How to Stream Live on Youtube on Your Xbox One

Even though the Xbox One has been discontinued it still is a very popular console within gaming circles.

This is primarily because it has one of the biggest console game catalogs, the current Xbox Series X and S shortage, and also because it can stream on YouTube without any problems.

In this article, I would like to share with you:

• Why you can’t directly stream to YouTube from your Xbox One. 
• How to live stream to YouTube on your Xbox One without a capture card.
• How to live stream on YouTube using the Xbox One, a PC, and capture card.
• How many subscribers you need to live stream on YouTube, and a lot more 

After reading the article you should be able to set up your Xbox One to stream on YouTube and show off your gaming skills to the world.

Why the Xbox One won’t let you stream to Youtube directly

Unlike the PS4, the Xbox one doesn’t give you an option to stream directly to YouTube at the touch of a button.

The console’s broadcast feature only allows you to stream directly to Twitch and in the past to Mixer.

I think Microsoft chose to allow direct streaming for these two streaming services because Twitch is the biggest game streaming platform and Microsoft owns Mixer. 

So, obviously, they would like Xbox gamers to use their streaming service over YouTube. Unfortunately, Mixer never took off as a streaming app.

The only way you can stream to YouTube from your Xbox One is through a PC and capture card connected to the console or using the Xbox Console Companion app.

I explain these two methods in detail below.

How to stream Xbox One games on YouTube without a capture card

In the past being a gamer only involved playing video games.

Now, watching others play is a huge part of gaming.

In 2020, over 740 million gamers watched live games streams on YouTube, Twitch, and other streaming platforms.

And, every month millions of gamers broadcast themselves playing video games.

If you have an Xbox One and are thinking of joining them, here is how to stream on YouTube without a capture card.

For this streaming method you’ll need:

• The Xbox One 
• A PC 
• The Xbox Console Companion App, which will allow you to capture and live stream your Xbox One screen on your computer.
• The Open Broadcaster Studio (OBS) software. This is a free and popular streaming software that has lots of features that you can use to customize your Xbox YouTube stream. 
• A stable internet connection.
• Optional devices you’ll need include:

A camera to record you as you play. The Xbox One is compatible with a wide range of USB webcams, but if you’re looking for a recommendation I would suggest the Logitech C925-e Webcam with HD Video and Built-In Stereo Microphones, which you can buy on Amazon.

This is a quality camera that sells at an affordable price. It captures videos at 1080p, has fast autofocus technology, and low light compensation which helps make your videos clearer if you’re gaming at night or in a room that is not well lit.

If you plan to offer live commentary as you play, you’ll need a quality mic like the Blue Yeti or a headset with a mic like the HyperX CloudX Flight – Wireless Gaming Headset, to give your stream the best audio quality.

Lights will give your gaming videos good lighting and ensure you can stream at any time.

Follow these steps to set everything up.

1. On your computer install Xbox Console Companion. Most new windows computers come with the app pre-installed so you might just have to update it. If the app is not on your computer you can download it from the Microsoft Store for free.

2. Download OBS Studio from OBSProject.com. 

3. Once you download and install Xbox Console Companion and OBS, open Xbox Console Companion on your computer. You’ll be asked to sign in to your Microsoft account. This should be the same account you use with your Xbox One.

4. On the app interface, click on the three-lined icon at the top left corner of your screen. On the menu that pops up, scroll down and select Connection. 

5. Next, click on Add a device. Your Xbox One should be powered on for it to be listed here. If it is on but you can’t see it listed, restart the console. Once you see it, click on the Connect button next to it.

6. On the next screen, click on Stream and your Xbox One screen should appear on your computer’s screen. If it doesn’t, turn off your Xbox One and once it’s powered on add the console again.

7. Minimize Xbox Console Companion by clicking on the Full-Screen icon at the upper right corner of your screen.

8. Open OBS Studio. At the bottom of your screen, you’ll see the Scenes panel. Click on the + button here to add and name a scene. The scene name should be something you can remember easily for example Xbox One Screen.

9. Next to the Scenes panel is the Sources panel. Click on the + button to add a source for your Xbox One YouTube live stream.

10. On the menu that appears select Game Capture, then select Create New and Make Source Visible then click OK.

11. Next, select Xbox Console Companion for Window, and Capture Specific Window for Mode. Once you select these options press OK. Your Xbox One image should appear on your OBS screen.

12. Go to the OBS Studio Settings located at the bottom right corner of your screen under the Controls tab.

13. On the menu that appears on the left side of your screen select Stream. Under service select YouTube and then OK. This will connect OBS Studio to your YouTube account.

14. Once the accounts are linked, your Xbox One will be ready to stream on YouTube.

Before starting a stream you can adjust your output, audio, and video settings in the OBS Studio Settings.

For example, You can set a higher bitrate in the output menu to make your Xbox One YouTube stream top quality.

You can also add overlays like donations using the Scenes panel.

15. To start a stream on YouTube you need to ensure streaming on your Xbox One is enabled.

You can quickly check this by going to Settings from your console’s Home screen, selecting Preferences, then Xbox app connectivity.

Allow Play To streaming and Allow game streaming to other devices boxes should be checked.

And that’s it you’re good to go! 

Start the game you want to stream on your Xbox One and click the Start Stream button on OBS and other gamers will be able to watch you play on their phone, computer, or console.

Streaming the Xbox One on YouTube without a capture card has several advantages.

