To send a radio station’s AAC feed to YouTube using OBS, add the live feed as an audio-capable source, then compose a video source in the same scene. A radio feed alone is not a complete video broadcast: YouTube needs a video output too, and any visualizer must come from an appropriate source or tool that you have tested.
The key distinction is whether you have a live station URL or an AAC file. OBS documents VLC Video for extended media playback and playlists, while its Media Source supports AAC files; neither fact guarantees that a particular station endpoint or transport will work. Test the exact feed in your setup before relying on it for a long broadcast.
Plan the audio feed and the picture
Start by identifying exactly what the station has supplied. A live URL points to an ongoing network feed; an AAC file is a finite recording. They call for different OBS sources and different checks. Ask the station for its published listener or broadcast URL if you need a live feed, and clarify whether it is a playlist URL or a direct stream endpoint. Do not assume that a link which plays in a browser will also work in OBS.
Decide what viewers should see while listening. A logo or station image is the simplest stable option. You might instead use a programme graphic, a schedule card, or a visualizer generated by a separate suitable source or tool. A visualizer is not just a setting you can assume exists in OBS: it has to be provided, placed in the scene, and checked at the output size. Avoid designing around a particular plugin until you have confirmed that it is available and works in your OBS installation.
Think through the broadcast as two outputs: continuous audio and a video scene that remains legible over time. If the show changes, decide whether the graphic will change too or stay fixed. For example, a devotional station might show its station name and current programme artwork, while a local news loop may need a clear title card that does not hide the audio as the main experience.
Before using station material, confirm with the station that you are authorised to retransmit the feed on YouTube. OBS and YouTube configuration do not determine your rights to the audio, and this setup guide cannot establish whether a particular use is permitted. Check the station’s terms and YouTube’s current official guidance if you are unsure.
If the sound is from a prerecorded programme rather than a live station endpoint, the workflow changes: you are scheduling a file, not relaying a live feed. Our guide to using podcast episode audio in a continuous YouTube stream covers a related rights and format question, but do not treat a file and a station URL as interchangeable inputs.
Add the station source in OBS
Create or select the scene that will carry the broadcast. In the Sources area, add VLC Video for a live station URL if the source is available in your OBS installation and VLC can play that URL and transport. Enter the station’s published stream URL or playlist in its source properties, then start playback and check what happens in the OBS interface. The source name includes “Video”, but it can also provide audio; you still need to verify the meter and routing.
OBS describes VLC Video as using VLC libraries for extended media support and allowing playlists. That is not a promise that every internet radio endpoint, AAC variant, redirect, playlist format, or authentication method will work. The official OBS Media Sources documentation distinguishes VLC Video from Media Source and notes the latter’s supported file types. Treat the exact station URL as unverified until it plays in your actual scene.
If VLC Video is missing or cannot play, check the OBS documentation before changing the source plan. OBS notes that VLC must be installed with the same architecture as OBS; its documentation specifically calls out the 64-bit pairing. Installing or changing VLC is not a guarantee of feed compatibility, but it removes one possible cause when the source is unavailable.
For an AAC recording saved on your computer, use Media Source and select the file. OBS lists .aac among its supported audio file types. This approach is appropriate for a file, not proof that an AAC network address can be opened the same way. If you need to play a finite recording repeatedly, configure that behaviour deliberately and watch the source at the end of a cycle; a file reaching its end is different from a station maintaining a live feed.
A quick comparison helps keep the input choice grounded:
| What you have | OBS source to try | What to verify before broadcast |
|---|---|---|
| Live radio URL or playlist | VLC Video | The URL opens, audio plays continuously, and the meter moves |
| AAC file stored locally | Media Source | The file loads, plays as intended, and does not stop unexpectedly |
| URL that fails in OBS | Diagnose the endpoint or ask the station | Browser playback alone does not confirm OBS compatibility |
For a deeper comparison of the two OBS source types in a music workflow, see OBS Playlist Source versus VLC Video Source. The relevant choice depends on whether the source is a live station feed, a local file, or a prepared playlist; there is no universal source that makes every radio URL work.
