Still having trouble with YouTube live stream recording? Now, you are in the right place. This page shows you some efficent ways to capture YouTube live on various devices with ease.
Ever missed a once-in-a-lifetime YouTube live stream because of a time zone difference or a busy schedule? While many creators archive their broadcasts, some streams are deleted or set to private immediately after ending.
To ensure you never miss a moment, you need a reliable way to record YouTube live stream content with high-quality audio and video. Whether you are on Windows, Mac, iPhone, or Android, this guide explores 7 proven methods to capture YouTube live streams. We also address critical issues like fixing black screens, capturing system audio, and the legality of recording.
No, it is generally not illegal for private, personal use, though it does technically violate YouTube's Terms of Service.
Essentially, recording a stream to watch later offline is considered a "gray area" similar to recording a TV show. As long as you do not re-upload, sell, or publicly share the video, you won't face legal issues. However, keep in mind that distributing copyrighted content without permission is illegal and can lead to penalties.
EaseUS RecExperts is our top recommendation for capturing YouTube live streams without lag or black screen issues. It is specifically designed to bypass the common recording hurdles that free tools often face.
Why choose this screen recorder:
Now, just hit the below button to get this streaming video recorder!
The instructions to record a YouTube live stream with EaseUS RecExperts are given below:
Step 1. Launch EaseUS RecExperts and select Full Screen as your recording mode. This ensures smooth capture of streaming movies, online shows, or live video content without missing any detail.
Step 2. Choose whether to record the Webcam, System Sound, or Microphone based on your needs. Then, open the major video sites or platforms you want to record from.
Step 3. If you experience a black screen when recording playback, enable the Black Screen Fix feature to ensure smooth video capture. Once it's turned on, the REC button will change to purple. Navigate back to your streaming video, then click the purple REC button to start capturing.
Step 4. After a 3-second countdown, the recording will begin. A floating taskbar will appear on your screen. Use the toolbar to Pause or Stop the recording anytime during playback.
Step 5. Once the recording ends, you'll be taken to the preview window. Here, you can watch, trim, or edit your captured video, ideal for reviewing recorded sessions, saving study notes, or creating commentary-based content.
If you are looking for free alternatives or have specific technical needs, these four options are the most reliable.
OBS Studio is the gold standard for free, open-source recording. It offers professional-grade features and complete control over your output, making it a favorite for gamers and tech-savvy users.
🚩Steps for how to save a YouTube live stream video with OBS:
Step 1. Go to the OBS Studio website and download the Windows, macOS, or Linux version. Install and open OBS Studio.
Step 2. In OBS, go to the Sources panel and click the "+" icon. Choose Display Capture (Windows) or Screen Capture (Mac), then select the screen where your YouTube live stream is playing and confirm.
Step 3. Click the "+" button in the "Sources" panel. Select "Audio Output Capture" (Windows) or "Application Audio Capture (BETA)" (Mac). Name it (e.g., System Audio) and click OK. Select the correct audio device:
Step 4. Click "Settings" (bottom right). Go to "Output" > "Recording" tab, and select the recording parameters.
Step 5. Open the YouTube live stream you want to record. Click "Start Recording" in OBS. Let OBS record the stream in the background.
Step 6. Once the stream ends, go to OBS and click "Stop Recording".
For Mac users, QuickTime is a convenient, no-download option for basic screen capture. It’s already installed on your macOS and is completely free to use.
However, it cannot record internal system audio by default, requiring complex third-party drivers like BlackHole. If that sounds too technical, a dedicated recorder like EaseUS is a much simpler choice.
Step 1. Install BlackHole (or Soundflower) to enable internal audio recording on your Mac.
Step 2. Open QuickTime Player > File > New Screen Recording.
Step 3. In Options, choose BlackHole (system audio) or your microphone as the audio source.
Step 4. Select Record Entire Screen or drag to capture just the YouTube player.
Step 5. Play the YouTube live stream and click Record. When finished, click Stop in the menu bar and save the file as MOV.
VLC is more than just a video player; it can also capture live streams directly via a URL. It’s a handy tool for users who want a lightweight, "no-frills" solution.
Note: It is generally less stable than dedicated software. It may fail to parse or "rip" certain YouTube live links due to constant platform protocol updates.
Here's how to record a YouTube live with VLC:
Step 1. Copy the URL of the YouTube Live stream you want to record.
Step 2. Open VLC > go to Media > Open Network Stream > paste the URL, then click "Play."
Step 4. Click the red "Record" button to start screen recording. Then, hit the Record button again to stop.
