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How to Record a YouTube Live Stream on PC in 2024

A YouTube live stream may not be as easily downloadable as a YouTube video, especially an ongoing one, but there is still a way for you to have it on your PC–record it. Do you want to know about it? Please read this article to learn how to record a YouTube live stream on different PC platforms.
💡Windows–WorkinTool VidClipper
💡Mac–QuickTime Player
💡Online–Screen Capture
Please feel free to use all the aforementioned tools in this article based on your needs. However, if you are a Windows user, we will introduce you to WorkinTool VidClipper. It is a powerful video editor equipped with a screen recorder. It is easy, convenient, helpful and super multi-functional. Now, please start your reading now to know the specific guide, along with additional useful information.

Last updated on Mar 06, 2024 by Eric Written by Eric
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How to Record a YouTube Live Stream in 2024 | 3 Ways

[YouTube Live Recorders for Windows, Mac and Online]  

featured image for how to record a youtube live stream

A YouTube live stream may not be as easily downloadable as a YouTube video, especially an ongoing one, but there is still a way for you to have it on your PC–record it. Do you want to know about it? Please read this article to learn how to record a YouTube live stream on PC and we will introduce you to three methods on multiple platforms, including Windows, Mac and online.

🔍Quick Look
💻Windows 📍WorkinTool VidClipper [🔥Recommended]
💻Mac 📍QuickTime Player
💻Online 📍Capture Screen

Now, let’s begin.😎


Why Do You Need to Record a YouTube Live Stream

YouTube Live has definitely been the largest live stream platform globally. There are a variety of fascinating channels, including music, sports, gaming, news, training, lifestyle and more. Therefore, you can do almost anything with its help, such as enjoying a live concert, watching a spectacular sports event, taking an online class, glimpsing a gaming review, etc.

Sometimes, the programs you are watching are so wonderful that you intend to save them all on your PC for future enjoyment. What can you do? You can absolutely subscribe to the channel and watch all of them online later. However, what if the streaming content disappears when you scroll down the screen and can’t find it back? What if you lose the content simply because the creator deletes it.

As a result, recording the YouTube live stream will be an ideal solution. This ensures that you can enjoy the content anywhere and anytime you have your PC and watch it repeatedly with ease so as not to miss any critical point, particularly for an online lesson session.

📣Attention:

✔The recorded YouTube live stream is for your own use only and should never be used for any commercial purpose. Otherwise, you shall be subject to a penalty for violating the relevant copyright laws and policies.

Now, let’s continue our discussion on how to record a YouTube live stream on Windows/Mac/Online.


How to Record a YouTube Live Stream on Windows

It will be far from challenging at all to record a live stream on YouTube if you have a handy screen recorder on your computer. Today, we will present you with a new option in the market–WorkinTool VidClipper.

✅WorkinTool VidClipper

WorkinTool VidClipper is a powerful and helpful video editor. Inspired by both lightweight concepts and practicability, VidClipper’s designers endow it with various valuable features (including screen recording) but a clear and simple interface. Furthermore, practical tips are on some editing features so that even beginners will find it convenient to operate. In conclusion, due to its multi-functional features, having it on your computer saves you the trouble of finding and downloading the following tools:

A screen recorder is equipped in WorkinTool VidClipper to help you capture a YouTube live stream/video. The recording process is effortless and instant, with all the custom settings to help you export a unique recording, including recording area, recording format/quality, cursor and more. Besides, there are additional tools at your disposal, such as:

  • Drawing Tools: Draw lines/shapes and type text directly into your recording.
  • Auto-Stop: Set the full recording length in advance to end your recording automatically even when you are away from your computer. For instance, you can rely on it to record last 30 seconds.

Therefore, you can use it to record anything on your screen, including:

Social Media YouTube videos Streaming videos A TikTok
Online Meetings A Teams meeting A Google Meet meeting  A Zoho meeting
Gameplay Twitch stream Fortnite Roblox
TV Sling TV Spectrum TV Philo TV

Moreover, WorkinTool VidClipper is accessible without compulsory registration. Besides, you can export a two-minute recording without a watermark with its free version.

🎯How to record a YouTube live stream with WorkinTool VidClipper?

Step 1. Open the tool and then find Screen Recorder on its opening page.

choose screen recorder in workintool vidclipper
Step 2. Make custom settings as you like, set the save path and then click Start or press the hotkey Alt+F1 to begin your recording.

choose your recording modes and start recording in workintool vidclipper

📄Advice: It is highly recommended to choose Computer Audio only. 

📢Specific Notes on Main VidClipper Screencast Settings

Video

  • Entire Screen: The entire screen of your PC will be recorded to export all the content on the screen. The recording will start immediately after a countdown by choosing this mode.
  • Recording Selection: The recording screen area will be customizable based on your requirements, so only the selected content will be saved. The recording won’t start until the recording area is pinpointed and the countdown is complete.

