
YouTube does not play an uploaded file as a live stream by itself. Something must send the video to YouTube as a live feed. You have two options.
Option A: a cloud streaming service
A cloud service keeps your video on its servers and streams it from there at the time you set.
- Upload the video file to the service.
- Connect your YouTube channel. You sign in with Google and pick the event, or you paste the stream key from Step 3.
- Set the date and time.
- Turn off your computer if you like. The service's servers do the streaming, so you do not need a fast or steady internet connection at start time.
This is how Pre-recorded Live Stream works. It can also send the same video to Facebook, Twitch or any RTMP destination at once, and you can connect it to an event you already scheduled on YouTube. Plans and limits are in the pricing section.
Option B: OBS on your own computer
OBS Studio is free. It streams from your computer, so your computer does the work.
- In OBS, add a Media Source and select your video file.
- In Settings > Stream, choose YouTube and paste the stream key.
- Set the output to the bitrate in the table in Step 2.
- At the start time, click Start Streaming.
OBS has no built-in timer for this job, so you must be at the computer to start it. The computer must stay awake and online for the full video. A home upload connection that drops for a few seconds will show as buffering for every viewer.
| Cloud service | OBS on your computer | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Monthly plan | Free |
| Starts on its own at the set time | Yes | No, you click Start |
| Computer must stay on | No | Yes, for the full video |
| Depends on your upload speed | Only for the upload | Yes, during the stream |
| Several platforms at once | Depends on the service and plan | Only with a plugin or an extra service |
Live stream or YouTube Premiere?
A Premiere lets you and your viewers watch a new video together at a set time, with a countdown and live chat. It costs nothing and needs no extra tool. For many creators it is the right choice.
Here is how the two compare, based on YouTube's help pages as of September 2026:
| YouTube Premiere | Live stream of a recorded video | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free with OBS, or a paid tool |
| Extra software | None | OBS or a cloud service |
| What viewers see | A countdown, then the video as a Premiere | A live stream |
| Live chat | Yes | Yes |
| Other platforms at once | No | Yes, with a multistream tool |
| Highest quality | 1080p. No 360, VR180 or Shorts | Set by your tool |
| Afterwards | A regular upload, with chat replay | Archived if under 12 hours |
Choose a Premiere when the video goes to YouTube only, the "Premiere" label is fine for you, and you want the simplest free option.
Choose a live stream when you want the same event on YouTube and Facebook or other platforms at once, when you want it to be a live stream rather than a Premiere, or when you run the same session again on a schedule.
Is it allowed on YouTube?
YouTube publishes no rule against pre-recorded content in a live stream (we checked in September 2026). The usual rules apply: the stream must follow the Community Guidelines, and YouTube scans live streams for copyrighted material. Use only video and music you own or have a license to stream.
Other platforms differ. Facebook asks you to mark pre-recorded footage in a live broadcast as pre-recorded, and our guide to scheduling a pre-recorded video on Facebook Live covers how. On YouTube, a short note in the title or description tells viewers the same thing. The line between an honest simulive and a fake one is in our article on fake live streams.
Stay in the chat while it plays
The video runs on its own, so you have time to talk to viewers.
- Join the chat from your channel account so your replies carry your name.
- Ask a moderator to help if you expect many questions. YouTube lets you add moderators in the live chat settings.
- Prepare a few links and answers for the questions you know will come, and paste them at the right moment.
- Pin a message with the main link, such as a sign-up page or a product page.
If a question needs a longer answer, reply in the chat and promise a follow-up video or email. That is often more useful than a quick answer on camera.
FAQ
Can I live stream a pre-recorded video on YouTube for free?
Yes. A YouTube Premiere is free and needs no extra software. OBS Studio is also free, but your computer must stay on and online for the full video, and you must start the stream yourself.
Does my computer need to stay on?
Not with a cloud service. After the upload, the video streams from the service's servers. With OBS, the computer sends the video, so it must stay on until the stream ends.
How long can the video be?
YouTube archives streams under 12 hours automatically. Your streaming tool can have a shorter limit per stream, so check its plan before you book a long event.
Can I stream a video I already published on my channel?
Yes, if you still have the original file. Upload that file to your streaming tool. Viewers who have already seen the video may notice, so say in the title that it is a rerun or a watch party.
Related guides
- How to schedule a pre-recorded video on Facebook Live
- How to run a pre-recorded webinar
- Live or pre-recorded: which to choose
Questions about file formats or scheduling? The FAQ on our homepage has the answers.