To add a station-identification announcement to a YouTube radio stream, put a recorded audio clip into the audio path you send from OBS to YouTube. For an occasional announcement, an OBS Media Source can be triggered by hand; recurring clock-timed IDs are better handled by radio playout automation or prepared as part of a programme asset.
A station logo or waveform on screen is not an audio ID. The clip itself must be audible in the programme mix, and you should check it in YouTube Studio’s preview before starting the public broadcast. The route below takes you from the live event to that final check.
Create the YouTube live event
Sign in to YouTube Studio and open the live control room to create or schedule a live event. YouTube’s live-streaming guidance describes the available streaming methods, including using an encoder such as OBS. Choose the encoder workflow: OBS will compose your sound and picture, while Studio provides the event details and the destination for the stream.
Give the event a clear title and description, select the intended audience and visibility, and set a start time if you are scheduling it. Check the settings carefully before proceeding; a private test event can be useful when you are learning, while a public event is appropriate only when you are ready for viewers to find it. The exact options shown can depend on your channel and YouTube’s current interface.
Keep the YouTube Studio event open while preparing OBS. You will need to copy the stream URL and stream key from the encoder settings later. Treat the key like a password: do not paste it into a public chat, screenshot, or document shared with people who do not operate the channel. If you need to replace a key, follow the channel-specific steps in this guide to reset or replace a YouTube stream key.
An event being created does not mean that YouTube is already receiving a usable programme. OBS still needs to send the selected audio and video, and the Studio preview should show that feed before you start the event. Keep the event and encoder settings aligned so that you do not accidentally send the prepared audio to a different scheduled stream.
Add station audio to an OBS scene
First decide what listeners will hear before, during and after the announcement. If you already have a suitable recording, you do not need a microphone or additional recording hardware: use that file. If you need to make a new clip, record a concise identification in a quiet place and listen back for clipping, background noise and unclear words before using it.
For an occasional ID, add the recording to the OBS scene as a Media Source. OBS documents support for common formats including MP3, AAC, OGG and WAV, along with the source option “Restart playback when source becomes active” (see the OBS Media Sources guide). Set that option if you want each activation to begin at the start of the recording rather than resume partway through.
Check the source’s audio routing in OBS. The source should reach the same stream mix as the music or programme audio; making it visible in the scene alone does not guarantee that viewers will hear it. Watch the OBS audio mixer when you play the clip and listen on headphones or speakers connected to the monitoring output. Avoid relying on the moving meter as proof of intelligibility: it shows activity, not whether words are clear or whether the music is obscuring them.
For a manual break, make the source available in the scene and trigger it when the programme reaches the intended point. Test how your scene is set up to activate the source, then test how playback behaves when you trigger it again. The restart setting is useful for repeat activation, but it does not itself schedule the clip or decide when an announcement belongs in the programme.
If you need an ID at a precise recurring time, do not assume an OBS scene switch is a clock scheduler. Use a radio playout or broadcast-automation system that you have verified can schedule the clip and deliver its output to the encoder, or include the ID in a prepared programme asset. The AURA automated-radio documentation illustrates scheduled broadcasts and media sources, but you should confirm the controls and OBS or YouTube connection for the specific system you choose.
| Situation | Practical approach | What to account for |
|---|---|---|
| One-off or occasional ID | Trigger an OBS Media Source by hand | Someone must be present and trigger it at the right break. |
| Recurring clock-timed ID | Schedule it with radio playout or automation, then route that programme audio to OBS | Verify timing, audio output and the exact integration before relying on it. |
| Repeating, pre-produced video programme | Put the announcement into the finished programme asset before looping it | The announcement repeats with that asset; it is not a timed insertion into an already-running live audio feed. |
Your choice depends on how exact the timing needs to be, whether a playout system is already in use, how much of the programme is pre-produced and whether a person can attend to the stream. If your sound between prepared items is the main issue, the advice on fixing a stream with no sound between videos may help you check the broader audio path.
For a prepared repeating video programme rather than a live audio feed, StreamNeo can remove the need to keep a local computer running the loop: you upload a finished video for a YouTube stream. That is a different workflow from inserting a station ID at a chosen moment in an already-running live radio mix, so include the clip in the asset if you need it to recur with that programme.
Choose a Waveform visualizer mode
A waveform gives an audio-first stream a visual element, but it does not create or route station audio. Choose a visualizer mode in OBS that fits what you want viewers to see, then make sure the visualizer is tied to the intended audio source or mix. The available visualizer effects can vary by OBS setup and installed components, so test the controls in your own scene rather than expecting a particular mode to appear everywhere.
For a spoken ID over music, a waveform that remains readable while both sources are active is usually more useful than one that reacts only to a silent or inactive source. Check whether the visualizer responds to the music, the announcement, or both. If you want viewers to recognise the station while the clip plays, keep the station name or logo legible without allowing it to cover the announcement’s visual cue.
Treat the visualizer as presentation, not a reliability feature. It cannot improve a weak upload connection or ensure that OBS continues sending a feed. If you are troubleshooting an unstable stream, look separately at the connection and encoder symptoms in this guide to dropped frames in a 24/7 music stream.
Fill the frame and check the composition
Set the visualizer and any station artwork to fit the canvas and the aspect ratio of the stream. In OBS, inspect the full preview at the output size you plan to send. A visualizer that looks large in the editing canvas can still be cropped, partly hidden behind another source, or too small to read in the final frame.