Audio

  • All Audio: The audio in your recording will include both microphone and computer sounds after it ends.
  • Computer Audio: Only the sound within your PC will be recorded when your screen recording finishes.
  • Microphone Audio: Microphone sound will be the sole audio source for recording by making this option.
  • No Audio: You will get a mute screen recording if you make this choice.

Quality

It indicates the video quality of your screen recording.

  • Standard Definition: It means standard definition, which is about 720p.
  • High Definition: It indicates high definition, which is approximately 1080p.
  • Original: The selection will help you keep the aspect ratio of your original video.

Format

MP4, FLV and AVI

Step 3. Hit the Stop icon in the floating box or choose the hotkey Alt+F2 to end and save your recording.
(The Pause icon allows you to stop your recording temporarily without saving it. You can resume it by clicking the Play icon.)

record a youtube live stream with workintool vidclipper

Step 4. Choose your next move after recording.

choose next move in workintool vidclipper after recording

*Add clips is quite a useful feature since it can help you move your recording to the VidClipper video editor for further editing. You can then depend on all the features there to:

Add Subtitles to a Video Add Video Transitions, Filters, Effects and Animations Put a filter on a video Put Overlay Effects in a Video
Remove Background Music from a Video Pixelate a Video Freeze Frame a Video Transcribe Audio to Text
Zoom in on a Video Remove background noise from video Speed up a Video Make a Video in Slow Motion

Here are the results.

Entire Screen

Recording Selection

😉Hidden Treasure

A drawing toolbox is available in the screen recorder of WorkinTool VidClipper and you can use it to add marks to or write texts on your recording.

🎯How to record a YouTube live stream with marks or texts with WorkinTool VidClipper?

1. Repeat the first and second steps above.
2. Find the pencil-like icon in the floating box and hit it to activate the drawing toolbox.
(You can deactivate it by right-clicking your mouse.)
3. Choose either the graphic tools or text feature to leave your marks or words on your recording.
4. Press the Stop tab or the hotkey Alt+F2 to stop and save your recording.

record a youtube live stream with marks and texts in workintool vidclipper

Please see the result.

🙋‍♂️Information on Drawing ToolBox

  • The video content will pause when the drawing tool set is opened. So you can make your marks or leave your texts in the area you wish to highlight or write.
  • Multiple drawing tools are optional in this toolbox, including lines, rectangular and circular graphs and texts. Also, their colors are easily adjustable.

🙋‍♀️Additional Words for WorkinTool VidClipper

💡Additional Screencast Settings

screencast settings in workintool vidclipper

  • Auto-Hide: Ticking this option allows you to hide the setting box when your recording starts.
  • Cursor: By checking this choice, you can customize the color of several operations like Moving track, Highlight and Click effect (left and right click).
  • Click Sound: You can use this feature to open or mute the sound of every click.
  • Click Effect: “Colorize” your cursor, both left and right.

💡Auto-Stop Settings

auto stop settings in vidclipper

  • Recording Duration: You can set a duration in advance to cover the whole length of your recording content. So the recording will automatically stop when it ends.
  • Post-Recording Settings: You can personalize the post-recording operation when your recording finishes, including Do nothing, Exit program, PC sleep and PC shutdown.
  • Recording Frequency: You can make your automatic stop setting a temporary (one-time) or a permanent (every-time) operation with its help.

💡Why should you choose WorkinTool VidClipper?

  • Convenient Recording Process: Four steps will be all that you need to record the screen.
  • Various Recording Settings: Multiple settings are at your disposal, such as recording area, audio choice, video quality and video formats.
  • Drawing Toolbox Available: A drawing toolbox is equipped to assist you in exporting a recording with marks or texts.
  • Quick Editing Modes: On top of the screen recorder, you can use its other quick editing modes on the opening page to customize your videos, such as video splitter, video merger, video background remover, video converter and more.
  • Abundant Additional Editing Features: Your videos can be easily and instantly customizable through our various editing features, including 100+ stylish texts, 60+ filters, 300+ transitions, 70+ overlay effects, 200+ elements and 600+ sound effects.
  • High-Quality Guarantee: The output via WorkinTool VidClipper will be exported without losing quality.
  • Green: There will be no advertisements in the course of your screen recording and no intrusive watermark added to the outcomes.
workintool vidclipper logo

free download icon of workintool

✨Useful Information

💰Price 🎬Compatibility and Recording Formats
  • Free-Trial Version (Up to 2 minutes)
  • Pro Version: $10.95/Month, $29.95/Year, $39.95/Lifetime
  • Compatibility: Windows
  • Recording Formats: MP4, FLV and AVI (More formats convertible in VidClipper’s video converter)
😎Pros 😒Cons
  • User-friendly interface
  • Simple and convenient
  • Custom recording area/audio/format/quality
  • Recording without time limit
  • Additional screencast settings
  • Drawing toolbar available
  • Auto-stop feature
  • Extra valuable editing tools
  • High-quality recording without watermark
  • Economical license fees to enjoy all-in-one features
  • Windows OS only
  • Two-minute output only (free version)

How to Capture a YouTube Live Stream on Mac

If you are a Mac user, the easiest way is to use its inbuilt app–QuickTime Player.

