If your livestream archive is available as an editable video in YouTube Studio, you can add an end screen through the standard video editor. Find the recording, open Editor, choose End screen, arrange the elements and save.
First confirm that the archive exists and that Studio lets you edit it. The archive workflow and the standard end-screen editor are separate parts of YouTube Studio; YouTube’s guidance does not describe a livestream-only end-screen editor, and not every archive should be assumed to be eligible.
Confirm the livestream archive is available
An end screen is added to the recording after the live broadcast, not to a live-only editing page. You need an archive that YouTube has made available as a video in Studio. YouTube says a live archive is automatically uploaded by default, but that does not remove the need to check that the particular recording is present. See YouTube’s archive guidance before planning around an archive that has not appeared yet.
Open YouTube Studio and look for the stream under Content, using the Live tab to find livestreams. If you can see the recording, open it and confirm that the video controls you need are available. If it is still processing, missing, or unavailable for editing, wait or investigate the archive status instead of looking for a separate livestream end-screen tool.
There is a particular archive risk with very long broadcasts. YouTube says streams under 12 hours can be automatically archived and warns that streams over 12 hours may not be captured at all. This is a limit to plan around, not a promise that every shorter stream will immediately appear. If the recording matters, keep a local backup as YouTube recommends, and check the actual Studio listing after the broadcast.
For a channel that runs continuously, a stream’s end and restart are operational events as well as content decisions. If your archive is part of a loop, the practical notes in how to end and restart a YouTube live loop without losing the playlist can help you keep the post-stream work distinct from the live schedule.
Find the recording in YouTube Studio
Once you have confirmed that an archive exists, sign in to the channel that owns it and open YouTube Studio. Choose Content from the left menu, then use Live to locate the livestream recording. The title and thumbnail are useful checks when a channel has multiple broadcasts with similar names; match the date or programme as well before editing.
The live archive’s presence in the Live list is the starting point for this task, but the next step is the normal video-editing path. Select the title or thumbnail of the recording. This opens its details page, where the left-side menu includes the editor if Studio makes it available for that video.
If the recording is not in the Live list, do not select a different replay merely because its title looks close. Check whether the broadcast has ended and processing has completed, whether you are in the correct channel account, and whether the archive is available in Studio. A local file can be useful as a backup, but it is not the archive you can edit with YouTube’s video editor until it has been uploaded as a YouTube video.
This distinction also matters when a channel has several ways of replaying old material. A rerun, a new livestream, and the archive of a past livestream are not interchangeable for this edit. If you are deciding how to reuse a past broadcast rather than merely change its end screen, the guide to replaying an old YouTube livestream covers a different workflow.
Open the video editor
On the recording’s details page, choose Editor from the left menu. You are now working on the archive as a video. The standard editing workflow applies only if this control is available for the archive and YouTube permits the change; the existence of a live archive by itself is not evidence that every editing feature will be available.
Give the page time to load and check that the correct title remains visible. If Studio presents an editing or processing state, let it settle before making decisions. Avoid changing the title or other video details as a workaround for a missing end-screen control: those changes do not establish that the archive is eligible, and they do not create a special live editor.
The video editor may be used for other changes as well, but you only need the end-screen control for this task. YouTube’s end-screen instructions describe the standard path and the available element types. Use that interface on the selected archive rather than trying to add a card during a broadcast that has already ended.
Choose End screen
In the editor, select End screen. You can choose a template or add elements individually. The available choices described by YouTube include a video, a playlist, a subscribe prompt, a channel, and an external website link for eligible YouTube Partner Program members. The external link is conditional; do not assume it will be available on every channel.
A template is a starting layout, not a requirement. It can be useful when you want a familiar arrangement quickly, but inspect each element and replace anything that does not fit the recording. A devotional archive, for example, might point to the next kirtan playlist; a local news loop might point viewers to a recent bulletin. The useful destination is the one that makes sense after this particular recording, not simply the most recently uploaded item.
YouTube Help gives the operating limits for end screens: the video must be at least 25 seconds long, and the end-screen window can occupy the final 5–20 seconds. A standard 16:9 video can have up to four elements; other aspect ratios can have lower limits. Treat these as constraints when planning, then rely on the controls shown in Studio for the actual archive.
A simple end screen is often easier to understand than a crowded one. If you use more than one element, decide which is the primary next action. A subscribe prompt and a relevant playlist can serve different purposes, but placing several destinations at once can leave the viewer with no clear choice. For a short archive, you have less time to communicate that choice than on a long programme.
