How to stream live on YouTube on PS5?


Live streaming videos on YouTube is a great way to reach a wider audience as compared to uploading recorded gameplay videos.

It is observed that the YouTube algorithm favors live streaming videos and recommends them which helps to gain subscribers. [Source]

I thought I’d give live streaming a shot with my cool Apex Legends clutches on the PS5.

But I didn’t know how to directly stream my gameplay on YouTube.

I went online to research and this is what I found out:

How to stream live on YouTube on PS5? You can stream your gameplay live on YouTube on the PS5 through the ‘Create’ button on the DualSense controller. If you want more customizability and no technical limitations, you can connect a capture card to your PS5 and stream your gameplay through it.

I found out that streaming content on the PS5 is not as difficult as one might assume.

You can utilize one of the two methods to stream your gameplay on a PS5:

1) Without Capture Card

2) With Capture Card

We will discuss both of these methods in great detail, so you can opt for the one that suits you the best.

Without any further ado, let’s get into the ‘without capture card’ method of streaming PS5 gameplay on YouTube.

How To Live Stream For Free Using Just Your PS5

Sony not only passed down the screen recording/capturing feature from the PS4 to the PS5 but they greatly improved it to record for longer and in higher resolution.

The Sony PS5 can display 4K resolution with 60 framerates, so why not stream in that resolution?

PS4’s ‘Share’ button didn’t allow users to upload and stream gameplay on YouTube in the native resolution of the console.

Sony decided to upgrade the ‘Share’ button by not only rebranding it as the ‘Create’ button in the PS5, but they also allow users to easily record and stream in the native resolution of the console.

The ‘Create’ button is located on the same site as PS4’s ‘Share’ button, i.e. above the D-pad on the DualSense controller, left of the tracking pad.

Here’s how you can stream your PS5 gameplay directly to YouTube without a Capture Card:

1)  On your PS5 dashboard, navigate to Settings and Select User and Accounts.

2)  Click on Link With Other Services.

3)  Look for the YouTube icon and press X on your controller to select it.

4)  Enter your account details and Link your YouTube account to your console.

Voila! Your console is successfully connected to your YouTube account and now you can start streaming. Here’s how:

1)  After connecting your YouTube account to your console, enter any game you’d like to start streaming.

2)  Press the ‘Create’ button on your console and the screen recording menu will appear.

3)  Select the Broadcast button and click on ‘Go Live’ to start live streaming on YouTube.

4)  You can stop the stream by pressing the ‘Create’ button again and selecting Stop Broadcast.

Using this method of live streaming your PS5 gameplay on YouTube doesn’t require any sort of external hardware (unless you want to record your gameplay and store it externally, which requires external storage such as an external HDD).

It is a convenient method, but it does have technical limitations.

Limitations that aren’t problematic to newbie streamers but will be noticeable to larger streamers or gamers who want to stream professionally on YouTube.

For such streamers, the option to stream gameplay via a capture card is much more convenient.

Before stepping into the method of streaming PS5 gameplay to YouTube through a Capture Card, let’s check out what a Capture Card is and how it works.

What Is A Capture Card?

A video capture card is an extension peripheral that turns visual signals into digital data that your computer can understand. 

Capture cards record video data from the source (the PS5 in this scenario) and transmits it to a computer from where you can edit the RAW captured video, save it and/or stream it directly on social media channels like YouTube, Twitch, or Facebook.

Video capture cards function in tandem with PC software to show video on the computer screen and store the resultant data in a media file.

Simply put, a capture card records real-time video data from the console and provides the user with the freedom to edit and stream the video without any limitations.

A capture card provides the user with additional customizability than the standard gameplay streaming through the ‘Create’ button.

Which includes:

·         No lag in streaming.

·         Feature to add custom microphone and webcam.

·         Edit video through popular video editing applications and add transitions to your stream.

·         Add a few seconds of delay to your stream if you don’t want your opponents to see your position.

·         Add overlays and commands over your stream for more customizability.

·         The stream doesn’t stop if you switch games (which is a common issue in the ‘without capture card’ method of gameplay streaming)

How to live stream on YouTube using a PS5, a PC, and capture card?

If you opt for a capture card to stream your PS5 gameplay on YouTube (gg my man).

You’re going to need additional hardware and software apart from your console and a capture card.

Which includes:

  • A computer with Windows, MacOS or Linux.
  • A monitor or TV as a display.
  • Two HDMI cables to connect the capture card to the console and the monitor.
  • A USB 3.0 thunderbolt cable.
  • Screen capturing software such as OBS.

There are numerous capture cards to choose from, which might leave many of our readers confused, and to save you time and money I will recommend you one of the best capture cards.

Since we’re talking about streaming gameplay on the PS5 which supports 4K resolution @ 60 FPS then the Elgato 4K60 S+ is no doubt the best choice.

It provides zero lag streaming along with amazing streaming resolution and quality.

The zero-lag passthrough compliments the amazing build quality of this capture card.

