How to Record YouTube Live Stream Easily [Ultimate Guide]
- Karen Nelson
- March 26, 2023
Download Screen Recorder For FREE！
You may watch YouTube Live streams to attend an event, learn from an online class, participate in a workshop, or take part in a virtual concert. But not all YouTube Live sessions happen when you are available. After all, you’re not glued to the screen. Worse, YouTube Live streaming content can disappear or be deleted by its creator.
Therefore, the ultimate solution is to record a YouTube Live stream, which ensures that you will not miss any highlighted moments. In this article, you will learn how to record a YouTube live stream on any device. That said, let’s review the steps.
How to Record YouTube Live Videos on Windows/Mac?
With various streaming video capture tools available, VideoSolo Screen Recorder must be our top recommendation for YouTube live stream recording on both Windows and Mac. It helps you record past, real-time, and even on-coming YouTube live streams in up to 4K resolution. If you’ve never used a screen recorder before, the intuitive user interface of VideoSolo will definitely provide a smooth using experience with its great features.
VideoSolo Screen Recorder
- Capture YouTube live stream with lossless quality
- Customize recording area to record YouTube live stream
- Lock the window and block disturbances during YouTube live stream capture
- Scheduled Recording to record live stream YouTube automatically
- Provide trimming tools after you record live YouTube
Next, I will walk you through every step of how to record a YouTube Live Video. Install and launch this software, and let’s get it started.
STEP 1. Click "Video Recorder" to Capture YouTube Live Stream
If you want to record the video and audio of a YouTube live stream simultaneously, you should choose Video Recorder. To record only audio from the YouTube live stream, click Audio Recorder. You may also learn more details through this article How to Record Audio from the Internet (Include Streaming Music and Radio).
STEP 2. Select the Recording Area and Adjust System Sound
As you proceed to Video Recorder, you may choose to record the full screen or customize the recording area by selecting a region/window or some fixed dimensions.
After that, remember to toggle on System Sound to set a proper system volume. To avoid unnecessary noise, it is suggested to turn off the microphone unless you want to narrate during the YouTube Live stream capture.
STEP 3. Start to Record YouTube Live Stream
Click on the red REC button to begin recording a YouTube live stream. Of course, during the recording process, you can click buttons on the floating panel to pause/resume the recording, add annotations, and add shapes and arrows.
After recording, VideoSolo provides a preview of your recordings. You can trim the recorded YouTube live stream and save it to your computer drive.
Bonus 1: How to Record Live Stream Video that Hasn’t Started Yet
A YouTube Live stream may happen across different time zones. If you don’t want to sit by the computer to wait until it begins, the Task Schedule feature in VideoSolo can be especially convenient. Normally, YouTube will show the beginning time of a live stream. You can use Task Schedule (which is shown as a Clock icon) to set the recording process in advance. (This function is only launched in the Windows version.)
Here’s how to use this function to record YouTube live streams automatically.
Step 1. Enter into the main interface of VideoSolo Screen Recorder and you can find Task Schedule in the bottom column.
Step 2. On the pop-up window, click Add new task to add your live streaming recording task.
Step 3. Set its start time and stop time. Please note that you should adjust the recording settings before you create the task.
Step 4. After that, click “OK” to save your operation. The program will automatically start recording at the preset start time, making it also convenient to record YouTube live stream radio or sports shows.
To make your task available, and ensure it will be recorded successfully, remember not to keep your computer in sleep or lock mode. For a detailed guide on using this function, you may read this article: How to Use Task Scheduler of VideoSolo Screen Recorder (Windows).
You don’t have to worry about the program stopping accidentally during automatic recording. VideoSolo Screen Recorder automatically saves a temporary backup when recording. The next time you launch the program, it will detect the backup and remind you whether to keep the recording.
Bonus 2: Download YouTube Live Stream Video with the Online Tool
As YouTube automatically generates stream archive videos, it is easy to download live streaming videos on YouTube once you find and get the specific video link.
A wonderful choice for downloading YouTube Live Stream is using Inovideo, which is a reliable and high-quality video downloader for Windows and Mac. The operation steps are user-friendly; you simply copy and paste the YouTube Live stream link you want to download, and then Inovideo will analyze the link and generate several download options respectively.
Can You Record YouTube Live Stream on Android Phone or iPhone?
