To stream a radio station to YouTube from a Mac mini, capture the station audio in OBS Studio, add a suitable image, and send the resulting video stream to YouTube Live. You will need a YouTube stream URL and key, and you should test the complete path before broadcasting to viewers.
The audio-capture steps depend on your software versions and source: OBS Studio 30 or later on macOS 13 Ventura or later supports native desktop or application capture. Before you stream, confirm that your station’s rights cover the planned rebroadcast; access to a station feed does not itself grant those rights.
What you need on the Mac mini
You need a Mac mini with a stable internet connection, OBS Studio, and a source of the station audio. That source might be a station player in a browser or another application, or an external mixer, receiver, or interface connected to the Mac. These routes use different OBS sources, so identify yours before configuring the scene.
You also need a visual. YouTube Live receives video as well as audio, even if the programme is radio. A still image with the station name, programme information, or an approved logo is often enough. Do not assume that a logo, album cover, or promotional image is cleared for use just because it appears on the station website.
For the YouTube side, you need a channel that can livestream and a stream created or scheduled in YouTube Studio. YouTube says a channel’s first live stream requires verification and that it must not have had a live-streaming restriction in the preceding 90 days. Check YouTube’s current live-streaming eligibility guidance before planning a launch, because platform eligibility can change.
A continuous station feed and a scheduled broadcast are not quite the same operating pattern. Scheduling lets you prepare the YouTube event in advance, but in the workflow described here you still wait for the incoming preview and explicitly choose Go live. If you are learning OBS or assessing a Mac mini’s capacity, a short private or unlisted test is more useful than making the first attempt a public, overnight broadcast.
If your goal is an always-on channel rather than a Mac-based encoder experiment, compare this hands-on setup with how a 24/7 stream can use videos from Google Drive. The right method depends on whether you need a live, changing station feed or a prepared rotation of files.
Check macOS and OBS audio-capture support
Before adding sources, check the macOS version and the OBS version installed on the Mac mini. OBS documents its macOS Audio Capture source for OBS Studio 30 and later on macOS 13 Ventura and later. On a compatible setup, that source can capture all desktop audio or audio from a selected application. If either version is older, do not expect the same native capture controls to be available.
In OBS, add a macOS Audio Capture source to the scene and choose the mode that matches your source. If the station plays in a browser and you only want that browser’s sound, select application capture and choose the browser where supported. If you want all system playback, desktop capture may be appropriate, but it can also include unrelated alerts or other sounds from the Mac. Silence notifications and avoid playing other audio during the broadcast.
The key check is the OBS audio mixer meter. Play the station and confirm the relevant meter moves. Then listen to the OBS preview or a test broadcast on another device. A moving meter shows that OBS is receiving signal, but it does not prove that the right programme is being captured, that viewers can hear it, or that the sound is clean.
If the Mac or OBS is too old for native capture, OBS’s audio guide describes additional routing software and manual multi-output-device setups. The exact steps depend on the macOS release and routing tool, so use the relevant current documentation rather than copying a recipe for a different version. If your work also involves video sources, the OBS setup guide for a continuous church stream offers a useful comparison for building a persistent scene and checking its sources.
An external source uses a different path. Connect the mixer, receiver, or interface, then add an Audio Input Capture source in OBS and choose the correct input. macOS may ask you to allow microphone or audio-input access for OBS. On Ventura or later, check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Microphone; after changing access, quit and reopen OBS if necessary. For details on application permission, consult Apple’s guide to controlling access to the microphone.
Bring station audio into OBS
Once you know which capture route applies, make a dedicated scene for the radio stream. Add only the sources needed for the broadcast: the station audio, a visual, and any optional text or station-identification elements. Give sources recognisable names, such as “Station browser audio” or “Mixer input”, so that you can diagnose the scene later without guessing.
For application playback, open the station player and start its audio. In OBS, select the compatible macOS Audio Capture source, choose the browser or application if using application capture, and watch the mixer. For an external feed, choose the input that actually receives the mixer or interface output. If the meter remains still, check that the source is enabled, the correct application or input is selected, and the player itself is not muted.
