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YouTube Live Captions Setup — StreamTranslate + OBS

Add accurate live captions to your YouTube streams using StreamTranslate. Better than YouTube's built-in auto-captions, with 125+ language translation support.

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YouTube Live Captions: Beyond Auto-CC

YouTube's automatic closed captions work adequately for standard speech but struggle with gaming vocabulary, technical jargon, and fast commentary. StreamTranslate uses our industry-leading speech AI — a gaming-optimized speech model — to deliver more accurate live captions that handle your specific content vocabulary correctly.

Unlike YouTube's auto-CC which appears as a separate accessibility option viewers toggle on, StreamTranslate captions are rendered directly into your video output. They're visible to all viewers by default and appear in VODs and clips automatically, making them a permanent accessibility feature of your YouTube content.

1

Create your StreamTranslate account

Sign up at streamtranslate.live and log in to your control panel.

2

Set your source language

Choose your streaming language in the control panel for optimal our industry-leading speech AI accuracy.

3

Add translation languages if needed

Select target languages for international viewers. YouTube Live has significant multilingual audiences.

4

Copy your browser source URL

Copy the URL from your StreamTranslate control panel.

5

Add the browser source in OBS

In OBS, add a Browser Source with your StreamTranslate URL. Set width to 1920 and height to 150.

6

Connect OBS to YouTube Live

In OBS Settings > Stream, select YouTube and enter your stream key from YouTube Studio.

7

Position captions for YouTube's layout

Place captions near the bottom of your screen, keeping the lower portion clear for YouTube's end screen elements.

8

Test with YouTube's stream preview

Use YouTube Studio's stream preview feature to verify captions are appearing correctly before your live premiere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does YouTube Live have automatic captions?

YouTube Live offers automatic captions but they are often inaccurate for gaming and technical content. StreamTranslate via our industry-leading speech AI is more accurate for specialized vocabulary.

Will StreamTranslate captions appear in YouTube VODs after the live stream?

Yes. StreamTranslate captions are rendered into your OBS video output, so they appear permanently in your YouTube VOD after the stream ends.

Can I use StreamTranslate with YouTube Shorts from my live stream?

Yes. Since captions are part of your video output, any clips taken from your YouTube Live stream will include the captions when posted as Shorts.

Does StreamTranslate work with YouTube's live delay settings?

Yes. StreamTranslate captions are synchronized to your microphone input in your OBS setup, regardless of the stream delay setting in YouTube.

Can StreamTranslate translate my YouTube stream into multiple languages?

Yes. StreamTranslate supports 125+ language translation in real time, letting your YouTube Live content reach global audiences in their native language.