Very similar to recording a live streaming video on a computer, you can also record a YouTube Live stream on Android or iPhone. Commonly, Android smartphones and iPhone feature a built-in screen recording tool that enables you to record YouTube live stream.
It is worth mentioning that VideoSolo Screen Recorder has newly introduced the Phone Recorder feature. It supports recording both on Android and iPhone. Check the following steps to record your phone screen with this best YouTube recorder.
How to Capture YouTube Live Stream on iPhone
Method 1: Use the built-in screen recording tool.
STEP 1. While playing a YouTube live stream, swipe down from the top right of your screen to launch the control center.
STEP 2. Tap the Record button and wait for the countdown to begin.
STEP 3. When the YouTube live stream ends, go back to the control center and tap the Record button again.
The screen recording can be found in your phone’s Photos app.
Method 2: Record YouTube live stream on iPhone via VideoSolo Screen Recorder.
STEP 1. Launch VideoSolo and select Phone Recorder.
STEP 2. Connect your iPhone to the computer.
Make sure your device and the PC are connecting to the same Wi-Fi network. Launch the control center on your iPhone, tap the Screen Mirroring icon, and choose AirPlay Mirroring/Screen Mirroring. Then select VideoSolo Screen Recorder and wait for the connection.
STEP 3. Play a YouTube live stream on your iPhone.
STEP 4. Turn to your computer. Click REC to record YouTube live stream and save the recording to your computer when the live stream ends.
How to Capture YouTube Live Stream Video on Android
If you use an Android phone, you can also record live YouTube easily. If your Android smartphone runs Android 11 and later, you can record YouTube live stream directly with the built-in screen recording tool on your phone.
If your phone runs other Android versions, VideoSolo Screen Recorder can be a good choice for you. The recording steps are similar to the iPhones.
STEP 1. Run VideoSolo Screen Recorder and go to Phone Recorder.
STEP 2. Select Android for the device type. Then tap on the Detect icon to search devices through the Wi-Fi network.
Note: Make sure your device and the PC are connecting to the same Wi-Fi network. And you can also choose to connect through a PIN Code or QR Code, which can be more precise.
STEP 3. After the connection, click the Record button to start recording YouTube live stream.
FAQs About YouTube Live Stream
Despite learning how to record YouTube Live stream on your computer, we’ve also collected some frequently asked questions to clear your doubts. Also, there are some tips for screen recording YouTube Live videos to help you gain better control.
Can I record a Youtube live stream on Windows without installing a program?
Well, we do have the method to capture YouTube Live Stream Video via the built-in screen recorder on Windows. If you own a PC running Windows 10/11, things will be getting easier with the Xbox Game Bar.
Follow the steps to record YouTube live stream with Xbox Game Bar:
Step 1. Press Windows + G to launch Xbox Game Bar. And navigate to Settings, then select General to enable the features.
Step 2. Click Start Recording to record your streaming video. Or you can press Win + Alt + R to start capturing your screen.
Step 3. When finished, click Stop Recording. The video will be automatically saved as MP4 files on your computer.
Note: You can only record YouTube live stream in window mode by using the Xbox Game Bar. If you want to record a high-quality, full-screen video, VideoSolo Screen Recorder will be a better choice.
Will YouTube automatically save the live stream videos?
Yes. In fact, YouTube has an archive feature that gives you the chance to find and review the Live streaming that you’ve missed. Here’s how the archive feature works: If the live stream is less than 12 hours, YouTube can automatically archive the file. And video resolutions that are higher than 1080p (such as 1440p and 4K) can be easily saved once you enable the YouTube Archive setting.
Still, the best and guaranteed method to preserve the YouTube Live video is to stream and record at the same time so that you can have a local archive as a backup.
How long can a live stream on YouTube last?
Generally, 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 do a live stream, a single public archive will be generated for up to 12 hours.
Can I have a private YouTube Live stream?
Yes. YouTube has three different options for live streaming – Public, Private, and Unlisted. YouTube’s private videos will not appear in any of the search results or video recommendations, and the private live streaming allows you to share your video with 50 different people at once.
Final Words
VideoSolo Screen Recorder helps you easily record a YouTube live stream no matter it is a past Live stream or one that hasn’t started yet. Now, you can record YouTube live streams at any time. Also, feel free to enjoy the recorded video on any device, even without the Internet
