How to Livestream on YouTube Shorts

Going live on YouTube Shorts can feel like a secret feature, but it's one of the platform's most powerful tools for creators right now. While you can't technically schedule a livestream that lives permanently on the Shorts shelf, you can broadcast a vertical livestream that gets pushed directly into the Shorts feed for viewers to discover. This article walks you through exactly how to set up vertical livestreams, optimize them for maximum reach, and turn every broadcast into a mountain of evergreen short-form content.

So How Does Live in the Shorts Feed Actually Work?

Let's clear this up first, because it's a point of confusion for many creators. There isn't a "Livestream to Shorts" button. Instead, YouTube is promoting vertical mobile livestreams by making them discoverable within the Shorts feed. When a potential viewer is scrolling through Shorts and comes across your live, they see a preview and can tap to enter the full-screen, interactive stream.

Here’s the breakdown:

• It's a Vertical Format: The stream must be shot and broadcast in a vertical (9:16) aspect ratio. A traditional horizontal (16:9) stream won't be eligible.
• It's a Temporary Feature: Your livestream is featured in the Shorts feed while you are live. It's a discovery tool designed to pull new viewers into your stream in real-time.
• It Becomes a VOD: Once you end the stream, it saves to your channel as a regular video-on-demand (VOD), just like any other livestream. It will no longer appear in the Shorts feed.

Think of it as a temporary ad for your live event, placed in one of the highest-traffic areas on the internet: the YouTube Shorts feed. It’s a game-changer for spontaneous engagement and reaching audiences that might never see your long-form content.

Why You Should Go Live Vertically on YouTube

Jumping into vertical livestreams isn't just about trying a new feature, it’s a strategic move that taps into several powerful trends on the platform. If you're looking to build an organic brand, this is an opportunity you can't afford to ignore.

1. Tap into the Shorts Algorithm for Discoverability

The YouTube Shorts algorithm is designed for rapid discovery. Unlike the browse features or recommended videos, which often favor established channels, the Shorts feed is known for giving new content and creators a fair shot. By going live vertically, you’re temporarily inserting yourself into this high-velocity content stream, exposing your channel to thousands of potential new subscribers who are actively looking for new content to watch.

2. Build Authentic, Real-Time Connections

Polished, highly-edited videos are great, but audiences crave authenticity. Livestreams offer a raw, unfiltered look at you and your brand. It's where your community can interact with you directly through live chat, ask questions, and be a part of the moment. This kind of spontaneous interaction builds a much deeper connection than a pre-recorded video ever could. Vertical streams, viewed on mobile, feel even more personal and intimate, like a FaceTime call with the creator.

3. Create Effortless Content for Repurposing

A single one-hour livestream can become a goldmine of short-form content. During your stream, incredible moments will happen naturally: a hilarious off-the-cuff joke, a powerful insight, a perfect user question, or an exciting reveal. After your stream ends, you can easily use YouTube's own tools to clip these moments into dozens of high-quality Shorts. This turns one content creation effort into weeks' worth of scheduled-out short-form videos to keep your channel feed active.

4. It Aligns With Mobile-First Viewing Habits

The vast majority of YouTube viewers watch on their mobile devices. The vertical format is native to this experience - viewers don't have to turn their phones sideways, and the content fills their entire screen. This creates a more immersive and comfortable viewing experience, reducing the friction that might cause someone to scroll past your content.

Getting Started: Eligibility Requirements for Mobile Live

Before you get ready to go live, you need to make sure your channel meets YouTube's requirements. Thankfully, they're pretty straightforward.

• Channel Verification: Your channel needs to be verified. This is a simple process that involves confirming your phone number with YouTube.
• Subscriber Count: To go live from a mobile device, your channel must have at least 50 subscribers.
• No Livestreaming Restrictions: Your channel cannot have any livestreaming restrictions within the last 90 days. These usually result from Community Guideline strikes.
• Wait Period: It's important to note that YouTube might impose a 24-hour waiting period before you can start your first-ever livestream. Plan accordingly!

A Step-by-Step Guide to Vertical Livestreaming on Your Phone

Ready to go live? The process is simple and takes just a few moments directly within the YouTube app. Follow these steps to start your first vertical stream.

Step 1: Open the YouTube App and Tap "Create"

Simply open the YouTube app on your mobile device (iOS or Android). At the bottom center of the screen, you'll see a plus sign (+) icon. Tap it to open the creation menu.

Step 2: Select "Go Live"

From the menu that pops up, select the Go Live option. If it's your first time, you may have to grant the app permission to access your camera and microphone.