Step 5. When you finish recording, you can choose the "Media" button and click on the "Open Recent Media" button to watch the YouTube streaming video on your computer offline.
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If you are looking for a download-free way to record YouTube live videos, try EaseUS Online Video Recorder. This web-based YouTube recorder helps you capture live videos within 4 simple steps:
Step 1. Visit EaseUS Online Video Recorder with a web browser on PC or mobile phone.
Step 2. Click "Start Recording" in the banner section. Grant recording permission to your cameras or microphones if needed on the pop-up.
Step 3. Open the live stream on YouTube you want to record, select what to share (a tab, window, or entire screen), toggle "Also share tab audio" if you need to capture audio, and click "Share".
Step 4. Turn on System Sound, Microphone, or Webcam. Click "Record" to start recording. Click "Done" to end the session when done.
Step 5. You can preview the recording. Then, select "Save Video" to download the recording to your device or choose "Record Another" to start over.
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If you use an Android mobile phone to watch and record YouTube Live stream, we suggest AZ Screen Recorder is a good choice. With a ton of features like screen capture, screen video recorder, video editor, live stream screen, this screen recording app provides you an easy way to rip YouTube Live stream.
How to Record YouTube Live Videos on Android:
Step 1. Run YouTube and open the live stream that you want to record.
Step 2. Launch AZ Screen Recorder, click the "Recording" button and choose the "START NOW" option on a new window.
Step 3. When you need to pause or stop recording, you can pull down the window on the top of your screen and tap the relevant buttons.
Step 4. The recorded YouTube Live stream videos will be displayed on the top of your screen.
iPhone users are allowed to record screens with the embedded iOS screen recorder. So you can record a YouTube Live stream on your iPhone without downloading any application. All you need to do is just a few clicks on your screen.
Steps to Record YouTube Live on iPhone:
Step 1. Swipe down from the top-right corner of the screen to open "Control Center". Tap the "Screen Recording" button (a dot inside a circle) to start recording.
Step 2. After a 3-second countdown, the recording begins. Quickly navigate to the video you want to capture. A red dot in the status bar confirms the recording is active.
Step 3. To stop recording, tap the red status bar at the top of the screen and select "Stop".
Step 4. Access and edit your recording in the "Photos" app.
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If you run into technical glitches while recording YouTube live, here are the two most common fixes:
If your recording has sound but no video, it's due to your browser's content protection.
The Fix: Go to your browser Settings (Chrome/Edge/Firefox), search for "Hardware Acceleration," and toggle it OFF. Restart your browser and try recording again.
To wrap up, 7 YouTube live stream recorders to capture YouTube Live streams on different devices are covered in this post. You can choose any of them per your actual situation. As for those who want to know how to record YouTube live stream on a PC or Mac, we highly recommend EaseUS RecExperts since it offers the most features you desire.
In this part, we collect several relevant questions to record a YouTube Live stream and offer answers, respectively. We hope they can benefit you more or less.
Yes, you can record YouTube live Videos with EaseUS RecExperts. Follow those steps to capture the video you want to save.
Step 1. Launch this recorder on your device.
Step 2. Select "Full Screen" or "Region" to select the recording area. You can record part of the screen as well as full screen.
Step 3. Choose a suitable sound source and click on the "REC" button to start recording.
Step 4. Click on the "Stop recording" button when you want to save the video you captured.
No. Recording your screen is a local process on your device. YouTube and the content creator have no way of knowing you are recording the stream.
There is no duration limit for streaming a Live to YouTube. The only limitation is for the live stream recording on YouTube itself. When you live stream, a single public archive will be generated for up to 12 hours.
The answer is YES. YouTube has three different options for live streaming - Public, Private, and Unlisted. YouTube's Private streaming allows you to share your video with 50 different people at once. Private videos will not appear in any of the search results or video recommendations.
Yes, you can pre-record a video and stream it as a YouTube Live broadcast. This is called a "Premiere" or "Simulated Live Stream". Here's how you can do it:
Option 1. Use YouTube Premiere (Built-in Feature)
Step 1. Upload your video to YouTube Studio.
Step 2. Choose "Premiere" instead of a regular upload.
Step 3. Set a date & time for the "live" broadcast.
Step 4. Viewers can watch and interact via live chat as if it's a real-time event.
Option 2. Use OBS or Streaming Software for Simulated Live
Step 1. Open OBS Studio, Streamlabs, or other live streaming software.
Step 2. Add your pre-recorded video as a media source.
Step 3. Start streaming to YouTube Live just like a real-time broadcast.
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