Choose a visualizer-capable video source
A YouTube encoder broadcast needs a video stream as well as audio. Put a visual source in the scene even if listeners are expected to focus on the radio. A static image is often the easiest first test because it has no moving parts, can be checked for cropping, and makes it clear that OBS is producing video.
If you want an audio-reactive visualizer, source it intentionally. Depending on your setup, that could be a separate visualizer application captured into OBS, a compatible third-party tool, or graphics you have prepared to respond to the programme by another method. This article does not assume that OBS includes a built-in audio visualizer, nor that a particular plugin is installed, supported, or compatible with your audio path. Check the documentation for whichever source or tool you choose.
A visualizer only helps if it is visible and behaves sensibly. Test it with the same station feed and OBS audio source you intend to use. Check whether it reacts to the feed rather than a microphone or unrelated desktop sound; inspect whether the animation is too subtle on a phone-sized preview; and watch whether it appears delayed relative to the sound. Do not promise perfect synchronisation based on a short glance. If you see drift or a noticeable delay, use a static visual while investigating rather than presenting a distracting mismatch.
A layered scene can keep the station identity clear. Add a background or full-frame image first, then place any title or visualizer above it. Keep essential text away from the edges, where different playback displays may crop or obscure it. If there is a live presenter or other camera source, make sure it does not cover the station name or visualizer unintentionally.
For an always-on station, a simple scene may be more dependable than a complex one. Every extra source can add another failure point: an application can close, a window can move, or a graphic can disappear. Choose moving visuals because they help the listener or viewer, not simply because the scene seems empty. If the channel needs changing artwork or a track label, test that workflow separately; the article on adding a now-playing track title is relevant when titles are part of the viewer experience.
Compose the scene and confirm audio routing
In OBS, sources are arranged in a scene, with their order affecting what viewers see. Add the background first, then any visualizer, station logo, programme title, or other overlays. Preview the scene at the same aspect ratio and resolution you intend to send. A visual source can be present in the Sources list but hidden behind another source, disabled, cropped, or positioned outside the canvas, so presence in the list is not enough.
Now check the audio path. Play the station feed and watch the Audio Mixer. The relevant meter should move when the programme sound plays. If it does not, confirm the source is active, that the correct URL or file is selected, and that the source has not been muted. OBS’s Quick Start Guide recommends checking the audio meters as part of setup, rather than assuming that a source was added correctly.
Avoid capturing the same sound twice. OBS’s default setup may capture desktop audio and a microphone; adding another device-specific input that refers to the same device can produce echo or doubling. OBS explains this risk in its Audio Sources guidance. If your radio source already supplies the audio, you may not need a desktop capture of the application that is playing it as well. Listen to the programme through the monitoring setup you intend to use and check that there is one clean signal, not a delayed copy.
Set levels with the actual feed, not silence. Radio programmes can vary between speech, music and adverts. Listen for clipping, abrupt loudness changes, or a very quiet feed. Do not apply processing simply to make the meter look active; first establish that the correct signal is reaching OBS, then decide whether any adjustment is needed. If you change a filter or gain setting, listen again and check that it has not introduced distortion.
If you use a visualizer that captures an application window or a separate audio device, make sure its input does not replace or duplicate the actual programme audio sent to YouTube. The visualizer can react to a signal while the broadcast audio comes from a different source, but that arrangement should be tested for delay and level differences. A moving graphic is not evidence that the audience will hear the same signal that drives it.
Check visibility and the audio meters
Before connecting to YouTube, examine the scene as a viewer would. Confirm that the picture fills the intended canvas, the station name is readable, and no source is blank or obscured. Switch between scenes if you have more than one, then return to the broadcast scene and ensure it remains selected. A visualizer should not obscure text or create a flashing effect that makes the station image difficult to read.
Watch the audio meters while the station is playing. A meter that stays still suggests the source is not feeding the mixer, is muted, or is not currently producing sound. A meter that moves does not by itself confirm that YouTube will receive it, so make a short end-to-end test as well. Listen for echo, silence between transitions, unexpected stops, and level changes that are uncomfortable.
