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How To Start A Permanent 24/7 Youtube Live Stream (Manual / RTMP)

To start a permanent and stable 24/7 live stream using pre-recorded videos, you need to go to YouTube Studio’s Managed tab and click on Schedule Stream. This will make sure your stream does not stop even if connection or data problems occur for a moment. Let's set up your continuous stream in minutes:


⚠️ First-time streamers: If you’ve never live-streamed on YouTube before, you’ll need to verify your YouTube account - this process can take up to 24 hours before you can start streaming.


📌 Note: This guide applies only to the “Manual Setup – Classic” method using a YouTube RTMP stream key. If you used the easier “Connect with YouTube” option to create your stream, you can skip this guide. Just click Start, and your stream will go live on YouTube instantly.


1. Create a 24/7 live stream on YouTube Studio


  1. Start by visiting YouTube Live Studio in your browser,
  2. Click on +Create and select GoLive from the dropdown menu. YouTube will try to open a new livestream immediately, but you have to close this and ignore it


Go Live on YouTube Studio

2. Access the Managed Tab and Schedule Your 24/7 Livestream


  1. Now click the calendar icon to access the Managed tab to reveal the Schedule Stream button
  2. click on the Schedule Stream button


Schedule Stream via the Managed Tab

💡If you do not get this step right, your stream will potentially stop due to connection or other server issues. To keep your stream running smoothly, always start it by clicking Schedule Stream in the Managed tab (the calendar icon).


3. Provide the Livestream Details


Enter all the details for your livestream - title, detailed description, and other information. This helps viewers discover your livestream.


⚠️ ”Streaming software” should be selected for the broadcast type.


⚠️ Set the visibility settings to Public if you want to stream publicly.


Check that "Streaming Software" is selected for the broadcast type



4. Enable Auto-Start (Crucial Step in YouTube Studio)


Make sure to click on "Enable auto-start." If you do not enable this feature, livestreams will not automatically start on YouTube when Upstream starts sending the stream.


Make sure Auto Start is Enabled!


💡If your livestream has a scheduled end time, turn on Auto-stop. If you plan to stop the stream manually, leave Auto-stop off.


5. Ensure YouTube is Ready for Your 24/7 Livestream


Before you proceed, make sure YouTube is fully prepared to host your 24/7 livestream. You can confirm this by checking that:


✅ Auto start is enabled,

✅ The preview is showing: “Connect streaming software to go live”.


YouTube Studio Stream Settings


6. Copy the RTMP key from the YouTube Studio Stream Settings to the Upstream Stream Settings


  1. Click Copy next to the Stream Key in your YouTube Stream Settings.
  2. Then go to studio.upstream.so, and paste the YouTube RTMP key into the Update Stream Key field in the Stream Settings.


Copy your YouTube RTMP key to Upstream



If you do not have a stream yet on Upstream, create a new stream and enter the key during the initial setup of your stream, or later in the stream Settings.


7. Start your Livestream on Upstream.so


If your stream and content playlist are ready, you can start your stream in one of the two ways: either in the Stream Edit page by clicking on the play icon next to your stream status indicator - or by clicking the Start button on the Thumbnail of your Stream on your My Streams page / dashboard.


Start the Live Stream on Upstream



8. Go Live on YouTube 🎉


Finally, go back to YouTube Studio. Your video should be showing in the YouTube preview box, if Upstream is set up correctly. Click on Go Live to publish your 24/7 livestream!


Congratulations! Your Livestream is now Live on your YouTube Channel!


💡Consider using a backup stream for your most important streams! To add a backup you need to have an additional free stream slot!



Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


My live stream stopped abruptly on YouTube, what did I do wrong?

Regardless of what happened with the stream data, you probably did not start the stream using the Managed Tab. Please go to Step 1 of this guide to start the stream using the Managed Tab, so that you can avoid stopping your stream because of a temporary data or connection issues.


The RTMP / manual setups seems complicated - Is there an easier way? (Yes!)

You can use YouTube Connect to create your stream. In that case your Upstream and YouTube accounts will be connected, and you will be able to schedule, start and manage your streams via Upstream, without entering the RTMP key, without visiting YouTube Studio and without any technical knowledge. Read more about how to use YouTube Connect here.


Can I reuse my RTMP Key

Yes! You can think of the RTMP key as a real key - if you did not lose it, you can re-use it! There is no need to regenerate the key for each new stream. However, if you prefer, you can choose to regenerate the key at any point, just do not forget to update it on Upstream!


What if I want to stream for only 3 hours, do I still need to do this?

Yes! It does not matter whether you want to create a 24/7 stream or simply stream for a few hours - this is the best way to start your stream. 


Do I need to reset my RTMP key for each stream?

No, you can reuse your RTMP key, but you can also reset it or create a new one anytime.


Can I schedule my stream for later?

Yes, please check out our guide on scheduling streams.


I want to stream the same content to multiple platforms simultaneously

Upstream allows you to multistream to up to 10 platforms with multistreaming, for free! Take your YouTube stream and send ti to multiple destinations! Check out our multistreaming guide!


How do I turn on Monetization?

To monetize your stream, you will need to turn the monetization in YouTube Studio, just like you would with a regular stream.


I want to set up a Multistream

To add multistreaming destinations to your primary stream, go to your Stream Settings, locate the Multistreaming Settings box, and create a new tab for each additional platform / destination you want to stream to. You do not have to re-enter the info of your primary stream.


Updated on: 14/07/2025

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