YouTube is rolling out a brand new collaboration feature allowing two people to livestream at the same time – the aptly named Go Live Together.
The way it works is one creator can invite another user to co-host a livestream. You can only host one guest at a time, but other people can be rotated in and out during that same livestream. It’s similar to how a FaceTime call works minus the group capability.
Technically, Go Live Together first launched at the beginning of November 2022 when it was first revealed on YouTube’s own Creator Insider channel (opens in new tab). Back then, it was only available to a handful of content creators, and by the looks of it, not much has changed since.
The small catch is as the host channel must have at least 50 subscribers before they’re allowed to use the feature. The invitee, however, is not restricted by this requirement. It can be anybody: big or small channels.
grab a friend & start a co-stream 🤝🤩 introducing Go Live Together, a new way to easily start a co-stream & invite a guest, all from your phone! 📱creators need 50+ subs to host co-streams, but anyone can be a guest! more info here: https://t.co/g6PdxJY7ux pic.twitter.com/lmDDogXQ5tFebruary 2, 2023
Availability
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 try it out. Instructions on how to get a shared livestream are available on Google’s support page (opens in new tab), but to give a quick run down, you’ll have to first tap the plus symbol at the bottom of the YouTube app. “Go Live Together” will pop up in the bottom menu. Select that, invite your guest, and you’re good to go.
A desktop rendition of Go Live Together is currently in the works, but it’s unknown when it will launch. According to TeamYouTube on Twitter (opens in new tab), they’ll keep everyone updated when there’s more to share.
Other reports state (opens in new tab) it’s possible for a host channel to schedule a co-stream via YouTube on desktop, but that’s as far as it goes. You ultimately have to use the mobile app to actually have the livestream. In the meantime until Go Live Together arrives on desktop, you can always try out Google Meet. Last summer Google Meet support was expanded to YouTube for hosting large scale events on the platform.
If you’re interested in diving into the world of livestreaming, now’s a good time to give it a shot so you can be prepared for when YouTube expands Go Live Together – since, let’s be honest, a desktop version feels like an inevitability. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best free streaming software featuring the likes of OBS Studio and Steamlabs on there.
