You can set up Live Redirect in YouTube Studio by editing the source livestream, opening Customization, and adding an eligible Premiere or another channel’s live stream as its destination. The handoff is intended to happen after the source stream ends, but YouTube’s documentation does not guarantee that every 24/7 prerecorded stream configuration can use the feature.
Before you plan around it, check that your sending channel meets YouTube’s eligibility requirements, that the destination creator has permitted your channel, and that the source is horizontal rather than vertical. Then test the controls and handoff with your actual stream before relying on them for a scheduled transition.
What Live Redirect does when a stream ends
Live Redirect is an end-of-stream handoff: you choose a Premiere or an eligible live stream, and YouTube is intended to send viewers there once the source livestream ends. It is not a way to move viewers while the source is still running, nor does setting it up make the destination part of your stream itself. The source ends; the destination is a separate YouTube viewing experience.
That distinction matters for a 24/7 channel. If you want a continuous channel, ending its source stream to redirect viewers means the source broadcast has stopped. A redirect can be useful at a planned boundary—for example, to send viewers from a long devotional programme to a scheduled festival Premiere—but it does not, by itself, explain how to keep the original 24/7 broadcast going afterwards. Plan the source’s next state separately.
YouTube describes the viewer handoff as autoplay, but individual viewer settings affect what happens. TeamYouTube has noted that someone who has autoplay turned off may need to click Play. YouTube also advises telling viewers that the destination can take a few seconds to load. Treat the feature as a helpful route between viewing experiences, not as a guarantee that every person will arrive without doing anything.
If your stream is a loop of recorded music or bhajans, a redirect does not resolve rights questions about either programme. Check the status and permissions for the material you broadcast; the practical distinctions in how music livestream copyright claims affect YouTube ad revenue are separate from the handoff setting.
Check sender eligibility and recipient permission
The eligibility rules apply to the channel sending viewers away from its stream. YouTube Help says the creator needs more than 1,000 subscribers and no Community Guideline strikes. Confirm the current criteria on YouTube’s Live Redirect help page, because platform settings and eligibility requirements can change.
There is another check if your chosen destination is a different channel’s live stream. That channel must allow your channel to redirect viewers to its stream. The destination creator can set redirect permissions for subscribed channels, all channels, or selected channels. Do not assume that a public livestream is automatically available as a redirect target: visibility and permission to redirect are different things.
A Premiere or a live stream from your own channel may be easier to coordinate, but still check which destinations Studio offers for your specific source stream. For another creator’s destination, ask them to verify the relevant permission and timing before you schedule the handoff. A destination may not appear if the other channel has not allowed your channel or does not have an active or upcoming eligible event.
Keep a brief record of who is responsible for each side. The source-channel operator should confirm the redirect setting; the recipient should confirm permission and that the Premiere or livestream will be available at the intended time. This is particularly useful when a local news loop, temple channel, or small business is coordinating with a separate event channel, because a last-minute change on either side can leave viewers at the source’s end screen without the intended next destination.
Open the source stream in YouTube Studio
Sign in to the YouTube account that owns the source broadcast and open YouTube Studio. From the left-hand navigation, select Content, then the Live tab. Find the source livestream you intend to end and choose Edit. Check the title or scheduled time before changing anything if the channel has multiple upcoming or past streams with similar names.
In the stream’s settings, open Customization. Look for Redirect, then choose Add. YouTube’s current help instructions describe this Studio route. The labels may move over time, so if your account presents a different layout, use the current YouTube Help page rather than relying on an old screenshot or guide.
YouTube also documents a configuration route through Live Control Room. That can be useful if you are already managing the encoder or stream from that screen, but do not confuse its availability with a promise that every source stream exposes the same controls. Older setup material may show labels that have since changed. Use the current Studio interface for the steps above, and check Live Control Room if the redirect field is missing from the expected editor.
A missing setting is a reason to investigate, not to assume that a specific piece of hardware is required. YouTube supports different ways of starting a livestream, including encoder workflows; the redirect documentation does not establish that buying an encoder or changing software is necessary to make the option appear. If your source uses OBS or another encoder, the differences between OBS and FFmpeg for a 24/7 YouTube stream may help you understand the production side, but it cannot settle account-specific redirect eligibility.
Add a Premiere or eligible live-stream destination
After choosing Add under Redirect, select a destination from the options YouTube presents. The documented destination types are a Premiere or another channel’s livestream. Search for the intended event and check the channel identity, title, and timing before confirming. If there are similarly named streams, verify the destination with its organiser rather than selecting by title alone.
If the recipient is another creator, confirm their permission first. If the stream does not appear, check whether permission has been granted, and whether the target is active or upcoming. Also check that you are editing the correct source stream and signed into the account that will send viewers. These checks are more useful than repeatedly searching for a destination that the receiving channel has not made available.
Save the redirect setting if Studio prompts you to do so. Return to the source stream’s editor and confirm that the intended destination is displayed. A save indicator is not the same as a completed handoff, so make a note of the destination and the planned source end time, then check again before the event. If the destination’s timing changes, update the setting or tell viewers what to expect rather than leaving an obsolete target in place.