If the meter does not move, test the station URL outside the broadcast scene only as a diagnosis, then return to OBS and verify the source properties. Browser playback can establish that a link is reachable from your computer, but it does not establish that VLC Video supports the same stream in your OBS environment. If the station offers more than one endpoint, ask which one is intended for encoder or player use rather than guessing.
If the feed plays but stops later, identify whether the station endpoint itself is intermittent or whether the local connection or source has failed. A short test cannot establish that a source will remain available all night. For a continuous channel, arrange a monitoring routine and have a practical response ready: who will check the broadcast, how they can tell whether the audio has stopped, and what source or scene they can use while diagnosing it.
For a programme built around a continuous playlist rather than a live station, the required checks differ: a playlist needs attention to its transitions and end-of-list behaviour. The guide to switching between video playlists in an OBS stream addresses that workflow. Keep the present setup focused on confirming one radio feed and its accompanying picture.
Configure YouTube and send a short test
Create or select the live event in YouTube Live Control Room. Copy the stream URL and stream key shown for that event into OBS’s streaming settings. Treat the key as a credential: YouTube describes it as password-like, so do not include it in screenshots, shared documents, or a public screen recording. If you think it has been exposed, reset it in the Control Room and update OBS with the new key.
Use YouTube’s current live encoder settings as the reference for the output format. The guidance lists RTMP/RTMPS, H.264, H.265 (HEVC) or AV1 video, AAC or MP3 audio, and CBR bitrate encoding, and recommends RTMPS. For stereo audio it lists 44.1 kHz and 128 Kbps. These are YouTube’s published encoder recommendations, not a claim that every incoming station feed uses the same format. Choose video resolution and bitrate for the visual content, connection capacity, and current YouTube requirements.
The station may deliver AAC audio while OBS sends its own encoded output to YouTube. Think of those as separate stages: the incoming source must play in OBS, and OBS’s outgoing stream must match the platform’s current encoder guidance. Do not assume that because the source is labelled AAC, the whole broadcast is already configured correctly. Check the output settings and confirm that the outgoing audio is enabled.
Start streaming in OBS, then wait for the preview to appear in YouTube Live Control Room. YouTube’s encoder setup instructions place preview confirmation before going live. Check both picture and sound from the preview, ideally on another device or connection if practical. Confirm the station image or visualizer is visible, the audio is audible, and the scene is not showing a desktop or control panel you did not intend to share. Only then use YouTube’s Go live control for the public event.
Do a short test before a scheduled broadcast, not just a source check inside OBS. The test verifies the route all the way to YouTube and can reveal a wrong stream key, missing video, absent audio, or an awkward crop. If there is no preview, recheck the selected event, stream URL and key, and the OBS connection state. If there is a picture but no sound, return to the mixer and verify source routing and mute state. Change one thing at a time so you can tell which correction helped.
A local OBS setup depends on the computer and connection staying available while the broadcast runs. If keeping a computer on and watching for a stalled feed is the part that makes the schedule impractical, StreamNeo removes that particular burden by turning an uploaded video into a YouTube live stream that can run with your computer switched off. It does not relay a live station URL in the workflow described here, so it is not a substitute for the station-feed method above.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
Can I use OBS Media Source for a live AAC radio URL?
OBS documents Media Source support for AAC files, not universal compatibility with live network endpoints. For a live station URL, try VLC Video if it can play the station’s published feed, then verify the meter and run an end-to-end test. The station’s URL and transport determine whether it works in your setup.
Does OBS have a built-in audio visualizer?
Do not assume that it does. A visualizer requires an appropriate source or separate tool, and its availability and behaviour depend on what you install and configure. Test that it reacts to the intended feed and that its visibility and timing are acceptable before using it on air.
Why can I see a picture in OBS but not hear the radio on YouTube?
A visible scene does not confirm that the audio source is routed to the outgoing stream. Check that the source is playing and unmuted, watch the OBS audio meter, and look for duplicate or incorrectly selected audio devices. Then test the YouTube preview before going live.
What should I check if YouTube shows no preview?
Confirm that OBS is connected to the correct event using its stream URL and key, and wait for the preview as YouTube instructs. Keep the stream key private; if it may have been exposed, reset it in YouTube Live Control Room and update OBS.