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You can stream radio audio to YouTube Live from a Windows PC with OBS Studio: capture the station from the Windows application playing it or from an external mixer, add a visual, then send the feed to YouTube using a stream URL and key. Before broadcasting, confirm your channel is eligible, test the audio and video, leave upload-bandwidth headroom, and verify that your music and other content are cleared for online transmission.
Before you start: check channel access and music rights
- Confirm YouTube Live eligibility. YouTube requires a verified channel with no live-streaming restrictions in the preceding 90 days. First-time live streaming may take up to 24 hours to activate. Check YouTube’s live-streaming eligibility requirements before your planned broadcast.
- Clear the online rights. A station’s permission to broadcast over terrestrial radio does not necessarily include permission to stream the same music on YouTube. Rights depend on the territory, repertoire, contracts, and licenses. Confirm that your permissions cover online transmission before going live; YouTube also requires streams to respect audio and video rights and its Community Guidelines (YouTube stream settings).
- Prepare the audio source. Decide whether the station audio comes from a Windows application or an external mixer. The capture method and, for a mixer, the compatible input depend on your actual equipment.
- Choose a stable connection and PC. The computer must be able to run OBS continuously and the internet connection must sustain the outgoing stream. YouTube recommends checking upload capacity and leaving 20% bandwidth headroom; download speed alone does not show whether the upload will be stable (YouTube bandwidth guidance).
Set up OBS to capture the radio audio
Option 1: Capture a station playing in a Windows application
- Install and open OBS Studio, then create or select a scene for the broadcast.
- In the Sources box, select + and add Application Audio Capture. Choose the application that is playing the station.
- In OBS, open Settings → Audio and disable global Desktop Audio. Capturing the application and desktop audio simultaneously can duplicate the signal and produce echo.
- Play the station and watch the OBS audio mixer. The meter for the selected application should move when audio plays. If it does not, check that you selected the correct application and that Windows is routing audio to it.
OBS documents Application Audio Capture for Windows 10 version 2004 or later and Windows 11. See the OBS Application Audio Capture guide.
Option 2: Capture an external mixer
- Connect the mixer’s output to an audio input the PC can use. The appropriate cable or interface depends on the mixer’s output connectors and the computer’s available inputs; do not assume that a headphone jack, line output, or microphone input is interchangeable.
- In your OBS scene, select + and add an Audio Input Capture source, then select the device receiving the mixer audio.
- Avoid capturing the same device both as a scene source and globally under Settings → Audio. Duplicating the input can cause echo.
- Send audio through the mixer and verify that the source meter in OBS responds without clipping or unwanted noise.
OBS describes device capture in its audio sources guide. If you are unsure which input matches your mixer output, check the equipment documentation or ask a qualified audio technician rather than connecting incompatible outputs.
Add a visual and configure the encoder
Give the audio stream a video picture
A radio simulcast can show station artwork or another suitable visual. In OBS, add an image or another appropriate scene source, position it in the preview, and make sure the picture appears as intended. YouTube does not require a particular artwork design, but the encoder preview should show the picture you mean to broadcast.
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Set video, audio, and network options
In OBS, open Settings → Output and Settings → Video to configure the encoder. YouTube’s published guidance for RTMP/RTMPS accepts H.264, H.265, or AV1 video; AAC or MP3 audio; constant bitrate (CBR); and frame rates up to 60 fps. YouTube recommends a two-second keyframe interval and says not to exceed four seconds. For stereo audio, its guidance recommends 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. See YouTube’s encoder settings and confirm the current options in your OBS version.
For a static radio image, choose a modest resolution and frame rate that suit the picture, computer, and available upload bandwidth; a still image generally does not need a high frame rate. YouTube’s H.264 guidance lists these examples:
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| Video format | YouTube-listed minimum bitrate | YouTube-listed recommended bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| 720p30 | 3 Mbps | 8 Mbps |
| 1080p30 | 5 Mbps | 14 Mbps |
These are YouTube platform recommendations, not a guarantee that your PC or connection can sustain a particular bitrate. Measure upload capacity, allow the recommended 20% headroom, and choose settings your connection can maintain. Use the RTMPS server URL from YouTube Live Control Room if OBS offers that selection; YouTube recommends RTMPS, the TLS-encrypted form of RTMP (encoder settings and RTMPS guidance).
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Connect OBS to YouTube Live and start the broadcast
- Open YouTube Studio → Create → Go live and create or select a stream in Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions explain how to manage a stream.
- Copy the stream URL and stream key from Live Control Room. Treat the key like a password: do not show it in a public screenshot, scene, or post.
- In OBS, open Settings → Stream, select YouTube as the service if available, and enter the stream key. If the encoder asks for a server URL, use the one supplied by Live Control Room, choosing RTMPS when available.
- Start streaming in OBS. If you scheduled the broadcast, wait for the encoder preview to appear in Live Control Room, inspect the picture and audio, and then select Go live there.
- Keep OBS and the PC running for the duration of this DIY broadcast. Monitor OBS audio meters and YouTube stream health while the station is on air.
If the stream key is exposed, reset it in YouTube Studio before continuing. YouTube identifies the key as the credential that lets an encoder send a feed and provides a reset procedure in its stream setup guidance.
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Test the whole path before relying on it
- Run OBS with the actual station source, visual, and intended encoder settings—not a different test sound or scene.
- Check that the correct audio meter moves, the preview shows the expected picture, and the signal is not doubled or silent.
- Confirm YouTube receives the preview and reports a healthy stream before selecting Go live for a scheduled broadcast.
- During the broadcast, continue monitoring audio, video, and stream health. YouTube recommends testing with representative audio and movement, checking preview, and monitoring throughout (YouTube live-streaming test guidance).
Troubleshooting common problems
| What you see | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| No audio meter movement in OBS | Wrong application or input selected, source not routed to the selected device, or mixer connection issue. | Confirm the station is playing; reselect the application or input device; verify the mixer output and PC/interface input match. |
| Echo or doubled audio | The same sound is captured by both a scene source and global Desktop Audio, or a device is selected twice. | For Application Audio Capture, turn off global Desktop Audio in Settings → Audio. For a mixer, avoid using the same device both globally and as a scene source. |
| Preview is black or shows the wrong picture | The visual source is missing, hidden, positioned incorrectly, or not in the active scene. | Inspect the OBS scene and preview before starting; confirm the intended scene is selected. |
| YouTube does not receive the feed | Channel activation or eligibility issue, incorrect server URL or stream key, or encoder not started. | Check channel eligibility and activation, re-copy the current URL and key from Live Control Room, and start streaming in OBS. Reset an exposed key. |
| Stream health drops or video/audio stutters | Upload capacity is insufficient or unstable, PC load is excessive, or encoder settings are too demanding. | Check upload rather than download speed, leave 20% headroom, and reduce resolution, frame rate, or bitrate to settings the connection and PC can sustain. |
| Music is blocked, claimed, or the stream is restricted | The online use may not be covered by the station’s existing permissions, or YouTube’s rights and policy checks may apply. | Review the relevant rights and YouTube notices. Confirm online transmission rights with rights holders or a qualified adviser before resuming. |
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