How to level-up your live

We recently had an amazing conversation with YouTube creator Lana Rae (Lanaslifeee), our very own Creator Liaison Rene Ritchie, and Barbara Macdonald, Product Manager for Live, to pull back the curtain on some exciting new features that we announced at Made on YouTube designed to make live streaming on YouTube even better.

Lana Rae shared her insights as a seasoned creator, while Rene and Barbara dove deep into how we're evolving the live streaming experience based directly on your feedback. The future of live is bright, and we're thrilled to give you a sneak peek at what's coming!

Here are the key takeaways from their chat and how they translate into new tools for you. To watch the full video, scroll below.

Solving the Format Dilemma

One of the biggest pain points discussed was the tough choice creators currently face: stream horizontally for their core desktop audience, or stream vertically to tap into the massive, fast-growing Shorts feed?

Lana shared her experiences navigating these decisions, and Barbara was excited to reveal the solution: Streaming across formats.

Coming soon, you won't have to choose. You’ll be able to stream both formats at the same time. Best of all, Barbara confirmed that all viewers—whether they're watching on their phone in portrait mode or on their TV in landscape—will be unified in a single chat. No segmented communities, just one big conversation.

Lowering the Barrier to Entry

"If you've ever thought about going live, try it out. Just do it."

That was Lana’s key advice for aspiring streamers. But we know that "just doing it" can be intimidating. The pressure of being live, with no do-overs, is real.

In response to this common anxiety, the team discussed the upcoming Practice Mode. This new feature is designed directly for those who need a safe space to test their mic, check their lighting, and get comfortable before broadcasting to the world. Think of it as a dress rehearsal that ensures you’re confident when it’s time for the real show.

More Highlights from the Conversation

The trio also touched on other exciting developments aimed at saving you time and boosting your revenue:

• Effortless Shorts: Barbara shared details on a new AI-powered highlights tool that will automatically identify the best moments from your stream, helping you turn a long mobile broadcast into engaging Shorts in minutes.
• Better Monetization: They discussed improving the viewer experience with "side-by-side" ads that don't interrupt the action, and smoother transitions from public to members-only livestreams to help you provide extra value to your biggest supporters.
• The Future (2026!): We even got a sneak peek at "React live," allowing anyone to react in real-time to the best content on YouTube with your own community.

As Barbara summed up, the goal is a "best-in-class live streaming experience" no matter where your audience is watching.

Want to see all these new features in action and hear the full discussion? Check out the full video with Rene, Barbara, and Lana Rae below.