How to set up a YouTube live stream alert for a channel

YouTube added a live streaming feature a while ago. It was added to compete with Twitch though that didn’t quite work. Still, the live streaming feature is there and this year, Apple is going to be using it to stream its iPhone event. If you already follow Apple, or any other channel for that matter, and you’ve enabled notifications for it, you will get an alert when the channel goes live. That said, if you’re only interested in a specific event that’s going to be broadcast, you can set up a YouTube live stream alert for the channel. Here’s how.

YouTube live stream alert

In order for this to work, the channel must already have set up the live stream to play in advance. If the channel already doesn’t have the stream link up, waiting to go live, you will have to subscribe to the channel and enable alerts for it instead. We’ll detail how to do that as well.

Locate the live stream. It should be on the channel’s page. The link will show a countdown timer to when the event/stream will start. Click the ‘Set Reminder’ button. If you’re not already signed into YouTube, you’re going to have to sign in first.

The reminder is set the second you click the button. It’s delivered via email but also via YouTube on both the mobile app and the website. You can undo it by clicking the ‘Reminder on’ button and it will be toggled off.

The stream may start earlier than the time that the channel has set and if it does, you won’t get an alert for it. The live streaming feature, and its reminders, need work. The notification settings don’t allow you to set when you should get a reminder to a live stream i.e., how far in advance. You’re alerted at the designated start time, and not before that.

Live alerts for subscriptions

If you’ve already subscribed to a channel, you will need to enable alerts for it. This might seem like something that should happen automatically but any YouTube channel will tell you otherwise. To subscribe to alerts, visit the channel’s page. You’ll see a bell icon next to the Subscribe button. Click it to get alerts for activity from the channel.

You can also find this same bell icon under a video that’s been uploaded by the channel. Click it and you’ll be subscribed to alerts from the channel. These alerts will include both new video updates, live stream updates, as well as status updates.