How to start a 24/7 YouTube live from pre-recorded video

What you need before you start

• A YouTube channel that is allowed to go live in YouTube Studio.
• An MP4 file (up to 2 GB) you are happy to loop as the live picture.
• A StreamAdda account and a plan with a live slot — created on the StreamAdda app.

1. Copy the stream key from YouTube Studio

1. Open YouTube Studio and choose Go live.
2. Open stream settings for a stream (title, privacy, and destination). Set those the way you want the live to appear on the channel.
3. Copy the stream key. Paste it only into your StreamAdda slot. Do not publish it. If it leaks, reset the key in YouTube Studio and paste the new one.

StreamAdda does not ask for YouTube channel access. The key is how the cloud server pushes RTMP to your live. Studio clicks only (Create → Go live → Stream tab, plus reset if the key leaked) are on how to find your YouTube stream key.

2. Create a StreamAdda account and pick a plan

Register on the StreamAdda app, then choose a plan. India-first prices are listed in INR (USD in parentheses) on the homepage pricing section. One live slot per plan; extra simultaneous streams are extra slots — how that works is on how to run multiple 24/7 YouTube live streams.

3. Upload the MP4 to your gallery

From the dashboard, upload the pre-recorded file. Wait until processing finishes before you start the slot. You can swap videos later; you do not need a webcam or a studio for this broadcast.

4. Paste the key and start the slot

Open the live slot, paste the YouTube stream key, then click start. StreamAdda sends the file from a dedicated cloud server to your channel. Check YouTube Studio (or the live player on your channel) until you see the broadcast running.

Prefer to watch this click-by-click? Use the StreamAdda tutorial video.

5. Confirm the live, then you can close the computer

Once the live is on the channel, you can close the browser and turn the computer off. The encode is not on your desk. Streams can loop around the clock — how that loop works is on how to loop a video as YouTube live. StreamAdda still recommends restarting a stream about every three days, because view performance on a single continuous broadcast tends to drop after that. Comparing this to leaving OBS on a PC? Read 24/7 YouTube live vs OBS.

Follow YouTube's live policies for your content. A looped live is not the same as re-uploading the file as a regular video; when the live ends, that broadcast is not sitting on the channel as a duplicate upload.

How-to FAQ

Where do I copy the YouTube stream key?

In YouTube Studio, open Go live, then open the stream settings for a stream. Copy the stream key from there and paste it into your StreamAdda slot. Do not post the key in public. You can reset it in YouTube Studio if it leaks.

What file should I upload for the first 24/7 live?

Upload an MP4, up to 2 GB per file. The pictures are the pre-recorded file, not a webcam. After the slot starts, StreamAdda loops that file to the live.

When can I turn the computer off?

After you click start and you can see the live on your YouTube channel. StreamAdda encodes from a cloud server, so closing the browser or shutting the lid does not stop the broadcast.

Do I need a webcam, a studio, or encoding software on my PC?

No. This walkthrough is upload, paste the stream key, and start. You are not sitting in front of a camera, and you are not leaving encoding software running on a home computer.

Is there a video of these steps?

Yes. The StreamAdda tutorial page has a screen recording of the same job: account, plan, upload, stream key, and start.