YouTube adds Practice Mode and new ad formats to boost live stream earnings

New Delhi: YouTube has announced a wide set of upgrades to its live streaming tools, describing it as the platform’s most significant refresh in years. 

The new features are designed to make going live easier for first-time streamers, improve discoverability across devices, and introduce fresh monetisation options.

The announcement comes at a time when live viewing has become a core part of YouTube consumption. 

In Q2 2025, more than 30% of daily logged-in viewers watched live content, ranging from gaming marathons to Q&A sessions.

Lowering barriers for new streamers

To make live broadcasting less daunting, YouTube is introducing tools that let creators practice and test before going public.

• Practice Mode allows creators to rehearse their streams privately, check equipment, and experiment with features before going live.
  
  
• Playables on Live integrates a library of more than 75 browser-based games, including Angry Birds Showdown, Words of Wonders and Trivia Crack, into streams, giving creators new ways to interact with audiences and monetise their sessions.
  
  

Improving reach and engagement

YouTube is also making live content easier to find and watch across different formats.

• Dual-Format Streaming will let creators broadcast simultaneously in horizontal (desktop/TV) and vertical (mobile) modes, while keeping a single chat feed for all viewers.
  
  
• Expanded React Live will enable creators to quickly start vertical live sessions to react to ongoing events or other broadcasts, a feature designed to encourage commentary and collaboration.
  
  
• AI-Powered Live Recap automatically identifies highlight moments from past livestreams and generates Shorts, helping creators extend the life of their content.
  
  

New monetisation formats

The refresh also includes changes to how creators can earn from live sessions.

• Side-by-Side Ads will display video ads on the right side of the screen while the livestream continues on the left, aiming to reduce interruptions for viewers while maintaining ad revenue.
  
  
• Members-Only Transitions give creators the ability to shift a public stream into a members-only broadcast mid-session, without restarting. This allows for smoother exclusivity and added value for paid subscribers.
  
  

YouTube said these features will roll out in phases over the coming weeks. By lowering entry barriers, adding interactive elements, and refining monetisation formats, the platform is positioning live streaming as a central part of its strategy to deepen creator-audience engagement and diversify earnings.