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How to set up your Hangout on Air in YouTube Live Events


1-Aug-2019: Hangouts on Air shut down completely and removed from YouTube Live.

13-Sept-2016: It is no longer possible to set up a Hangout on Air on Google+.  You can still create a regular Google+ Event in the Classic Google+ interface and add your live stream video.

15-Aug-2016: It was announced that Hangouts on Air will be moving from Google+ to YouTube on September 12, 2016. After that date all Hangouts on Air will have to be run from YouTube Live Events. Learn more in the YouTube Help Center.


17-Nov-2015: The new Google+ web interface does not include Events or Hangouts. That means to set up a Hangout on Air in Google+ you either need to switch back to "classic G+" or, if you are hosting the HOA as a Google+ Profile,  start at hangouts.google.com and select "Hangouts on Air" in the left menu. Hangouts on Air set up in YouTube Live Events are not affected.

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A Hangout on Air is an easy way to broadcast a live discussion or performance that can be watched on YouTube or Google+ by anyone around the world.  You don't need any special equipment or software; all that's required is a computer with a camera, a strong internet connect and a YouTube channel connected to Google+.

You can set up and start a Hangout on Air (HOA)  in YouTube Live Events.

Note that some of the features that were available through Google+ Hangout on Air Events (retired 13 September 2016) are no longer an option, including the Q&A, Showcase and Applause apps.

Lear more in the YouTube Help Center: Hangouts on Air with YouTube Live

Set up and start a Hangout on Air in YouTube Live Events  (get detailed instructions below)

  1. Sign in to YouTube and make sure you are using the correct channel identity (www.youtube.com/channel_switcher)
  2. Make sure your channel is enabled for longer videos and Live Streaming is enabled on your Features tab (www.youtube.com/features)
  3. Open Live Streaming > Events (www.youtube.com/my_live_events)
  4. Click + New live event at top right (www.youtube.com/my_live_events?action_create_live_event=1)
  5. Enter your Hangout on Air event details, including title, description, date and time. Make sure the Type is set to Quick.
  6. Click the + Create Event button 
  7. Start the Hangout on Air in YouTube Live Events
YouTube Help Center:
Your live stream archive should be processed and appear in your video manager within 24 hours. If your video is still processing after more than 24 hours have passed, you can get assistance in the YouTube Help Forum.

Read on for more detailed instructions.

YouTube Live Events: Set up and Start a Hangout on Air 

YouTube Live Events: Set up a Hangout on Air

You can set up a Hangout on Air on YouTube by creating a new Quick Live Event. 

1. Sign in to YouTube (www.youtube.com) and make sure you are using the correct channel identity

You can switch to your channel by clicking your avatar at top right or by going to All My Channels (www.youtube.com/channel_switcher) and clicking your channel name

Select your channel at www.youtube.com/channel_switcher

2. Make sure your channel is enabled for longer videos and Live streaming 

Open your Channel > Features  (www.youtube.com/features) and scroll down to Live Streaming

If your channel is not yet enabled for Live Events, click the Enable button.


If your channel is not yet verified it will walk you through the phone verification process. This will also enable longer uploads on your channel.

Note: you only need to enable Live streaming once. Skip this step the next time you broadcast.

3. Open Live Streaming > Events ( www.youtube.com/my_live_events)

Open Creator Studio by clicking your channel icon at top right, then the Creator Studio button (www.youtube.com/dashboard).

From Creator Studio, click Live Streaming in the left menu.



The default page is "Stream now", so you need to switch to Live Events by clicking Events in the left menu.



That will open your Live Events page (www.youtube.com/my_live_events)

4. Create a new Live Event 



At top right of the Live Events page, click the + New Live Event button  (www.youtube.com/my_live_events?action_create_live_event=1)

5. Enter your Hangout on Air Event details

Make sure the Type is set to Quick 



Other details you can set:

  • Title, description, date and time. 
  • Set the visibility of the event to be public, private or unlisted. 
  • Share the video to the connected Google+ or Twitter account.
6. Click the Create Event button 


Now your event will show as Upcoming on your YouTube Live Event page

Note: you will  also see your Google+ Hangout on Air Events listed in your YouTube Live Events list.

YouTube Live Events: Start a Hangout on Air Broadcast


1. Open your YouTube Live Events page and make sure the list shows Upcoming events

Note: the thumbnail for your video will be your channel's channel art.

2. Find your video and click the Start Hangout on Air button


A new Hangout window will open.

3. To invite people to join your Hangout on Air, click the Invite People button at the top of the Hangout window



You can invite people by sending them an email with a link, sharing a post on Google+ or inviting on Google+.



Note that if you want a Google+ Page to join you on screen, you should send the Page the link to the Hangout on Air, not a Google+ invite.

4. Click Start Broadcast to go live




End the broadcast by clicking the red Stop Broadcast button

The archive of your Hangout on Air should be processed and appear in your YouTube channel's video manager within 24 hours

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Google+: Set up and start a Scheduled Hangout on Air Event

As of September 13, 2016 it is no longer possible to set up a Google+ Hangout on Air Event. 
You can still create a regular Google+ Event in the Classic Google+ interface and add your live stream video.

You will continue to be able to access your existing Events at plus.google.com/events


Which method should you use? 

Note: as of September 13, 2016 it is no longer possible to set up a Google+ Hangout on Air Event.

A Hangout on Air will have slightly different features depending on whether it was set up on YouTube or Google+.

Advantages of setting up your HOA in YouTube Live Events
  • You can be sure your live broadcast is archived to the right channel
  • You can make broadcast private, not just unlisted
  • Does not create a Google+ Hangout on Air Event 
  • Does not enable the Q&A, Showcase, or Applause apps
  • You can have YouTube Live chat running on the video watch page during the broadcast
Advantages of setting up your HOA as a Google+ Hangout on Air Event
   (note: this is no longer possible as of September 13, 2016)

Which method you choose depends on how you want to run your Hangout on Air and where your audience is.

(Thanks to +Craig Long, +Chad LaFarge and +Michael Daniels for discussion of how they set up their HOAs)

Have questions or run into a problem? Post a question in the official Hangouts Help Forum.

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Comments

  1. Replies
    1. Thanks Craig! I was hoping folks find it helpful.

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  2. Thanks!! I really appreciate the info!

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  3. Thank you so very much for this very useful information.

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  4. I don't think a Hangout on Air, set up using the "quick" event type, can use the YouTube Live Chat feature. That is only available for the "custom" type which doesn't use HOA.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Timothy: I've tested it out and as long as you set up the Quick event/Hangout on Air in YouTube Live Events the chat option is there on the video watch page. That doesn't work if you set up the Hangout on Air through Google+ Events.

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    2. Thanks a lot Peggy. The only reason I thought that was that Google's own help page says so! See https://support.google.com/youtube/answer/2853848?hl=en&ref_topic=6105666.

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    3. Hangouts on Air are a bit complicated, because there are two ways to set them up: as a Google+ Event and as a YouTube Live Event. If you set it up as a YouTube Live Event, you will have live chat (I just double checked, and that definitely works). If you set it up as a Google+ Event, you will not have live chat. So it's probably easier to tell people "no, that isn't a feature" than having a long explanation :)

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    4. I understand Peggy, but the Google help page I linked has a table showing features for different types of YouTube Live Events, so it is explicitly giving the wrong information about its own product.

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