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You can play a local video file during a YouTube livestream by adding it as a Media Source in PRISM Live Studio for desktop. Link your YouTube channel, add the file to a scene, check playback and audio, then use PRISM’s Go Live controls. This is a live broadcast of the file—not a YouTube upload or scheduled Premiere.

What you need before you start

  • PRISM Live Studio for desktop on Windows or Mac. PRISM’s getting-started guide lists Windows 10 or 11 (64-bit), and Apple Silicon Macs running macOS Monterey 12.3 or later; check the current PRISM guide for up-to-date requirements.
  • A local video file that you have the right to broadcast.
  • A YouTube channel connected in PRISM. Check YouTube’s current eligibility, copyright, and Live Control Room requirements before broadcasting; the PRISM workflow does not establish that every channel or video is eligible.

PRISM Live Studio’s official FAQ says media files such as videos, images, and audio clips can be used in a live stream.

How to stream a prerecorded video with PRISM Desktop

  1. Connect YouTube and set the stream information

    In PRISM Desktop, add your YouTube channel from the channel list. Open Live Information and set the title, category, visibility, and other available details. PRISM says you can change these before going live or while streaming.

  2. Choose a scene

    Select the scene you want viewers to see. Scenes organize the screen shown in your broadcast; sources are the content elements within that scene.

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  3. Add the local video as a Media Source

    Use the scene’s Sources add control, choose Media Source, and select the video file. PRISM’s Media Source guide documents this workflow for its Windows and Mac desktop apps.

  4. Check Studio Mode playback

    If Studio Mode is on, the left EDIT view is not automatically what viewers see: the right LIVE view remains on air until you apply the change. PRISM documents an issue in which a newly added media source may not start automatically in Studio Mode. Use either remedy:

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    • Before confirming the source, uncheck Restart playback when source becomes active, then click OK.
    • Alternatively, keep that option enabled and click Apply in Studio Mode after adding the source.

    These are alternative fixes documented by PRISM, not a ranking of playback performance.

  5. Preview the video and check audio

    Confirm that the intended video is visible in the program and that its audio—and any other audio you intend to include—is present at an appropriate level. If you use Studio Mode, apply the edited scene before assuming the change is live.

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  6. Optionally rehearse on YouTube

    PRISM provides a Rehearsal button in the YouTube Live Info window for checking broadcast settings. Rehearsal is YouTube-only, is disabled during multistreaming, and does not provide a replay. See PRISM’s rehearsal guide.

  7. Go live, then finish the broadcast

    Turn on the intended channel and click Go Live. PRISM describes a confirmation/edit step followed by a second Go Live action to start the broadcast. When you are done, click Finish.

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Desktop Media Source is not the mobile Media Playlist

The desktop instructions above cover adding a media file as a source in a scene. PRISM’s documented Media Playlist feature is for Android and iOS, where the guide explains creating and ordering a video playlist. Do not assume that mobile playlist controls or behavior are available in PRISM Desktop. See PRISM’s mobile Media Playlist guide for that separate workflow.

Troubleshooting

  • The file is added, but nothing plays in Studio Mode: Try one of PRISM’s documented remedies: uncheck Restart playback when source becomes active before confirming, or click Apply in Studio Mode after adding the source.
  • The preview changed, but viewers still see the old scene: In Studio Mode, changes in the left EDIT view do not reach the right LIVE view until applied. Click Apply.
  • You cannot find a desktop playlist option: The cited playlist guide covers Android and iOS. On desktop, use a Media Source for a selected local file; the available documentation does not establish a desktop Media Playlist feature.
  • Rehearsal is unavailable: PRISM documents YouTube Rehearsal as unavailable during multistreaming. It is also not a replay feature.
  • You are unsure whether the video or channel can be broadcast: Check current YouTube Help and Live Control Room information for eligibility and copyright requirements. The PRISM setup steps alone do not determine whether content complies with YouTube’s rules.
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