YouTube has rolled out several new features that will make live streaming easier.

Updates to YouTube Live that launched Tuesday will allow iPhone and iPad users to stream directly from their device’s screen, help better moderate live chat messages on a user’s channel, and enable streams with less of a delay.

YouTube first launched its live streaming service in 2013 and faces strong competition from Amazon.com Inc.’s Twitch and Microsoft Corp.’s Mixer. Twitch has 10 million daily active users, as well as more than 2.2 million unique content creators per month. As Twitch looks to expand beyond a place merely watch to video games, it introduced new features last month that includes the ability to live stream from mobile devices to a person’s channels.

Microsoft recently launched its mobile game streaming app Mixer Create, which allows gamers to broadcast what they are currently playing. Other features for Android and iOS users include co-streaming, a chat interface and moderation tools. Mixer Create can also be used for non-gaming purposes, like vlogging.  

Here’s a look at the new features for YouTube Live:

Ultra-low latency

YouTube has introduced ultralow latency, which will allow live streamers to stream a video with only a couple seconds of latency. A lower latency is important for streamers who interact with their audience during a video stream, but it can cause viewers to experience more playback buffering.

To change your live stream latency in events, go to youtube.com/my_live_events > select +New live stream / Edit > Advanced Settings > Stream Optimizations > select a stream latency option > save your changes.

To change your live stream latency in stream now, go to youtube.com/live_dashboard > Stream Options > Stream Optimizations > select a stream latency option > save your changes.

Note: Mobile always optimizes for ultralow latency.

In addition to ultralow latency, which is best for streamers with lots of real-time engagement, other options include normal latency, which is great for streamers who don’t interact with viewers and has the lowest amount of viewer buffering, while low latency is a balance between the two.

Improved live chat moderation

Inline moderation

Inline moderation allows you to pause the chat feed so you, or a moderator, can moderate the feed.

To pause the chat feed, hold down “Alt/Option” button on your desktop keyboard, hover over a comment and you will see options to delete the message, place the user in timeout or block the user entirely from sending chat messages or leaving comments on your channel.

YouTube allows you to assign moderators to your channel that will be able to interact with the audience and remove comments, if necessary. Moderators will stay on the list until you un-assign them.

To assign a moderator, click the three dots (…) next to the chat text box > enter a username >  select Menu (three vertical dots) next to the username > select “Set User as Moderator.”

Review inappropriate messages

By enabling the new “hold for review” option, potentially inappropriate messages identified by YouTube’s system can be held for review until you decide to approve, hide or report them. Over time, YouTube’s system will learn and get better at identifying the messages that you want to hold for review.

To enable “hold for review,” sign into your YouTube account > go to youtube.com/comment_management > under “Messages” in Live Chat, tick the box next to “hold potentially inappropriate chat messages for review.”

Stream more easily from iPhone and iPad directly to the main YouTube app

For messages that YouTube’s system has held, you can select Show, which will display the relevant message in the chat stream at the time it was originally posted or the Hide option will keep the message hidden from viewers. If no action is taken then by default the message remains hidden from all viewers of your channel.   

Shared hidden user lists

Moderators will also be able to use the same list of users that were hidden across both comments and live chats. Regardless of where you take the action, any future hides work in both live chat and comments.  

Live stream what’s on your iPhone or iPad screen

YouTube’s updates also include simpler streaming for iPhone and iPad users. Thanks to Apple Inc.’s ReplayKit, users have previously been able to live stream from certain apps via the YouTube Gaming app, but now the feature will be available in the main YouTube app.

Both iPhone and iPad users will be able to stream what’s on their screen, like a game or sketch, directly to the YouTube app, a feature that is already available for Android users. Users will also be able to use their phone’s microphone and front-facing camera to add audio and video commentary to the stream.

Source: YouTube support

Image: StockSnap; Pixaby