YouTube is rolling out a brand new collaboration feature allowing two people to live stream at the same time – the aptly named Go Live Together.
The way it works is that a creator can invite another user to co-host a livestream. You can only host one guest at a time, but other people can rotate in and out during that same live stream. It’s similar to how a FaceTime call works minus the group capability.
Technically, Go Live Together first launched in early November 2022 when it was first revealed on YouTube’s own Creator Insider channel (opens in a new tab). At the time, it was only available to a handful of content creators, and on the face of it, not much has changed since then.
The small problem is that the host channel must have at least 50 subscribers before being allowed to use the feature. The guest, however, is not limited by this requirement. It can be anyone: big or small chains.
grab a friend and start a co-stream 🤝🤩 featuring Go Live Together, a new way to easily start a co-stream and invite a guest, all from your phone! 📱Creators need more than 50 subscribers to host co-streams, but anyone can be invited! more info here: https://t.co/g6PdxJY7ux pic.twitter.com/lmDDogXQ5tFebruary 2, 2023
Availablity
Go Live Together is now available on iOS and Android phones, so be sure to download the latest version of YouTube on mobile if you want to give it a try. Instructions on how to get a shared livestream are available at Google’s support page (opens in a new tab), but to give a quick preview, you’ll need to tap the plus symbol at the bottom of the YouTube app first. “Go Live Together” will appear in the bottom menu. Select that, invite your guest, and you’re good to go.
A desktop version of Go Live Together is currently in the works, but it’s unclear when it will launch. According to The YouTube team on Twitter (opens in a new tab)they’ll keep everyone updated when there’s more to share.
Other reports indicate (opens in a new tab) it’s possible for a host channel to schedule a co-stream via YouTube on desktop, but that’s it. You must finally use the mobile application to have the livestream. Until Go Live Together comes to desktop, you can always try Google Meet. Last summer Google Meet Support has been extended to YouTube to accommodate large-scale events on the platform.
If you’re keen to dive into the world of live streaming, now’s a good time to give it a shot in preparation for when YouTube expands Go Live Together — because, let’s be honest, a desktop version seems inevitable. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of best free streaming software featuring the likes of OBS Studio and Steamlabs out there.
