To live stream on YouTube you need a verified channel, no live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days, and to be at least 16. As of Nov 2026 going live from the mobile app also needs at least 50 subscribers and an Android 8.0+ or iOS 8+ device, and your first stream can take up to 24 hours to be switched on.
That's the short version from YouTube Help. The longer version matters more for a business, because a channel can meet every rule and still get a capped audience, a private recording or no live chat at all. Here's what each requirement means and what turns live streaming off.
The three rules on every device
Whichever way you stream, YouTube Help sets the same three conditions:
- A verified channel. This is phone verification, where YouTube sends you a code by text or voice call. If you haven't done it, follow the steps to verify your YouTube account first.
- No live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. A recent restriction resets the clock.
- Age 16 or over. Streams that break the age rule are taken down, and the account may temporarily lose live streaming. Streams featuring 13 to 15 year olds who aren't visibly with an adult may have live chat switched off.
If a younger family member or employee wants to be on camera, there's a set route. Someone under 16 can give an adult owner, manager or editor access to their channel, and that adult starts the stream from Live Control Room. The adult has to be visibly present and take part as much as the young person does.
Mobile, webcam, encoder or console
YouTube offers four ways to go live, and the requirements aren't the same for each:
| Method | Good for | What you need on top of the three rules |
|---|---|---|
| Mobile | Vlogging and quick updates from a phone or tablet | At least 50 subscribers, live streaming turned on, and an Android 8.0+ or iOS 8+ device |
| Webcam | Going live quickly from a computer | A computer with a webcam |
| Encoder | Gameplay, overlays and hardware such as preamps, mics and cameras; used for gaming, sporting events, concerts and conferences | Encoder software or hardware, set up with your stream key |
| Game console | Streaming straight from a PlayStation, Xbox or Nintendo | The console maker's own instructions |
Notice what's missing. YouTube Help lists a subscriber minimum for mobile only. Live streaming on a computer sits in the intermediate feature tier, which you reach through phone verification, and it comes with a limited daily limit that rises once you reach advanced access. If you're going the encoder route, you'll need to know where your YouTube stream key is, and it helps to compare the live streaming software options before you pick one.
The 50 subscriber rule on mobile, and its small print
Fifty subscribers lets you go live from the app, but YouTube Help adds limits between 50 and 1,000 subscribers. YouTube may limit how many people can watch your mobile stream, and its recording is set to private by default. YouTube says these safeguards exist to limit the spread of potentially harmful content while helping new creators.
Once you pass 1,000 subscribers, it may take several weeks for the audience limit to lift, and longer if your count drops during that time. For a business, that's the catch that matters most: a launch announcement streamed from a phone on a small channel may reach fewer people and won't sit publicly on your channel afterwards unless you change it.
Three more mobile details are useful. Your first mobile stream may take up to 24 hours to be allowed, and after that you can go live instantly. The default privacy is unlisted for users aged 13 to 17 and public for anyone 18 or over. And Live Practice Mode, which is rolling out to all creators on mobile, gives you a private space to rehearse your set-up before anyone's watching.
Vertical and horizontal at the same time
When you stream from Live Control Room, YouTube by default sends out a horizontal 16:9 stream and a vertical 9:16 stream at once. The vertical version is a centre crop unless you change the layout, and mobile viewers watching it get a full-screen view and can find it in the Shorts feed. Subscribers get one go live notification, and both versions share the same live chat. You can't add the vertical format once the stream has started, and metrics for the vertical stream on its own appear 24 hours after it ends.
The vertical version doesn't carry everything over:
| Feature | Horizontal | Vertical feed |
|---|---|---|
| Found in the Shorts feed | No | Yes |
| Clickable links in chat and channel description | Yes | No |
| Live ad mid-rolls and pre-rolls | Yes | No |
| 4K bitrate streaming | Yes | No, on the YouTube app |
| Premieres and live redirect | Yes | No |
| Memberships and gifted memberships | Yes | Yes |
If your stream depends on people clicking a link in chat, such as a webinar sign-up or an offer page, remember that vertical viewers can't click it.
What switches live streaming off
YouTube Help lists the reasons a channel's live streaming can be turned off, for a while or for good:
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- A Community Guidelines strike, or a live stream taken down under YouTube's policies.
- A live stream that matches another copyrighted live broadcast, or a copyright strike on an active stream.
- Minors under 16 on screen without a visible adult.
- Showing someone holding, handling or transporting a firearm.
- A significant number of videos on the channel with features disabled.
- Hitting your daily limit for creating live streams, in which case you can try again in 24 hours. The Help page doesn't say what that limit is.
A strike stops you live streaming for 14 days. While you're restricted, you can't use another channel to go live instead: YouTube treats that as circumvention, and it can end the account. A warning works differently. If you take a policy training, the warning can expire after 90 days, but breaking the same policy inside that window turns it into a strike. YouTube emails you if a stream or channel is restricted, with instructions on how to appeal. If you're stuck on an error rather than a restriction, my YouTube Live troubleshooting guide is the place to start.
Made for kids switches the chat off
The audience setting catches out brands that make family content. If your channel or stream is set as made for kids, YouTube disables live chat, live chat replay and Super Chat, comments on stream archives and upcoming streams, and reminder notifications for upcoming streams. Personalised ads are off too, though contextual ads may still show. If interaction is the point of your stream, check that setting before you schedule anything.
Where I'd start
I'd verify the channel by phone today and set up your first stream at least a day before you need it, because that first switch-on can take up to 24 hours. If you're under 1,000 subscribers, I'd skip the phone for anything you want people to find later, since the audience may be capped and the recording goes private by default. Stream from a computer instead, and run a practice session first if your app offers Live Practice Mode.
If you want live video to become a regular part of how your business shows up, planning the content and the workflow behind each stream is the part I help teams with. I run AI training and workshops for teams, and help businesses with AI enablement and workflow automation, so the busywork runs itself and people get time back. Most of that work is with SaaS marketing teams and small businesses. Here's how we can work together.
For the rest of the series, see the YouTube Help: 30 Guides to Channels, Subscribers, Monetisation, Thumbnails and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How many subscribers do you need to go live on YouTube?
On mobile you need at least 50 subscribers. YouTube Help doesn't list a subscriber minimum for webcam or encoder streams, but you still need a verified channel, no restrictions in the past 90 days and to be at least 16.
How old do you have to be to live stream on YouTube?
You must be at least 16. Someone under 16 can appear if an adult owner, manager or editor starts the stream from Live Control Room and is visibly present.
Why can't I go live on YouTube straight away?
Your first stream may take up to 24 hours to be switched on after you turn on live streaming. Once it's allowed, you can live stream instantly.
Why is my mobile live stream audience limited?
Between 50 and 1,000 subscribers, YouTube may limit viewers on mobile streams and sets the recording to private by default. After 1,000, it may take several weeks for the limit to lift.
How long does a YouTube live streaming strike last?
A strike stops you live streaming for 14 days, and you can't use another channel to go live while the restriction is active.
