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A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11For YouTube Live, set stereo audio to 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps. For 5.1 surround, use 48 kHz and 384 kbps. These are YouTube’s recommended live-encoder settings; the exact control names and defaults depend on your encoder.
YouTube Live audio settings at a glance
| Channel layout | Recommended sample rate | Recommended audio bitrate |
|---|---|---|
| Stereo | 44.1 kHz | 128 kbps |
| 5.1 surround | 48 kHz | 384 kbps |
These recommendations appear in YouTube’s live encoder settings for RTMP/RTMPS and its HLS setup guidance. They concern live ingest, not settings for encoding a video file to upload.
Choose the setting for your audio layout
Stereo: 44.1 kHz, 128 kbps
Use this combination when your program audio is stereo. A higher bitrate or sample rate is not automatically better: match the settings to the layout you are actually sending and to what your encoder supports.
5.1 surround: 48 kHz, 384 kbps
Choose these values only when your production and encoder output are configured for 5.1. For RTMP/RTMPS, YouTube specifies that 5.1 surround is supported only with AAC audio.
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Codec choices depend on the ingest protocol
RTMP or RTMPS
YouTube lists AAC and MP3 for RTMP/RTMPS audio. If sending 5.1, use AAC; MP3 is not supported for that layout. YouTube recommends RTMPS, the secure extension of RTMP.
HLS
YouTube’s HLS guidance lists AAC, AC3, and EAC3 and repeats the stereo and 5.1 rate recommendations above. HLS delivers video in segments and has higher latency than a continuous RTMP/RTMPS feed. Its guidance calls for 1–4 second segments and a rolling playlist with no more than five outstanding segments. Use the protocol your encoder workflow supports rather than treating the codec lists as interchangeable.
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Set and verify the audio before going live
- Confirm the intended layout. Decide whether the program is stereo or 5.1 before selecting the sample rate, bitrate, and codec.
- Set the audio encoder. In your streaming encoder, choose the applicable sample rate and bitrate from the table, then select a codec compatible with your ingest protocol and layout. Interface labels and available choices vary by encoder.
- Run a representative test. Include audio and video movement similar to the planned stream. YouTube advises: “Make sure to test before you start your live stream. Tests should include audio and movement in the video similar to what you’ll be doing in the stream.”
- Check the live dashboard. During the event, monitor stream health and read any messages so you can respond to an ingest or configuration problem.
YouTube’s setup guidance specifies these checks but does not require a particular microphone, interface, mixer, or other physical audio device.
Common audio-setting problems
- Your encoder does not offer the exact same labels: encoder interfaces differ. Find its audio sample-rate, bitrate, channel-layout, and codec controls, and verify the transmitted stream in YouTube’s live dashboard.
- 5.1 does not work over RTMP/RTMPS: confirm the encoder is actually sending 5.1 and that its audio codec is AAC.
- The stream sounds wrong despite using the recommended numbers: check that the source, mixer or encoder output, and selected channel layout agree. Test with representative program audio before the event; the recommended bitrate alone cannot confirm a correct mix.
- You expected upload recommendations to apply: live ingest settings and video-file upload encoding are separate guidance. Use the live encoder recommendations for a live stream.
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