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YouTube can deliver one live broadcast in both horizontal (16:9) and vertical (9:16) formats. In YouTube Studio’s Live Control Room, dual streaming is on by default for streams started there: YouTube makes the vertical version from your horizontal feed unless you change its layout. If you need a separately composed vertical picture, configure a second RTMP(S) output and stream key before going live.
Before you start
- Live streaming must be enabled for your channel, and the channel must not have had a live-streaming restriction in the previous 90 days. First-time activation can take at least 24 hours, so enable it ahead of your planned broadcast. YouTube’s live-streaming setup guidance covers eligibility and activation.
- Use YouTube Studio on a computer for the Live Control Room steps below. YouTube also supports other ways to start a live stream, but its dual-format layout instructions focus on Live Control Room or a third-party encoder.
- Choose the framing that suits the content. A centered crop may work for a single player or presenter; gameplay with important interface elements at the edges may need a different layout or an independently composed vertical feed.
Set up YouTube’s built-in dual-format stream
- In YouTube Studio, select Create → Go live. In Live Control Room, schedule a stream or open the stream you are managing.
- Open the scheduled stream’s Manage view and inspect the vertical preview. By default, YouTube creates the vertical version as a center crop of the horizontal picture.
- Choose a vertical layout that fits the content: Center crop, Fit to phone width, or Stacked. Adjust zoom and position as needed so the subject and any essential gameplay information remain visible. YouTube says you can continue editing the layout while live.
- Check the preview again before starting. Make sure titles, faces, game HUD elements, and other details you need viewers to see are not cut off or obscured.
- To turn dual streaming off, open Stream settings and switch off Dual stream.
YouTube documents these layout controls in its vertical live streaming instructions. Interface labels can change, so follow the labels shown in your current Studio account if they differ.
Use a separate vertical feed from an encoder
An encoder workflow is useful when you want the vertical broadcast composed independently rather than derived from the horizontal frame. Configure both outputs before you start; YouTube says you cannot add the vertical format after the stream has begun.
- In Live Control Room, open the Stream tab. In the vertical preview, open the Auto menu and choose Encoder.
- Select RTMP(S) and choose the second stream key for the vertical output.
- In your encoder, direct the horizontal output to the horizontal stream key and the vertical output to the vertical stream key. Verify that each output has the intended orientation and framing.
- Start the broadcast from YouTube Studio, then check both previews to confirm the correct feeds are arriving.
Treat each stream key as a credential: keep it private and do not include it in screenshots or public instructions. For YouTube’s current dual-output directions, see its vertical live streaming help page.
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What viewers see
Subscribers receive one go-live notification and a shared stream URL. Viewers watching in the Shorts feed in the YouTube mobile app see the vertical version; other viewers see the horizontal version. YouTube’s current Help instructions say the two formats use the same live chat.
Vertical live streams can appear in the YouTube app’s scrolling vertical live feed and Shorts browsing. Scheduled live streams and Premieres do not appear in that feed, which is available in the YouTube app and not currently on tablets. For the up-to-date viewer experience and format comparison, consult YouTube’s vertical live guidance.
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Know the format differences before choosing vertical
Dual-format delivery does not make every viewing or creator feature identical. YouTube’s format comparison lists vertical-feed discovery and scrolling as strengths of vertical live. It lists clickable links in chat and channel description, live pre-roll and mid-roll ads, 4K broadcast bitrate, Premieres, and Live Redirect for horizontal streams. Memberships are listed for both formats; fan-funding tools depend on eligibility. Check YouTube’s feature comparison before choosing a format around a particular feature.
Read analytics for each format
Live Control Room initially shows combined metrics for the two formats during and after the stream. Vertical-only metrics become available 24 hours after the stream ends. To find them, go to YouTube Studio → Content → Live, open the ended stream, select Analytics, open Advanced mode, then use Playback location to select Vertical live feed. YouTube documents this workflow in its analytics instructions.
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Troubleshooting
- No vertical preview or dual-format option: Confirm that you started or are managing the stream in Live Control Room and check the current Dual stream setting. YouTube’s documented built-in setup is in Live Control Room.
- The vertical picture cuts off gameplay or a presenter: The default is a center crop of the horizontal frame. In the stream’s Manage view, try Fit to phone width or Stacked, then adjust zoom and position and inspect the preview.
- The encoder’s vertical picture does not appear: Check that the vertical output is using the second vertical stream key, the horizontal output is using its own key, and the encoder option was selected before going live. YouTube says vertical cannot be added after the stream starts.
- Vertical-feed analytics are missing right after the broadcast: YouTube says separate vertical metrics appear 24 hours after the stream ends; combined metrics are shown first.
- Live streaming is unavailable: Check channel eligibility and restrictions. If this is the first activation, allow at least 24 hours after requesting it before the planned stream.
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