How to get your YouTube stream key on your phone

By the streamLama team. Updated October 27, 2026.

Short answer: open studio.youtube.com in your phone's browser, switch to the desktop site, tap Create, then Go live, choose the Stream tab and copy the key under Stream settings. Before that works, your channel must be verified with a phone number and have live streaming enabled, which can take up to 24 hours the first time.

A stream key is a private code that tells YouTube which channel a live video belongs to. Apps like streamLama send your video to YouTube's servers together with that key, and YouTube puts the stream on your channel. Below are the exact steps on an iPhone or Android phone, plus how to keep the key safe and how to set up a vertical stream.

What you need first

• A YouTube channel on the Google account you will stream from.
• A verified channel. YouTube asks for a phone number before it unlocks live streaming.
• No live streaming restrictions in the past 90 days. A Community Guidelines strike or a live streaming restriction blocks access until it expires.
• Age 16 or older. YouTube requires creators to be at least 16 to live stream on their own. Streams that feature 13 to 15 year olds need an adult visibly present, or YouTube may turn off live chat and other features.
• A browser on your phone, such as Safari or Chrome. The YouTube and YouTube Studio apps do not show the stream key, so you will use the website.

YouTube's subscriber minimum for mobile live streaming applies to going live with the camera inside the YouTube app. Streaming from an encoder app with a stream key is covered by the requirements above.

Step 1: Verify your channel with your phone number

1. In your phone's browser, go to youtube.com/verify and sign in to the account that owns your channel.
2. Choose your country and whether you want the code by text message or by voice call.
3. Enter your phone number, then type the 6-digit code you receive and tap Submit.

You only do this once per channel. If the page says your channel is already verified, skip to step 2.

Step 2: Turn on live streaming

1. Go to youtube.com/features and find Live streaming in the list. If it says enabled, go to step 3.
2. If it is not enabled yet, open YouTube Studio (see step 3) and tap Create, then Go live. The first time, YouTube asks you to request access to live streaming.
3. Wait. Enabling live streaming for the first time can take up to 24 hours. After that, you can go live instantly whenever you want.

Step 3: Open YouTube Studio in desktop mode

The mobile version of YouTube Studio hides the live streaming controls, so ask your browser for the desktop site:

• Safari on iPhone: open studio.youtube.com, tap the page menu button on the left of the address bar, then Request Desktop Website.
• Chrome on Android: open studio.youtube.com, tap the three-dot menu and check Desktop site.
• Chrome on iPhone: tap the three-dot menu, then Request Desktop Site.

The page will be small. Pinch to zoom in on the top right corner when you need to tap something there. Rotating your phone to landscape also helps.

Step 4: Go to Go live and copy the stream key

1. Tap Create (the camera icon with a plus sign) in the top right corner, then tap Go live. The Live Control Room opens.
2. If YouTube asks when you want to go live, choose Right now. If it asks how, choose Streaming software.
3. Select the Stream tab on the left.
4. Under Stream settings, find Stream key. Tap Copy next to the hidden key.

You do not need the Stream URL. streamLama already uses YouTube's primary and backup RTMPS servers. Other apps may ask for it; it is shown right below the key.

Your default stream key is reusable, so you normally copy it once and use it for every stream. You can also create extra keys from the stream key menu, for example one per channel. Leave the bitrate on the default Variable option so YouTube detects your resolution and frame rate automatically.

Step 5: Paste the key into your streaming app

In streamLama, open the stream key screen (it appears during setup and lives in Settings), paste the key and tap Test connection. The test briefly connects to YouTube to confirm the key is accepted, then disconnects. The key is saved in your phone's secure storage and never leaves the device except to go to YouTube when you stream.

Now pick your scene, choose horizontal or vertical and tap Go Live. On iPhone, confirm Start Broadcast in the system sheet. On Android, allow screen capture when asked.

Keep your stream key secret

Anyone who has your stream key can broadcast to your channel. Treat it like a password:

• Never open YouTube Studio while you are live. A screen-streaming app sends your whole screen, so the Live Control Room, and your key, would be visible to viewers. Copy the key before you start.
• Do not paste it in chats, comments, Discord servers or screenshots.
• If you think someone has it, open the Stream tab again and reset the key or create a new one, then paste the new key into streamLama. The old key stops working.

Tips for vertical live streams

Vertical (9:16) live streams can be shown to viewers in the YouTube Shorts feed on mobile, which is a good way to reach people who do not know your channel yet. You use the same stream key for vertical and horizontal streams; the shape comes from your stream itself. Turn Dual stream off in YouTube Studio first, so YouTube does not wait for a second video.

• Choose vertical before going live. In streamLama, select the vertical orientation so your stream is sent at 9:16, for example 720 × 1280 (or 1080 × 1920 with Pro).
• Design for the phone screen. Landscape games fit well in the middle band of a vertical layout. Use the space above for your channel name or a title and the space below for social handles.
• Keep important things away from the edges. In the Shorts player, YouTube places buttons on the right side and the title and channel name near the bottom. Put your LIVE badge and text in the upper and middle part of the canvas.
• Use a clear, specific title. Name the game and what you are doing so people scrolling the feed understand the stream in a second.
• Keep the stream going. Scheduled streams and Premieres only show up in the feed once they are actually live.

Common problems and fixes

Still stuck? See streamLama support or the FAQ. To see what else the app can do with your key, read the feature overview.