StreamLive ProHow to go live on YouTube and Instagram at the same time
Go live on YouTube and Instagram at once from a computer: YouTube connects once, Instagram takes a fresh key each live, and you press Go live in the Instagram tab.
To go live on YouTube and Instagram at the same time, connect YouTube to StreamLive Pro once, and before each broadcast paste a fresh Instagram stream key from instagram.com. Tick both channels and press start in StreamLive Pro, then press Go live in the Instagram tab. You upload one stream and it reaches both. The two networks work differently: YouTube is fully started for you, Instagram always needs that last click on its own site.
Before you start
- YouTube with live switched on. YouTube asks for a verified channel with no live restrictions in the past 90 days (YouTube Help: Get started with live streaming). The first time, enabling live can take up to 24 hours.
- Instagram live from a computer. Instagram calls it Live Producer, says it is limited access and only available on instagram.com, and says the stream key refreshes each time you use it (Instagram: Live Producer). The StreamLive Pro key window asks for a professional account (Creator or Business).
- A StreamLive Pro account. The trial streams from the browser studio to up to two destinations, enough for YouTube plus Instagram. Paid plans add OBS and vMix as sources and more destinations (see the /pricing?lang=en page).
Steps
- Connect YouTube once. On Connections click Connect on the YouTube card and sign in with the Google account that owns the channel. If it has several channels, click Manage pages and tick one.
- Add Instagram once. In the Manual section of Connections add Instagram Live (stream key). You will fill in its key before each live.
- Open a live on Instagram. On a computer, at instagram.com, click Create, choose Live video, add a title, pick the audience and click Next. Instagram shows a Stream URL and a Stream key. Keep that tab open.
- Paste the fresh key. Open Live stream, choose Browser Studio and tick YouTube and Instagram in the Channels list. When Instagram asks for a new key, paste the Stream URL and key into its window. One box takes both at once.
- Fill in the YouTube details. Click the YouTube channel to set its title, description, thumbnail and who can watch.
- Start. Press Start stream. YouTube goes live. Instagram receives the picture but nobody sees it yet.
- Press Go live on Instagram. Go back to the Instagram tab and, when the preview shows your picture, press Go live. StreamLive Pro shows a reminder bar until you do.
- End Instagram first. Instagram recommends ending in Live Producer before stopping the software (same Instagram page). Click End live video there, then press Stop stream to end YouTube.
One picture, two shapes
YouTube shows a wide 16:9 picture. Instagram recommends a vertical 9:16 picture and says horizontal video may be cropped automatically (same Instagram page). With one stream for both, keep faces and text near the centre of the frame. The browser studio has a 9:16 safe-frame guide that shows which part survives a vertical crop: see Safe-zone guides for vertical and square viewers.
What can go wrong
| What you see | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| YouTube is live, Instagram shows nothing | Go live was not pressed in the Instagram tab | Press Go live on instagram.com once the preview appears |
| "New key needed" on the Instagram channel | The key was used in the last broadcast | Open a new live on instagram.com and paste the new key |
| Instagram fails right after the start | The key was already used, or the Instagram tab was closed | Stop, open a new Instagram live, paste the new key and start again |
| No Live video option on instagram.com | Instagram has not given the account live from a computer | Check on Instagram. It is their decision |
| Instagram cuts off the sides | A 16:9 picture on a vertical screen | Keep faces and text in the centre of the frame |
| The YouTube card says live is not on | YouTube has not enabled live yet | Switch it on and wait up to 24 hours the first time |
More on keys that do not work: My Instagram or TikTok stream key does not work.
Chat and numbers
YouTube comments appear next to the player in StreamLive Pro and you can reply there, and YouTube's live viewer count is shown. Instagram comments and viewer numbers stay in the Instagram tab. Keep it visible while you are live.
Going further
Each network alone: How to go live on YouTube from your computer and How to go live on Instagram from a computer. Instagram with Facebook: Go live on Facebook and Instagram at the same time. The full walkthrough: How to live stream to several platforms at once.
Frequently asked questions
Can I go live on YouTube and Instagram at the same time from a computer?
Yes, if Instagram gives your account live on instagram.com. YouTube connects once; Instagram needs a fresh key each time and a Go live click in its own tab.
Why do I paste a new Instagram key every time?
Instagram refreshes the stream key each time you open a live in Live Producer, so the previous key no longer works.
Will my YouTube picture look right on Instagram?
Instagram recommends 9:16 and may crop a horizontal picture. Keep faces and text in the centre, using the 9:16 safe-frame guide in the studio.
Does streaming to both need double the upload?
No. You upload one stream to StreamLive Pro and the copies are made on our servers.
Can I see Instagram comments in StreamLive Pro?
No. Live chat in StreamLive Pro reads YouTube, Facebook, Twitch and Kick. Instagram comments stay in the Instagram tab.
Can I do this on the trial?
Yes. The trial streams from the browser studio to up to two destinations, which covers YouTube and Instagram.
Keep reading
Is multistreaming allowed on Twitch, YouTube, Kick and the rest? What Twitch's own guidelines say, what we could not confirm elsewhere, and how to stay safe.
What is VOD? The replay of a live streamWhat VOD means: video on demand, the recording people watch after a live ends. Where replays live on each network and in StreamLive Pro, and how to keep yours.
How to live stream to several platforms at onceA complete guide to sending one broadcast to YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and more — from the first connection to going on air.
Your first live broadcast, step by stepFrom sign-up to live on YouTube or Facebook: five steps in the browser, nothing to install, and the one wait you should know about.
Want to try it? 7-day trial, no credit card.
Start free