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YouTube Stream Key Setup

Step-by-step instruction guide to find and retrieve your YouTube stream key.

Critical Warning: Never share your YouTube stream key. It grants full access to stream live on your channel. Pinku's Lab handles stream keys locally, masks them in inputs, and never transmits them to third-party services.

How to Find Your YouTube Stream Key

  1. Log into the YouTube Creator Studio using your Google account.
  2. In the upper right corner, click Create (the video camera icon) and select Go Live.
  3. If prompted, choose to stream now or schedule a broadcast. You will be redirected to the YouTube Live Control Room.
  4. Look under the Stream Settings tab at the bottom.
  5. Locate the section labeled Default Stream Key (RTMP).
  6. Click Copy to copy the key to your clipboard. (Do not click show key unless you are alone).
  7. Return to Pinku's Lab, and paste the stream key into the YouTube Stream Key input field.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to reset my stream key after every stream?

No. Your default stream key is persistent and remains valid until you manually click the Reset button in YouTube Studio. Keeping the key secret is vital to avoid unauthorized stream broadcasts on your channel.

Does Pinku's Lab save my stream key?

Pinku's Lab sends the key to the Helper running on the same computer so FFmpeg can authenticate with YouTube ingest. The application masks the key from dashboard logs, but users should still protect it like a password and reset it immediately if exposed.