Once you get all of the required hardware, it’s time to set it up and start your YouTube streaming journey! Here’s a summarized overview:

Setting Up The Hardware:

  1. Connect your PS5 to the capture card via the HDMI cable.
  2. Make sure to insert HDMI coming from the console in the HDMI-in port of the capture card.
  3. Connect the other HDMI cable to your display and the HDMI-out port of the capture card.
  4. Connect the capture card to your PC via a USB 3.0 cable.
  5. Once everything is connected – power up your console, display and the computer.

Setting Up The Software:

Capture cards are plug & play, i.e., you don’t need to install drivers for your computer to use to the card.

You will need to set up a screen recording software though, which will stream your video clips to YouTube, and provide you with overlays and commands.

Let’s take a look at the detailed step-by-step tutorial of using a capture card to stream your gameplay live on YouTube.

How to live stream to YouTube on PS5 with a Capture Card?

YouTube is well-known as the biggest video-on-demand platform, but many people are unaware that it is also great for streaming. Fortunately, the PlayStation 5 can broadcast to YouTube as well with the help of a capture card.. You must first create a YouTube account, which is required for streaming.

Simply go to the YouTube website in your PC’s browser or the YouTube app on your smartphone or tablet and register with your information.

Creating Your YouTube ID

Take the time to create a great profile, since that’s how people will find your stream – first impressions are everything!

Setting up the Capture Card

The real setup for streaming with capture card begins after installing the necessary hardware (capture card with PC/laptop)

  1. Connect the Capture-Card via HDMI and USB to your PC and the console, then go to the PS5’s settings menu.
  2. Scroll down to “System” and pick “HDMI” once you’re in the menu. 
  3. You must disable the HDCP encryption mechanism here in order for the capture card to be completely functional with the console.
  4. If HDCP is still enabled, your viewers will only see a black screen, which is not what you want.

Set up Your Streaming Software

Set up your broadcast using a suitable streaming application such as OBS. OBS also has the most customization options for broadcasting to YouTube and it supports MacOS, Windows, and Linux!

  1. Launch your browser and go to www.obsproject.com to begin the download.
  2. After Downloading the OBS.exe file, install it in your desired folder.
  3. I suggest that you read the official “Quickstart Guide” after installing the program.
  4. To link your YouTube channel to OBS, the application, like PlayStation 5, needs a connection to your YouTube account.
  5. If you pick “YouTube” as the stream platform in the OBS menu and then click “Connect Account,” a browser window will appear in which you must log in to YouTube. Your account is now linked to OBS, and you can begin streaming.

Setting the Streaming Quality

You may change the video quality of your broadcast by going to the “Output” menu option. In contrast to streaming straight from the PlayStation 5, OBS enables you to fine-tune the quality of your stream to the slightest detail.

  1. First, choose an encoder – for the longest time, x264 has shown to be the most reliable and popular encoder.
  2. Choose CBR as your quality control technique to maintain consistent stream quality.
  3. You may enter a bitrate between 2200 and 3500 depending on your internet connection. The greater the bitrate, the better the quality of your stream.
  4. The buffer size and bitrate should be the same size.
  5. You may change the appropriate resolutions in the ‘Video’ option if you wish to play in 4K but only stream in Full HD. The picture will then be grabbed from the console and scaled down by OBS without tearing.
  6. Those with a slow internet connection may also stream in 720p. Enter 1280×720 in the “Output” box to do this.

Add an overlay to your PS5 feed

It should now be evident that OBS Studio has several options for optimizing its broadcast. A great YouTube overlay provides your broadcast a professional appearance and customizes it to your liking. Here you can add customizable options to make your stream more in your control than a standard stream from the ‘Create’ button.

Now that your console is ready to stream gameplay through a capture card, let’s take a peek at a few frequently asked questions about live streaming on the PS5.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you need 1000 subscribers to stream live to youtube on PS5? 

The 1000 subscribers rule for live streaming is only for mobile live streamers. This rule doesn’t apply to PS5 gamers so they can start broadcasting gameplay on their channel without any restrictions.

Do you have to pay to stream live on youtube from PS5? 

If you want to stream live without a capture card, it is completely free. While you will need to purchase hardware if you want to stream live on YouTube from a PS5 with a capture card.

Does A Capture Card Cause Lag?

Lag can be caused by a capture card when there is a lot of load on the CPU at the same time. As long as your computer is strong enough to use a capture card, you won’t have to worry about it at all.
 

Should I use a capture card to stream, or should I just stream from the console itself?

It’s always best to stream with a capture card to get a perfect stream. For the first time, though, you can just stream from the console and see how it works for you.

Which PC program should I use for streaming?

OBS Studio is the most common and by far the most popular way to stream. It is free and very powerful. Once you get used to OBS Studio, it is very simple to use.

Nick Sinclair

Nick Sinclair, a gaming aficionado since the Commodore 64 era, studied Creative Computer Games Design in university before founding his own gaming company. Discovering a passion for content creation, Nick now helps gamers squeeze every drop of fun out of their favorite gaming hardware

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