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There is no documented native YouTube Live Redirect that automatically sends viewers to an always-on stream on an external platform. YouTube Live Redirect hands viewers off after your stream ends to a selected YouTube live stream or Premiere, subject to eligibility and destination permissions. For a different kind of same-platform handoff, Twitch Raids move viewers connected to chat to another Twitch channel; they do not redirect viewers from YouTube.
Which option fits your destination?
| What you want to do | Best-supported option | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Send viewers from one YouTube stream to another YouTube live stream or Premiere | YouTube Live Redirect | When the source stream ends, autoplay moves viewers to the selected YouTube destination. The receiving channel must permit the redirect. |
| Send viewers from one Twitch stream to another Twitch channel | Twitch Raid | Viewers connected to chat at raid time are sent to the recipient Twitch channel, with a countdown and an opportunity to opt out. |
| Automatically send YouTube viewers to an external platform’s always-on stream | No native automatic option established in the official platform documentation reviewed | Share the destination link or announce it manually; do not describe that as an automatic platform redirect. |
The key distinction is both platform compatibility and mechanics: YouTube describes a post-stream autoplay handoff to YouTube content, while Twitch Raids are a Twitch-to-Twitch feature.
Set up YouTube Live Redirect
- Check eligibility. YouTube’s current Help guidance says creators sending a redirect need more than 1,000 subscribers and no Community Guideline strikes. Confirm eligibility in the account you will use.
- Confirm the destination allows it. The destination can be an active or upcoming live stream or an upcoming Premiere. If it is on another channel, that channel must have granted permission. Recipients can allow channels they subscribe to, allow all channels, or manually approve specific channels; YouTube’s Help article says the manual list can contain up to 100 channels.
- Prepare the destination. If you are directing viewers to a Premiere, set it up before starting the source stream. Check that the selected live stream or Premiere is the intended destination and available when the source ends.
- Choose the redirect in YouTube Studio. Open the live video, edit its Customization settings, add a Redirect, and select the Premiere or another channel’s live stream. The exact controls can change, so check the current Studio interface.
- Tell viewers what to expect. YouTube recommends letting viewers know they may need to wait a few seconds for their screens to reload after the source stream ends.
- End the source stream. The handoff is tied to the end of that stream; it is not an arbitrary link that automatically redirects viewers at any time.
Use a Twitch Raid for a Twitch-to-Twitch handoff
Twitch says any creator, regardless of Affiliate or Partner status, can raid another channel after a stream. A Raid is not a way to route YouTube viewers to Twitch: Twitch’s documentation describes a handoff between Twitch channels.
- Choose the receiving Twitch channel. Make sure it is the intended destination before initiating the Raid.
- Start the Raid. Twitch Help describes starting one on mobile with
/raidfollowed by the target channel, or through the Creator Dashboard’s Raid Channel action. - Allow the countdown to complete. Twitch provides a countdown and an opportunity for viewers to opt out. The documented handoff sends viewers connected to chat at the time of the Raid to the recipient channel.
What to do when the destination is an always-on stream
First decide whether the destination is another YouTube stream or an external service. If it is another YouTube stream or a Premiere, use Live Redirect and confirm permissions and eligibility. If it is external, the official platform documentation described here does not establish an automatic YouTube redirect to it. You can post or say the destination link yourself, but viewers must follow that link; this is a manual handoff.
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Common problems and fixes
- The redirect option is unavailable. Check that the sending channel meets YouTube’s stated requirements of more than 1,000 subscribers and no Community Guideline strikes, and confirm you are editing the correct live video in YouTube Studio.
- The intended destination does not appear or cannot be selected. Confirm it is an eligible active or upcoming live stream or upcoming Premiere, and ask the recipient channel to review its redirect permissions. A manual approval list may exclude your channel.
- Viewers do not land on the destination instantly. YouTube advises that viewers may need to wait a few seconds for their screens to reload. Tell them about the delay before ending the source stream.
- You expect a YouTube-to-Twitch automatic handoff. A Twitch Raid is documented for Twitch channels, not as a cross-platform redirect from YouTube. Share the Twitch link manually if that is the intended destination.
- A Raid does not bring every viewer you expected. Twitch’s description concerns people connected to chat at the time the Raid starts. The documentation also describes a countdown and an opt-out opportunity.
Sources and scope
This guidance reflects official YouTube and Twitch documentation accessed October 3, 2026. YouTube’s Live Redirect announcement is dated May 3, 2022; its Help page provides the current eligibility and setup guidance. Platform controls can change, so verify the current account interface and permissions before relying on a handoff.
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