This tip covers how to use links for Youtube live channels.
(related pages Youtube embed links and Youtube URL parameters)
A link to a Youtube live channel is of the form:
https://youtube.com/channel/CHANNEL_ID/live
where the CHANNEL_ID is the 24 character Youtube User ID available in the Advanced Settings in Youtube. It will also be contained in the URL of the channel owners page. This link should always reach the live channel if it is active.
The live channel will also have a conventional 11 character video ID which is assigned when the live stream is started. A Youtube link using this video ID will reach the live stream while it is active. However, it will no longer work when the live stream is stopped. Youtube can record a video of the live stream which can be replayed using the video ID. A new video ID will be created when the live channel is restarted.
The first two letters of channel IDs and playlist IDs indicate the type of ID as follows:
| UC | standard user channel ID | |
| HC | auto generated channel ID | |
| PL | followed by rest of channel ID is a normal playlist ID | |
| UU | followed by rest of channel ID is an uploaded playlist ID | |
| FL | followed by rest of channel ID is a featured playlist ID | |
| LP | followed by rest of channel ID is an auto generated playlist ID | |
| RD | followed by Video ID is a playlist based on the video |
These prefix letters are not officially documenented and may change over time so they should not be relied on.