The stream URL tells your encoder where to send your video and audio; the stream key is the credential YouTube uses to accept and associate that feed with your stream. In a typical RTMP or RTMPS setup, enter the URL in the encoder’s Server or URL field and the key in its Stream Key field. They work together and are not interchangeable.
Stream key vs. stream URL
| Value | What it does | Where it goes in a typical encoder |
|---|---|---|
| Stream URL | Specifies the YouTube ingestion server destination for the audio and video feed. | Server, URL, or RTMP Server |
| Stream key | Acts as a credential that lets YouTube accept and associate the encoder’s feed with the stream. | Stream Key |
YouTube Help offers the analogy, “Stream keys are like your YouTube stream’s password and address.” More precisely for a common encoder setup, the URL is the server destination and the key is the credential. YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings
Where to put each value in OBS or another encoder
- In YouTube Studio, open Live Control Room and select an existing stream or create one.
- Copy the Stream URL shown for that stream into the encoder’s Server, URL, or RTMP Server field.
- Copy the stream key into the encoder’s Stream Key field.
- Start the encoder. For a scheduled stream, wait for the preview to appear in Live Control Room, check that it looks and sounds right, then click Go live when you are ready.
Field labels vary by encoder. If it offers a YouTube streaming preset, YouTube recommends choosing it; depending on the software, you may still need to provide the stream key. Follow the encoder’s field prompts and YouTube’s encoder setup instructions: Create a YouTube live stream with an encoder.
Does the stream URL include the key?
RTMP and RTMPS
In the common RTMP setup, the URL and key are separate values entered in separate fields. RTMPS adds encryption to RTMP traffic; it still uses a URL and a stream key. If you choose RTMPS in Live Control Room, use the RTMPS URL and enter the key in the encoder’s key field. YouTube Help: Encrypt your stream using RTMPS
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- Read Before You Buy — No Video Output: These adapters support charging and USB 2.0 data transfer, but cannot transmit video signals. Except for standard USB webcams (which use USB data only), they are not compatible with HDMI/DisplayPort cables, video-capable USB-C hubs, or docking stations with video output.
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HLS
YouTube’s HLS workflow includes the key in the URL. In that setup, a separate Stream Key field may not apply as it does for RTMP or RTMPS. Check the selected protocol and the encoder’s instructions; do not append or paste the key a second time unless the encoder specifically asks for it. YouTube Help: Set up an HLS stream
Protect and reset a stream key
Treat the key as a password: anyone who obtains it may be able to send a feed to the associated stream. If it may have been exposed, reset it in the Stream tab in Live Control Room, then replace the old value in the encoder. YouTube says channel owners and managers can reset a key; editors and viewers cannot. YouTube Help: Manage live stream settings
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Troubleshooting a connection or startup error
- The encoder cannot connect: Confirm that the URL is in the server field and the key is in the key field. Check that you selected the URL for the protocol you intend to use.
- The key may be compromised or no longer accepted: Reset it in Live Control Room and update the encoder with the replacement.
- A third-party encoder reports an error starting: YouTube’s troubleshooting guidance recommends getting a new stream key and pasting it into the encoder. This is a troubleshooting step, not proof that every startup error is caused by the key. YouTube Help: Troubleshoot your YouTube live stream
- The software signs in to YouTube instead of asking for a key: YouTube advises contacting that software’s support team.
- The encoder connects but the scheduled stream is not live to viewers: Check the preview in Live Control Room and click Go live for the scheduled stream when it is ready.
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