Do not add the same audio device as both a global OBS audio device and a scene-level input without checking the result. Duplicate capture can produce echo or doubled sound. Mute one path while testing, then listen for a single, clear programme. Keep the Mac’s output volume and the station player’s level consistent; changing the computer’s speaker level is not always the same as changing the captured signal level.
Set the OBS audio output to a format compatible with YouTube’s encoder guidance. YouTube recommends stereo audio at 44.1 kHz and 128 kbps, with AAC or MP3 as supported audio codecs for RTMP/RTMPS. These are platform recommendations, not a guarantee that every source will sound good: a clipped or noisy station feed remains clipped or noisy after encoding. Check the source level and listen on headphones before going live.
If you are also choosing video settings, make the choice based on the connection rather than assuming an audio-focused stream needs no video bandwidth. The encoder still sends a video signal. YouTube recommends H.264 video, constant bitrate encoding, and a two-second keyframe interval, not exceeding four seconds. Its encoder settings guide includes current recommendations and resolution guidance. A modest setting for a static scene can be sensible, but test stream health on your actual upload connection.
Add a suitable visual scene
A radio stream needs a video scene that gives viewers context. Add an approved station logo or a clean still image, and consider including the station name and programme or schedule information. Keep text large enough to read on a phone and avoid visual elements that suggest a programme is live when it is not. A static scene reduces the amount of visual work but does not eliminate the need to encode video.
In OBS, add an image source and size it to the canvas. Check that it fills the intended frame without stretching or exposing black edges. If the station uses several approved images, you can create a simple rotation, but test every image and transition before using it on a continuous stream. A single well-prepared still is easier to troubleshoot for an initial broadcast.
Use a preview to check that the picture and sound are both present. Make sure no source is hidden behind another, and check that any text remains visible at the chosen output resolution. YouTube’s incoming preview is useful for seeing what the platform receives, while local OBS preview helps you check the scene before it is sent.
For a static visual, there is little benefit in choosing motion-heavy settings simply because the Mac mini can offer them. Select resolution and frame rate appropriate to the image, and choose a bitrate that the upload connection can sustain. If you need to make a more specific choice, use a measured connection and YouTube’s current table rather than guessing. The 720p devotional-stream bitrate discussion can help frame that decision, but its context is a video stream and your own network test remains decisive.
Enter YouTube Live URL and stream key
In YouTube Studio, use Create > Go live to create or schedule a stream. Open the stream in Live Control Room and find the encoder details. YouTube provides a server URL and stream key for the encoder; copy these into the corresponding OBS fields under Settings > Stream, or the equivalent fields in your installed version.
Use the RTMPS URL shown by YouTube when your encoder supports it. YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP over TLS/SSL and provides the option in Live Control Room. The standard RTMP URL may be shown by default, so check the available ingest options before copying. Its encoder setup instructions explain where to find the URL and key.
Treat the stream key like a password. Anyone who obtains it may be able to send a broadcast to your channel. Do not paste it into public screenshots, posts, or shared documents. If you believe it has been exposed, use the channel’s controls to reset it, then update OBS with the replacement key. YouTube explains the key’s role and reset process in its setup guidance.
If you schedule an event, check its title, visibility, audience settings, and start time in Studio before sending from OBS. Keep a note of which event the key belongs to if you manage several broadcasts, and avoid leaving an old scheduled event selected by mistake. Start the encoder only when you are ready to confirm the correct incoming preview.
