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To send an incoming live stream from Wowza Streaming Engine to YouTube Live, create the YouTube event, copy its Stream URL and generated stream key, then add and enable a dedicated YouTube Live stream target in Wowza. The destination host and application come from the Stream URL; the destination stream name is the generated key—not the friendly label you may have given that key.

Before you configure the target

This guide is for Wowza Streaming Engine, which has a dedicated YouTube Live target form. It assumes a source stream is already reaching a Wowza Live application. YouTube receives that source through the target; this setup does not create or encode the incoming source.

Wowza Video is a separate product with a different workflow: its documentation describes a custom RTMP target with the YouTube URL and key in primary URL and stream-name fields. Do not use those Wowza Video fields when configuring Streaming Engine. Wowza’s RTMP distribution documentation covers that separate context.

1. Get the YouTube event’s URL and stream key

  1. In YouTube Studio, create or select the live event.
  2. Open the event’s Stream Settings and record the Stream URL and generated stream key/name. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions likewise direct you to enter the YouTube Live server URL and stream key in your encoder.
  3. Keep the generated key private. It is a credential: do not expose it in screenshots, public notes, or support posts.

2. Add a YouTube Live target in Wowza Streaming Engine

  1. Open the relevant Live application in Wowza Streaming Engine and choose Stream Targets.
  2. Select Add Stream Target. Under Third-Party Target Destinations, choose YouTube Live.
  3. Enter a unique, descriptive target name so you can identify it if the application has multiple destinations.
  4. Choose the incoming stream under Source Stream Name. It must be the source already connected to the Wowza application.

3. Map YouTube’s destination details to Wowza’s fields

Use the actual Stream URL shown for your YouTube event. Wowza’s example URL, rtmp://abc.rtmp.youtube.com/live2, separates into host abc.rtmp.youtube.com and application name live2; your event’s URL may differ. The Wowza Streaming Engine YouTube target instructions describe the dedicated form and these field mappings.

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Wowza field What to enter
Destination Host The hostname portion of YouTube’s Stream URL, without the RTMP scheme or application path. In Wowza’s example, this is abc.rtmp.youtube.com.
Destination Application The application portion of the Stream URL. In Wowza’s example, this is live2.
Destination Application Instance Leave blank for YouTube Live.
Destination Port Use 1935, the default RTMP port, unless the current instructions for your event specify otherwise.
Destination Stream Name Enter YouTube’s generated alphanumeric stream key/code. Do not enter the friendly name or label assigned to a Stream Key.

Because the destination stream name is the generated key, treat the saved target configuration as sensitive and restrict access accordingly.

4. Enable the target and start the source

  1. Submit or add the configured target.
  2. Enable Stream Targets for the Wowza application.
  3. Check the individual YouTube target and enable it too if its state is Disabled. Adding the target does not by itself mean that it is enabled.
  4. Start or connect the incoming source stream, then monitor the target status and the YouTube event preview.

What “Waiting” means

Wowza describes Waiting as an enabled target that is not yet pushing. The source may not be connected, or Wowza may still be initializing its connection to the destination. A Waiting status alone does not prove that the key is incorrect.

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Common problems and fixes

Symptom Likely cause What to check
The target remains Disabled or does not push. The target or application-level stream targets are not enabled. Enable Stream Targets for the Live application, then enable the individual YouTube target.
The target shows Waiting. The selected source is not connected, or Wowza is still initializing the destination connection. Confirm the source stream is running and selected as Source Stream Name; allow initialization and monitor the status.
YouTube does not receive the stream. A URL component may be in the wrong field, or the destination key may be wrong. Recheck the host and application against the event’s Stream URL, and use the generated alphanumeric key—not its friendly label—as Destination Stream Name.
The destination connection fails. The destination port or application instance may be set incorrectly. Use port 1935 by default and leave Destination Application Instance blank unless the event’s current instructions say otherwise.

Encoding and YouTube playback quality

This target procedure routes a source stream; it does not prescribe a new bitrate, resolution, frame rate, or keyframe interval. Keep the encoder settings appropriate to the incoming source and YouTube’s current guidance for the event rather than assuming the target form will correct them. Wowza states in its official YouTube Streaming Engine documentation: “YouTube automatically creates lower-bitrate renditions of the stream for adaptive bitrate playback. No additional configuration is required.” That describes YouTube’s renditions, not a guarantee that an unsuitable source or connection will be fixed automatically.

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