How to stream YouTube and YouTube TV on Discord

Summary

• To stream YouTube on Discord, all you need is your own Discord server.
• Streaming YouTube TV requires an active YouTube TV subscription and a Discord server.
• To avoid a black screen, disable hardware acceleration in Discord and your browser.

If you come across a good show or movie on YouTube and YouTube TV, be sure to share it with your friends on Discord by streaming it. All you need to do is adjust a few settings and you’re ready!

What you need to stream YouTube and YouTube TV on Discord

If you want to stream YouTube on Discord, you only need two things: a stable internet connection and your own Discord server. You can create a Discord server for free. You don’t even need a YouTube account either. However, if you’re streaming YouTube TV, you’ll need the following:

While a stable internet connection isn’t essential, using a wired connection instead of a Wi-Fi connection provides a better overall experience. If this is not possible for you, I recommend being closer to your modem/router to ensure the strongest WiFi signal.

How to stream YouTube and YouTube TV on Discord

First, launch Discord, preferably with administrator privileges to avoid a black screen. You can find administrative rights by right-clicking on the shortcut. Next, open your preferred browser, go to YouTube or YouTube TV and log in with your account.

1. On your Discord server, you will see a voice channel on the left. Join us. The default voice channel is General.
2. Select “Share Screen” at the bottom left. It’s the monitor icon to the left of the one with the shapes.
3. In the following pop-up window, select “Applications” and select the browser that is running YouTube or YouTube TV.
4. Enable “Also share application audio” and choose a resolution and frame rate. A Discord Nitro subscription is required to stream at resolutions above 720p.
5. Select the “Go Live” button at the bottom right of the popup and you’re ready to go!

What to do if the screen is black?

I already mentioned that you may see a black screen. One way to avoid this is to run Discord with administrator privileges. That’s clear, but if you’re still streaming just a black screen, the problem is with hardware acceleration in both Discord and your browser.

Disable hardware acceleration in Discord

To disable hardware acceleration in Discord, first open “User Settings” via the gear icon at the bottom left.

1. Select “Advanced” on the left. It’s under app settings.
2. Search for “hardware acceleration.” See the little slider next to it? Click on it so that it becomes an X.
3. When asked, click “Okay” to confirm.

That’s all you need, but remember that hardware acceleration must also be disabled in your browser.

Disable hardware acceleration in Google Chrome

If you browse the Internet using Google Chrome, you can find hardware acceleration under Settings:.

1. Click on the three doors in the top right and select “Settings” from the drop-down menu.
2. Select “System”.
3. Click the slider next to “Use graphics acceleration when available” to turn it off. The small dot should be grayed out.

After restarting Google Chrome, go back to YouTube TV or YouTube and start the stream again.

Disable hardware acceleration in Microsoft Edge

If your browser of choice is Microsoft Edge, disabling hardware acceleration is pretty easy:

1. Click on the three dots at the top right and select “Settings” from the drop down menu.
2. Select “System and Performance” on the left.
3. You will find “Use graphics acceleration when available” under “System.” Press the slider and then click “Restart.” Button.

Now that Microsoft Edge is back up and running, you can easily stream YouTube and YouTube TV on Discord.

Disable hardware acceleration in Mozilla Firefox

Disabling hardware acceleration in Mozilla Firefox is also easy, but a little more hidden than with the other browsers:

1. Click on the three lines (the “burger” icon) in the top right corner and select “Settings.”
2. Click “General” on the left.
3. Under Performance, uncheck Use recommended performance settings, then uncheck Use hardware acceleration when available.

After restarting Mozilla Firefox, restart your stream on Discord.

With that said and done, streaming YouTube and YouTube TV on Discord is a fairly straightforward process, even if you’re one of the unlucky few who initially sees a black screen. Now just popcorn and a good movie to watch. It just so happens that YouTube offers free movies!