Watch your YouTube live stream on the listener page Beta

Last updated October 1, 2026 For: Tech directors who stream services to YouTube with OBS Studio

On this page

If your church streams to YouTube, your listener page can show that live stream. Viewers get the service video and the SermonWave translation on the same page, in one tap. This article explains what listeners see and how to turn it on.

Who it's for#

  • Churches that already stream their service to YouTube with OBS Studio.
  • Tech volunteers who want remote viewers to watch and follow the translation in one place.

Before you start#

  • OBS Studio is set up as a SermonWave device with the SermonWave plugin. See Install the OBS plugin.
  • Your YouTube channel can go live, and your broadcasts are Public or Unlisted. Private YouTube broadcasts can't be shown on other websites.
  • Someone who manages the OBS device in the dashboard can change its settings.

What listeners see#

While your service is live and your YouTube stream is on:

  • Your listener page shows a Watch live card ("Video with audio in your language") under the LIVE NOW card.
  • On the live page, the video sits above the captions, with Watch and Listen buttons.
    • Watch plays the YouTube video.
    • Listen stops the video and plays the audio-only translation instead. Watch and Listen never play at the same time.
  • A language button picks which broadcast to watch: Original, or a translated broadcast if your church streams one for that language.
  • CC turns YouTube captions on or off.
  • Open on YouTube opens the same broadcast on YouTube in a new tab.
  • The captions and translation keep running underneath the video as usual.

If a listener picks a language that has no YouTube broadcast, the page says that language's audio isn't on YouTube for this service, and offers Switch to Listen so they can hear the translated voice without video.

Live listener page with the YouTube video, Watch and Listen buttons, language button, CC and "Open on YouTube"

Option 1: Show your channel's live stream (no YouTube sign-in)#

This shows your main YouTube stream, in the original language, on the listener page. You don't need to sign in to YouTube in OBS.

  1. In the dashboard, open Devices and click your OBS device.
  2. Find the YouTube channel card.
  3. Under Channel link, @handle or channel ID, paste one of:
    • your channel link (youtube.com/@yourchurch or youtube.com/channel/UC...);
    • your @handle;
    • your channel ID (starts with UC).
  4. Click Save. You'll see "YouTube channel saved."

You can also set this in OBS: in the SermonWave dock, use Channel for /listen.

While your SermonWave service is live, the listener page shows your channel's current live stream. To turn it off, clear the box and click Save.

OBS device page in the dashboard with the YouTube channel card

Option 2: Translated YouTube broadcasts (YouTube sign-in)#

With YouTube (automatic) in the OBS plugin, SermonWave creates a YouTube broadcast for each language you stream, with the translated voice and captions lined up with the video. The listener page then lets viewers switch between the original and each translated broadcast with the language button.

Set this up in the OBS dock. See Stream to YouTube from OBS and Translated streams in OBS.

Tips#

  • Tell remote viewers to use your listener link instead of the YouTube link, so they get the translation too.
  • Make sure Allow embedding is on for your broadcast in YouTube Studio. If it isn't, the original broadcast can't play on the listener page.
  • Viewers on phones may need to tap the video to start it or unmute it. Browsers block sound until someone taps.

Troubleshooting#

No video appears on the listener page. Check that the SermonWave service is live (captions are flowing) and that your YouTube stream is live. Video appears only while both are running. Also check the channel saved on the YouTube channel card.

"We couldn't look up that channel on YouTube." Paste the channel ID instead. It starts with UC, and you'll find it at youtube.com/account_advanced.

"That doesn't look like a YouTube channel." Enter a channel link, an @handle, or a channel ID (UC followed by 22 characters). A video link won't work.

Video plays but my language isn't there. Only languages you stream to YouTube appear as translated broadcasts. Viewers can use Switch to Listen to hear the translated voice instead.

The video is private. Private YouTube broadcasts can't be embedded. Use Public or Unlisted.

FAQ#

Can SermonWave host the video itself, without YouTube?#

Not yet. Video hosted by SermonWave is planned. Today, video on the listener page comes from YouTube.

Does this work with SW1 or a web device?#

Video on the listener page comes from the OBS plugin, because OBS is what streams your video. SW1 and web devices still give your listeners captions and translated audio.

Do viewers need a YouTube account?#

No. The video plays inside your listener page. YouTube's privacy-enhanced player is used.