Preview, go live, and test the archive
Run a preflight before the real broadcast. Test the audio, image, connection, archive behaviour, and rights separately rather than relying on one successful preview. A practical checklist is:
| Check | What to do | What a pass looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Audio | Play the station and watch OBS’s mixer, then listen on a separate device | The intended programme is audible without silence, clipping, or echo |
| Image | Inspect the OBS and YouTube previews | The approved visual is legible and correctly framed |
| Connection | Send a private or unlisted test and watch stream health | The feed remains stable without recurring warnings or drops |
| Archive | End the test and look for the resulting recording in Studio | You know whether the recording is available and how long processing takes |
| Rights | Confirm permissions with the station and relevant rights holders | The planned programme, platform, territory, and duration are covered |
For a scheduled stream, start streaming from OBS and wait for YouTube’s incoming preview in Live Control Room. Check that its audio and image match what you intended, then choose Go live. YouTube recommends checking the preview and monitoring audio and video quality during the event. Keep Studio open or have a reliable way to monitor the broadcast; a local OBS meter alone cannot show every problem at YouTube’s end.
Test archive behaviour instead of assuming a recording will appear. YouTube says encoder streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived, but you should confirm the result in Studio after ending a test. Processing and availability can take time, and a test does not prove that a later stream will be retained or available in the way you expect. If you need a separate recording for station records, decide how you will make and verify one rather than treating the platform archive as your only copy.
For an overnight or continuous broadcast, a Mac-based OBS workflow leaves the Mac and its connection as part of the operating path. Someone should be able to check the stream and respond if the Mac sleeps, the player stops, or the connection drops. StreamNeo removes the need to keep a personal Mac running when the source is an uploaded video, but that is a different format from capturing a live station feed.
When the test is complete, end it in YouTube Studio and check the archive. Keep notes on the OBS scene, audio source, and settings that worked, so you can repeat the setup without reconstructing it from memory. If the stream repeatedly drops on a home connection, compare your symptoms with this guide to YouTube Live going offline on Airtel broadband; use it as a troubleshooting reference, not as a substitute for testing your own connection.
Rights, routing, and common failures
Technical access to the audio is not permission to rebroadcast it. Ask the station and relevant rights holders whether the planned programming can be made available on YouTube, and confirm the intended territory, duration, and type of use. This matters for music, recorded shows, guest material, and station branding as well as the signal itself. Do not assume that a station’s broadcast permissions automatically cover a YouTube simulcast.
If audio is missing, work along the signal path. First confirm the source player or external device produces sound. Then check that OBS has the right capture source and that its mixer meter moves. Finally, confirm the YouTube preview receives sound. This sequence helps separate a source problem from a capture problem or an encoder and platform problem.
If the mixer moves but the YouTube preview is silent, inspect OBS’s audio tracks and stream output assignment, then check the preview again. If viewers hear an echo, mute duplicate inputs and listen to the programme on another device. For external interfaces, verify the selected input and permissions. For application capture, make sure the chosen browser is the one playing the station. Restart OBS after changing macOS permissions.
If the video or stream health is poor, lower the video workload and bitrate, then test again against the available upload bandwidth. A static scene still requires video encoding, and a fast download result does not establish that upload capacity is stable. For stream quality and keyframe settings, refer to YouTube’s current encoder documentation rather than applying a setting copied from a different resolution or connection.
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FAQ
Can I capture radio audio directly in OBS on every Mac mini?
No. OBS documents native macOS Audio Capture in OBS Studio 30 and later on macOS 13 Ventura and later. Older combinations may need additional routing software, so check your actual versions and verify the OBS meter before broadcasting.
Do I need a camera for a radio stream?
No camera is required for the workflow here, but the encoder sends a video stream to YouTube. A suitable still image or station graphic can serve as the visual scene, provided you have permission to use it and it is legible in the preview.
Will YouTube always save my live stream as an archive?
Do not rely on an assumption. YouTube says encoder streams shorter than 12 hours are automatically archived, but confirm the recording appears after a test and check Studio after the real stream. Keep a separate recording plan if you need a dependable copy.
Does access to the station feed give me rebroadcast rights?
No. A working audio feed only means that OBS can receive sound; it does not establish permission to send the programming to YouTube. Confirm rights for the planned material and use with the station and relevant rights holders before going live.