Keep the main station mark and visualizer away from edges where they could be cut off or obscured by interface overlays. If the scene uses a background image, check that it fills the frame without stretching a logo or leaving unintended empty bands. Keep the composition simple enough that the station name remains visible while the waveform changes.
Check the scene while the station ID is playing, not only while the music runs. A clip can have a different loudness and visual response from the bed music, so a waveform may jump or dominate the frame during the spoken words. If the announcement is intended to be heard clearly, ensure that any on-screen animation supports the break rather than distracting from the spoken identification.
If you are changing the visual in an existing stream, avoid making layout changes blindly during a live event. Preview a scene first, and understand which sources are shared between scenes. For a planned visual replacement in a running loop, see the practical considerations in changing the video in a running 24/7 stream.
Set video bitrate for the upload connection
Choose an OBS video bitrate from YouTube’s current encoder recommendations for the resolution and frame rate you intend to send. Do not choose a figure simply because another channel uses it: the usable setting depends on the output format and how much upload capacity is available at the location. YouTube’s guidance can change, so consult the current official recommendations rather than relying on a remembered value.
The upload connection must have room for the outgoing stream, and a connection that is already being used by other devices may have less capacity available than a speed test suggests. Test the connection at the place and time you plan to broadcast, and leave headroom rather than setting the encoder to consume all of the apparent upload capacity. If the connection cannot carry the selected output consistently, reduce the resolution or frame rate and choose the corresponding YouTube-recommended bitrate rather than exceeding the available capacity.
The bitrate setting is not a promise of smooth delivery. Wi-Fi interference, network congestion, other uploads and device load can all affect the feed. If OBS reports dropped frames, distinguish network-related drops from rendering or encoding lag; each points to a different constraint. The dropped-frames troubleshooting guide offers a separate route through those symptoms.
Audio has its own encoder settings, so do not raise video bitrate to make the station ID louder or clearer. Set the audio level in the OBS mix and check that the announcement is audible above the programme without clipping. Make one adjustment at a time, then inspect the preview and listen again.
Enter the stream URL and key
Return to the event’s encoder settings in YouTube Studio and copy the stream URL and stream key into the matching fields in OBS. Confirm each field is complete and use the key for the event or channel you intend to stream to. OBS’s stream settings are separate from scene composition, so selecting the right event in Studio does not automatically guarantee that the encoder has the correct destination.
Keep the key private. If you share operating duties, transfer it through a private channel and limit access to people who need to run the stream. If you suspect that it has been exposed, reset it in Studio and update OBS with the new value before the next broadcast; the replacement process is covered in the linked stream-key guide.
Start the OBS stream output and wait for YouTube Studio to report that it is receiving the encoder feed. Do not begin the public event merely because OBS says it is streaming. The stream URL and key establish where the feed is sent; the Studio preview is where you can confirm that YouTube is receiving the intended picture and sound.
Check preview and audio before going live
Inspect the YouTube Studio preview before starting the event. Confirm that it shows the intended scene, that the frame is not black or cropped, and that the station name and visualizer are visible. Play the ID through the OBS scene and listen to the feed at the receiving end if practical; verify that the words are clear, that music is not unintentionally covering them and that the clip does not overlap another item.
Check the announcement’s position in the programme. If you are triggering it by hand, confirm who will operate the control and at which break. If a radio automation system is responsible, check that its schedule and audio output are active and that the clip appears in the intended part of the programme. A successful local playback in OBS alone does not prove that the same audio reaches YouTube.
Before going live, confirm the event title, visibility and intended audience in Studio. Review any available stream-health messages and address warnings you understand before starting. Then start the event from Studio when you are satisfied with the feed. Keep monitoring the programme and the connection after launch; a preview check reduces avoidable mistakes, but it cannot guarantee uninterrupted streaming.
Also consider the rights in the music and other third-party material in the stream. YouTube says live streams are scanned for third-party content and may be interrupted or terminated when such content remains; even licensed material can be affected if the rights holder has not allowlisted the channel. Read YouTube’s current guidance on copyright issues with live streams, and check the relevant rights and any intended archived version yourself.
A station-ID rule may also depend on what kind of station you operate and where it is licensed. In the United States, 47 CFR § 73.1201 sets identification wording and timing for broadcast stations it covers, including identification at the beginning and end of operation and hourly as close to the hour as feasible at a natural break. That is not a universal rule for every internet-only YouTube channel; check the current eCFR text and the rules for your own jurisdiction and licence before deciding what wording and timing apply.
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FAQ
Can I add a station ID without a microphone?
Yes, if you already have a suitable recording. Add the audio file as an OBS Media Source and route it to the stream mix; a microphone is only needed if you are making a new recording.
Will OBS insert an announcement automatically every hour?
A Media Source can be played when activated, and it can restart from the beginning when made active. That setting is not a recurring clock schedule; for dependable timed insertion, verify a radio playout or automation workflow, or prepare the announcement inside the programme asset.
Does a waveform visualizer count as station identification?
No. A visual mark or waveform is not a spoken audio announcement. If your station needs an audio ID, include the recording in the sound sent to YouTube and listen to the received preview.
Do all YouTube radio streams have to use the US station-identification timing?
No. The cited timing rule applies to broadcast stations covered by the US regulation, not automatically to every YouTube channel worldwide. Check the current official requirements for your jurisdiction and licence.