Step 3: Craft a Killer Title and Description

This is where discoverability starts. Don't skip this!

• Title: Create a compelling, "thumb-stoppable" title that clearly explains what your stream is about. Think about keywords people might search for. "Making a Beat from Scratch" is better than "Live Hangout."
• Description: Use the description to add more detail and include relevant keywords. You can also drop links to your social media, products, or website.

Step 4: Set the Format to "Vertical" (The Most Important Step!)

This is the magic switch. You'll see a setting for "Screen Cast" or different format options. Make sure your phone is held vertically, and select the vertical display orientation. It's often indicated by an icon of a stretched phone. If you start the stream horizontally, it will not be eligible for the Shorts feed.

Step 5: Adjust Your Stream Settings

Before you hit Go Live, you have a few more options to configure:

• Scheduling: You can choose to go live immediately or schedule it for a later date and time. Scheduling is a great way to build hype and promote your stream in advance.
• Monetization: If you're in the YouTube Partner Program, you can turn on ads and enable Super Chat/Super Stickers.
• Advanced Settings: Here you can allow or disallow live chat, add age restrictions, or disclose paid promotions. For maximum engagement, you should almost always leave live chat enabled.

Step 6: Go Live and Engage!

Once your settings are dialed in, tap Next. The app will take a thumbnail photo of you for the stream. You can retake it or upload a custom one. After that, just tap Go Live and you're on!

As soon as you're live, viewers will start popping in. Welcome them, pay close attention to the chat, and start creating an amazing, interactive experience.

Best Practices for a Hugely Successful Vertical Livestream

Going live is one thing, creating a stream that people actually want to watch and stick around for is another. Here are a few pro tips to make your vertical livestreams more engaging and effective.

Have a Simple Plan, but Embrace Spontaneity

You don't need a word-for-word script, but you should have a basic idea of what you want to talk about or do. Maybe it's a Q&A session, a behind-the-scenes look at your workspace, a live product demo, or just a casual co-working session. Having a central theme keeps the stream focused. That said, don't be afraid to go off-script! Often, the best moments come from unplanned interactions with your live chat.

Promote Your Stream Beforehand

If you schedule your stream in advance, use that time to build excitement. Create a few regular YouTube Shorts teasing the live event. Post about it on the Community Tab. Let your audience on other platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or X know when you'll be live. The more people you can get to join at the very beginning, the stronger your initial momentum will be.

Prioritize Good Audio and Lighting

You don't need a professional studio, but people won't stick around if they can't see or hear you clearly. A simple ring light and an external microphone that plugs into your phone can drastically improve your production quality for a very small investment. Position yourself facing a window for great natural light during the day.

Engage With the Chat Constantly

The number one reason people watch a livestream is for the interaction. Say hello to people by username as they join. Read questions out loud before you answer them so everyone has context. Acknowledge comments and make your audience feel seen and heard. When the chat starts talking to each other, you've successfully built a mini-community around your content.

After the Stream: Clipping Your Best Moments into Shorts

The work doesn't stop when you end the broadcast. Your livestream VOD is now a valuable asset. YouTube has a brilliant built-in tool that lets you clip highlights and publish them directly as Shorts.

1. Navigate to the replay (VOD) of your livestream in the YouTube Studio.
2. Below the video player, click the Edit into a Short button.
3. You'll be taken to the Shorts creation interface, with the full livestream loaded into the editor.
4. Simply drag the selection handles on the timeline to choose a clip up to 60 seconds long.
5. Find that perfect highlight, pithy comment, or funny moment. Once you're happy with your clip, hit Next.
6. From here, you can add text, filters, or other creative elements just like you would for any other Short. Add a punchy title and publish it.

You can repeat this process as many times as you like from the same livestream. This strategy populates your Shorts feed with high-quality, proven content, keeping your channel growing long after the live event is over.

Final Thoughts

Going live on YouTube using the vertical format is a dynamic way to leverage the power of the Shorts discovery algorithm for real-time engagement. By holding your phone upright and engaging with your audience, you can capture attention in the feed, build a stronger community, and effortlessly generate a massive amount of short-form content to use for weeks to come.

Once your livestream is done and you've clipped a dozen amazing Shorts, the next challenge is actually publishing them consistently. We know how overwhelming it can be when a good content strategy quickly fills up a calendar. That's why we built Postbase, creating a simple, visual planner to manage it all without the headache. Our drag-and-drop calendar lets you schedule your Shorts and other content across every platform, giving you a bird's-eye view of your entire strategy for the weeks and months ahead.