Add and arrange end-screen elements
Add the elements you intend to use, then arrange their position in the preview and set their timing on the editor’s timeline. Keep important parts of the original frame in mind: a face, captions, the final devotional image, or a news lower-third can compete with a button placed over it. Try to position elements where they remain legible without hiding the content that gives the recording context.
The end-screen period belongs at the end of the video and can be set within YouTube’s stated 5–20 second window. You do not need to use the full available period in every case. If the ending includes a spoken sign-off or a final visual, align the prompt with that moment rather than covering it too early. Check how the timing relates to the actual end of the archive, particularly if the livestream finished abruptly or contains a long tail of silence.
Choose each destination deliberately. A video element should lead to a recording that continues the subject; a playlist is useful when viewers may want a sequence; a subscribe prompt supports a channel choice; and a channel element can direct attention to another creator. An external website element is only relevant where Studio offers it to an eligible channel. You can keep the end screen entirely within YouTube if that is the clearest route for your viewers.
For a channel with recurring programmes, a playlist may be more useful than the latest upload because it gives a viewer a coherent next step. YouTube also describes organising live archives into playlists in its livestream promotion guidance. Use a playlist that is maintained and on-topic; a stale playlist can be a dead end even if the element itself works.
Think about the viewing context of your audience. Someone watching a bhajan archive on a television may notice a large element differently from someone watching on a phone. Avoid relying on small text in the video frame to explain the destination. Keep the visual uncluttered and make the end-screen choice understandable from the element and the surrounding content.
Preview changes and save
Preview the arrangement in the editor before saving. Check that every element points to the intended video, playlist, channel or eligible website, and that the timing begins when you expect. Look for overlaps with captions and important visuals, and make sure the final moments of the recording are not obscured in a way that makes the ending hard to follow.
When the preview looks right, save the edit. Then reopen the recording or preview the saved version to confirm that the change remained in place. This second check is especially useful if you were working on a long archive or several similar broadcasts: it catches a wrong-video selection, an overlooked element or a layout that did not save as intended.
A successful save does not mean every viewer will see the end screen. YouTube notes that viewers can hide end screens, their appearance can vary, and some playback contexts do not show them. Its listed limitations include mobile web (except iPad mobile web), YouTube Music or YouTube Kids apps, Flash videos and 360 videos. Do not treat the end screen as the only way to identify the next programme; a clear title, description or playlist can still help viewers who do not see it.
Check archive eligibility and editability
Before spending time designing an end screen, confirm that the recording meets the rules and that Studio exposes the editor controls. YouTube says the video must be at least 25 seconds long. It also says videos set as Made for Kids are not eligible for end screens. These are reasons the feature may not be available even when the archive itself exists.
Aspect ratio affects the element limit. A standard 16:9 video can use up to four elements, while other ratios may permit fewer. Do not assume that a vertical or differently shaped archive will accept the same arrangement as a landscape recording. Add only what the interface permits and check the preview rather than designing around an assumed count.
If End screen is absent or unavailable, verify the archive’s status, length, audience setting and the current YouTube Help guidance. YouTube may change its interface or feature rules, so the official page is the reference for current behaviour. Avoid repeated attempts to force an element into a video that Studio does not allow you to edit; there may not be a fix within the end-screen workflow.
For future broadcasts, keep a copy of important source material locally and plan archive checks as part of the end-of-stream routine. If the channel’s main operational concern is not editing a completed recording but keeping the live loop running while your own computer is off, that is a separate decision; moving a 24/7 stream off your PC without going dark explains the continuity question. StreamNeo addresses the specific burden of leaving your own computer running for a continuous YouTube broadcast; it does not replace this post-broadcast Studio editing workflow.
If you are ready to run a continuous prerecorded channel as well as manage its archives, compare the operating options before changing your setup.
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FAQ
Can I add an end screen while the livestream is still live?
This guide covers an archive after it is available as a video in YouTube Studio. The steps use the standard video editor on that archive, not a separate livestream-only end-screen editor. Check the archive after the broadcast before expecting to make the change.
Why can’t I see the End screen option?
First confirm that you selected the correct archive and that Studio has made it available for editing. Then check the video’s length and Made for Kids setting: YouTube requires at least 25 seconds, and end screens are unavailable for videos set as Made for Kids. If the control remains unavailable, consult the current YouTube Help guidance rather than assuming all archives are editable.
How long should the end screen appear?
YouTube allows an end-screen window in the final 5–20 seconds of the video. Choose a duration that leaves enough time for viewers to recognise the destination without covering a key closing moment. Preview the timing against the recording itself.
Will every viewer see the end screen?
No. Viewers can hide end screens, and YouTube lists playback contexts where they are not available; appearance can also vary. Keep the next step clear in the video’s other YouTube details rather than relying on the end screen alone.