For a scheduled Premiere, coordinate the time with the source operator and recipient. The audience needs a clear reason to continue watching after the source ends. For example, a channel could announce that the morning bhajan loop will finish before a live satsang on a partner channel, then give viewers enough notice to understand the transition. Keep that announcement accurate: viewers may have autoplay disabled, and some will need to select Play themselves.
Confirm the redirect when ending the source stream
The redirect is associated with the source livestream and takes effect at its end. Before ending it, check that the correct destination is still configured and available. If your channel’s normal operation is continuous, make sure the decision to stop the source is intentional; the redirect does not turn an ending stream into an uninterrupted loop.
YouTube’s guidance is to tell viewers to wait briefly while the destination loads. Say where they are going and what they may need to do. A simple notice such as “This stream is ending; the next programme is on the linked Premiere. If it does not open, select Play” sets a realistic expectation without promising a seamless transition for every viewer.
When you end the broadcast, allow YouTube to process the handoff. Avoid immediately making unrelated changes to the destination or source while viewers are moving between them. Then verify the destination from a viewer’s perspective, if possible, and confirm that it is actually playing or waiting at the right event. Remember that autoplay settings can interrupt an otherwise correct setup.
For an operational test, use a source and destination you control, and choose a time when a brief interruption is acceptable. Confirm that the redirect control is available, save it, end the source in the intended way, and observe what a viewer sees. This checks your channel’s actual workflow more directly than relying on the general feature description. Do not use a public-facing trial run if a mistaken end would disrupt a valuable live programme.
Check horizontal versus vertical stream availability
YouTube’s live-stream feature comparison lists Live Redirect for horizontal livestreams and not for vertical live feeds. If your channel uses a vertical feed for a mobile-first audience, do not assume that the same redirect setting is supported. Check the current feature comparison in YouTube Help’s live streaming overview and inspect the controls for the specific stream format you intend to use.
| Source format | What YouTube’s published feature comparison says | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Horizontal livestream | Live Redirect is listed as available | Check sender eligibility, destination permission, and the Studio controls for this stream. |
| Vertical live feed | Live Redirect is not listed as available | Do not build the handoff plan around the feature; arrange another way to guide viewers. |
| Prerecorded-content stream using an encoder | The reviewed sources do not specifically guarantee every configuration | Verify the redirect option in the channel’s Studio or Live Control Room before relying on it. |
The third row is important for the subject of this article. YouTube describes encoder streaming and Live Redirect, but the documentation reviewed does not explicitly guarantee that every 24/7 stream sourced from prerecorded content, or every encoder configuration, exposes the same redirect workflow. The fact that your broadcast is horizontal is not proof that the setting will be present. You still need to check eligibility and the actual controls on your account.
If your channel switches between horizontal and vertical presentation, treat them as separate workflows. Check the format used by the particular source stream you plan to end, rather than relying on how a viewer happens to display it on a phone. A horizontal stream viewed on a mobile device is not the same thing as a vertical live feed.
Verify the destination and keep a fallback
Before you depend on a redirect for a scheduled event, verify the source, the target, and the audience instructions. Confirm the sender account meets YouTube’s current eligibility criteria; check that the recipient has permitted the channel if the destination belongs to someone else; and ensure the selected Premiere or stream is the correct one. Then confirm the setting remains visible in the source editor near the time it is needed.
For a 24/7 prerecorded source, the most important test is whether the redirect control actually appears for that specific scheduled or active source. The reviewed official materials do not resolve compatibility across every prerecorded-stream encoder setup. If the option is absent, you can still direct viewers using a pinned chat message, a channel post, a verbal announcement, or a link in the stream description, where appropriate. Those alternatives are not the same as YouTube’s automatic end-of-stream handoff, but they give viewers a route to the next programme without pretending the feature is available.
Decide what happens if the destination is delayed or cancelled. Keep a human able to update the audience, and avoid ending the source until you know whether the destination is ready. For an always-on station, this may mean keeping a replacement loop or a return-to-programme plan available. How you produce and maintain the source is a separate concern from redirect setup; testing a YouTube RTMP setup before starting a 24/7 stream can help with that operational preparation.
If a cloud-run file stream is part of your workflow, StreamNeo removes the need to leave your own computer running for the broadcast, but you should still verify Live Redirect availability in YouTube for the particular source and keep a fallback for the audience. It does not change YouTube’s eligibility, permission, or format requirements.
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FAQ
How do I redirect viewers when my YouTube livestream ends?
In YouTube Studio, open Content > Live, edit the source stream, choose Customization, then use Redirect > Add to select a Premiere or eligible live stream. Check eligibility and recipient permission, and confirm the destination is still correct before ending the source.
Can I redirect a 24/7 prerecorded YouTube stream?
The reviewed official sources do not guarantee that every prerecorded-content stream or encoder configuration supports the workflow. Check whether the redirect control appears for your specific source in Studio or Live Control Room, and test the handoff before relying on it.
Can I send viewers to another creator’s livestream?
Yes, if the destination creator permits your channel to redirect viewers to their stream and the target is available as an eligible destination. If it is not listed, check permission and timing with the receiving channel.
Does Live Redirect work on vertical live feeds?
YouTube’s feature comparison lists Live Redirect for horizontal streams, not vertical live feeds. Do not assume a vertical source can use it; check the current official feature information and plan a separate way to direct viewers if needed.