✅QuickTime Player

QuickTime Player is the default multimedia player on every Apple device. Much as it was designed to play video, audio and image files, it also includes features like video and audio recording, screen recording and basic editing tools for trimming and splitting media files. Additionally, QuickTime Player supports a wide variety of media formats, including MP4, MOV, MPEG-2, and many others. However, the default recording format is MOV.

🎯How to Capture a YouTube Live Stream with QuickTime Player?

1). Open the player and then navigate to File > New Screen Recording.

how to record zoho meetings on mac in quicktime 1

2). Adjust the settings (microphone on/off and mouse click on/off) and then press the red Record button in the pop-up window.

how to record zoho meetings on mac in quicktime 2

  • Simply click anywhere on your computer to record the entire screen.
  • Alternatively, drag the cursor to create a selected recording area and then hit Start Recording.

3). Then press the Stop button when you intend to stop recording.
(Shortcut key–Command+Control+Esc)

stop your recording on mac in quicktime

✨Useful Information

💰Price 🎬Compatibility and Recording Formats
  • 100% Free
  • Compatibility: macOS
  • Recording Formats: MOV
😎Pros 😒Cons
  • Entirely free
  • Easy recording process
  • Custom recording area/audio
  • No watermark
  • Default recording format–mOV
  • Few custom recording settings

How to Get a Recording of YouTube Live Stream Online

If you find it inconvenient to use any desktop software, you should read this chapter carefully as we will show you a free online screen recorder–Screen Capture.

Screen Capture 

Screen Capture is a web-based screen recorder designed for easy online screen recording without payment. Users can rely on it to capture the content from their computer screens and/or Webcam with(out) the system and/or microphone sound. It boasts a super simple recording process and several capture modes like window, browser tab and the entire screen. Besides, usually, you can record your content with no time limit. However, a watermark will be added to your recording. To remove it, you need to pay a license fee to upgrade your free plan.

🎯How to Get a Recording of YouTube Live Stream Online via Screen Capture?

1. Open Screen Capture and then confirm your options: screen and audio.

2. Click Start Recording.

click start recording on screen capture

3. Determine the content to share with the tool and then hit Share to begin your recording.

how to record a youtube live stream online via screen capture 1

4. Press Stop Recording on the recording page or Stop sharing on the targeted page to end it.

hit stop recording in screen capture

5. Hit Download to save your recording.

how to record a youtube live stream online via screen capture 2

✨Useful Information

💰Price 🎬Compatibility and Recording Formats
  • Free-Trial Version (Watermark)
  • Pro Version: $9.99/Month, $30.99/Year
  • Compatibility: All platforms (web-based operations)
  • Recording Formats: MP4
😎Pros 😒Cons
  • Generally free
  • Totally online
  • Super simple and clear interface
  • Easy to use
  • More customized capture modes
  • Internet access required
  • Watermarked output (free version)

More to Share About YouTube Live Stream Recording

📌How to Live Stream on YouTube?

In order to go live on YouTube, you should first have a YouTube or a Google account and then enable live streaming: Go to YouTube Studio > Click + to find Go Live. It will take 24 hours to complete the enabling. Once it finishes, you can live stream on YouTube. It is highly recommended to read live streaming restrictions carefully before your start.

After that, you can choose the mode to go live on YouTube: webcam, mobile and encoder. If you are a live stream novice, you’d better select webcam or mobile, which is easy and convenient. If you are pretty experienced in live streaming, such as a game influencer, please feel free to select encoder. For more information, please refer to the link at the beginning of this answer.

📌How to Watch Live Stream on YouTube?

You can watch the live stream on YouTube by:
Either type YouTube Live in the search engine to log in it directly.

search youtube live
Or opening YouTube > clicking Live on the left navigation bar to find the portal.

find live on youtube opening page

📌How to Record Audio from YouTube Live Stream?

If you plan to record computer audio on YouTube live stream only, you can resort to our other product-WorkinTool Audio Recorder. The recording process is the same as recording audio from YouTube.

📌Is it possible to download a YouTube live stream?

  • For an ongoing YouTube live stream: Unfortunately, no. It is undoubtedly impossible to download an ongoing one.
  • For a past YouTube live stream: Partially yes. However, the download feature is accessible to the creator only. If you are a viewer, you need a YouTube Downloader.

Final Thought

It doesn’t have to be cumbersome and inconvenient to record a YouTube live stream when you have a handy tool. Please feel free to use all the aforementioned tools in this article based on your needs.

However, if you use a Windows computer, WorkinTool VidClipper (Capture Screen Recorder) is an ideal option since it is a useful desktop program boasting a user-friendly interface, easy recording process and super multi-functional features.

Now, are you ready to use WorkinTool VidClipper and record a YouTube live stream?

free download icon of workintool

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