One is you don’t have to spend money. If you have an Xbox One and a PC, all you need to do is link the two devices using the free Xbox Console Companion and OBS software to stream.

Second, the whole step up to stream without a capture card is wireless. So, there is no need for additional hardware or extra cables that will add to the cable clutter in your gaming room. 

The key disadvantage to this method is if you have a poor internet connection it could cause your stream to have major latency or worse abruptly stop your broadcast leaving your views hanging.

Instead of using WiFi, consider using a wired internet connection with your PC and Xbox One to get the best quality stream.

Stream your Xbox One on YouTube using a capture card

This is the second way you can live stream your console on YouTube.

You’ll need the following hardware and software for this method.

• The Xbox One.

• A capture card. This device will receive a video stream from your Xbox One and send it to your PC for live broadcast on YouTube. 

I use the Elgato HD60 S+ for all my console live streams. I recommend this device because it records video at 1080p with 60 fps and has a lag-free 4k/HDR pass through to your display. You can buy it on Amazon.

• A PC or Mac computer

• A monitor or TV

• HDMI and USB cables. You don’t have to buy these because the Xbox One comes with an HDMI cable and most capture cards also come with an HDMI and USB cable. 

You’ll use these cables to connect your Xbox One, capture card, and PC. 

• The OBS software.

• A YouTube account.

• At least one Xbox One game.

• A fast internet connection 

• Optional hardware you’ll need includes an Xbox One camera, an external mic or headset with a mic, and a set of lights.

You can buy the devices I recommended earlier for the Xbox YouTube stream without a capture card for this setup.

With these devices ready the first thing you should do is link all the devices together.

Here is how to do that.

1. Plug the Xbox One HDMI cable into the console’s HDMI Out port. Plug the other end of the cable into the HDMI In port of your capture card.

2. Insert the capture card’s HDMI cable into the device’s HDMI Out port and the other end into the HDMI In port of your monitor or TV.

3. Take the capture card’s USB cable and connect your capture card and PC using their USB ports.

Next, set up the Open Broadcaster Studio software using the following steps.

1. Download OBS from obsproject.com and install it on your computer.

2. On the OBS interface, click on + under the Sources tab to add a source for your stream.  

3. Choose your capture card and give it a name. Check the box next to Make Source Visible,  then click OK. On the next page click OK again. The image on your Xbox One should show on your OBS screen.

Note there are other streaming softwares you can use to stream on YouTube, but OBS is one of the best.

It has many streaming customization features and is simple and free to use, which is why I recommend you use it for your Xbox One YouTube stream.

With OBS setup you now need to link it to your YouTube account and you’ll be ready to broadcast live.

To do this:

1. Click on the Controls tab at the bottom right corner of the OBS screen then select Settings.

2. Click on Stream, and you’ll be given a list of streaming services you can use with OBS. Choose YouTube.

3. Select Connect Account. Follow the on-screen instructions to link your YouTube account to OBS. Once done you can go to Setting and input your video and output preferences before starting your stream.

4. Next, start the Xbox One game you want to stream on your console, then on the OBS Controls tab click on Start Streaming and your Xbox One live stream will start on YouTube.

Streaming with a capture card will cost you because you have to buy the device, but in return, you’ll be able to have a more professional Xbox One streaming set-up that will offer your views the highest picture quality.

How do I grow my youtube gaming live stream viewing numbers? 

When you start your YouTube channel it could be a ghost town, with only you and your dog viewing.

This should not worry you though because you can grow your viewers and subscribers over time.

Somethings you can do to grow your subscribers are:

• Promote your Xbox One YouTube channel on social media.

• Invite your friends and family to watch your stream and ask them to tell their friends about it.

• Be active on Reddit threads that are dedicated to the games you stream. Be sure to share a link to your stream but don’t spam the threads with it.

• Be consistent with your stream. People who enjoy watching you play will want to return. They can only do this if you regularly stream and communicate when your stream happens. You can include this information in the about section of your YouTube gaming channel and your social media pages.

• Be entertaining. No one wants to watch a boring live stream. So, look for ways you can capture the attention of your viewers. You could crack jokes, look for a unique way to play games, etc.

Also, let viewers know what they can expect when they come to your game stream. This could be high-level gameplay, your funny personality, a different approach to gaming, etc.

• Moderate your chat. As your YouTube channel grows you’ll create a nice community that will likely be chatting as you play. You want to ensure the chats have no rude or toxic people who can mess with the mood of other subscribers who have come to enjoy your content after probably a long day at work.

YouTube has some tools you can use to control your live chat.

Do you have to pay to stream live on YouTube from your Xbox One?  

Streaming on YouTube is free.

YouTube generates its money from people and companies who want their ads shown on videos their target audience watches.

You too can earn ad revenue from your YouTube videos.

You, however, have to have 1000 subscribers and 4000 public watch hours for YouTube to start placing ads on your YouTube channel.

Other ways you can earn from YouTube include asking your subscribers to pay a monthly fee to access exclusive content and audience donations.

What Xbox One games should you stream?

Minecraft, Fortnite, and Grand Theft Auto V were some of the most-watched games on YouTube in 2020.

That, however, doesn’t mean you too should stream these games.

My advice is you choose to stream a game you enjoy playing. 

If it is Overwatch, Fifa 22, Doom Eternal, or Red Dead Redemption 2, go for it.

Your viewers will be able to tell when you’re enjoying a game so don’t fake it to get views because this may not achieve the results you’re looking for.