Sharing Pre-Recorded Content
Many hosts love sharing pre-recorded content during their events! While Crowdcast is primarily a live video platform, you can incorporate pre-recorded video seamlessly into your sessions using a few different methods.
Method 1 – Studio (Recommended)
The Studio is the easiest way to share pre-recorded content during your event.
Hosts and users with channel-level permissions can now upload MP4 files directly into the Studio to share during a session.
You can:
Upload MP4 videos directly to the Studio, or
Add videos hosted on YouTube, Vimeo, or Wistia
Once added, you can play these videos live during your event.
👉 For step-by-step instructions, see the video section of the Studio article.
Method 2 – Virtual Webcam
You can also share pre-recorded content by using a virtual webcam tool. This allows you to output video into Crowdcast as if it were your camera feed. For more details visit our support article on how to virtualize your webcam.
Method 3 – RTMP Studio
RTMP Studio lets you connect external streaming software like OBS, Wirecast, or StreamYard to Crowdcast.
This is ideal if you want:
Advanced scene switching
Graphics and overlays
Multiple media inputs with transitions
Learn more about RTMP Studio in our dedicated article.
Why private YouTube videos don’t work in Crowdcast
If you’re sharing a YouTube video in your Crowdcast event, it’s important to understand how YouTube’s privacy settings affect playback.
Private videos
Private YouTube videos are restricted to specific Google accounts. Viewers must:
Be logged into YouTube
Have explicit permission to view the video
When a private video is embedded in Crowdcast:
Viewers are not authenticated with YouTube
Crowdcast cannot pass through the host’s permissions
YouTube cannot verify that the viewer is authorized
As a result, the video will fail to play for attendees - even if it works for the host.
Unlisted videos (recommended)
Unlisted videos can be viewed by anyone with the link, without requiring login or special permissions.These work seamlessly in Crowdcast and are the recommended setting when sharing YouTube content.
Recommended solutions
If you don’t want your video to be public, set it to Unlisted instead of Private
Alternatively, upload your video directly to Crowdcast for full compatibility
Tip: If a video plays for you but not for your attendees, check whether it’s set to Private - this is the most common cause.
Important Notes
YouTube Shorts:
Shorts URLs need to be converted before adding to the Studio.
Example:
https://youtube.com/shorts/iHkphBN04ZY→
https://youtube.com/watch?v=iHkphBN04ZYVimeo custom URLs:
These must be expanded (unfurled) before adding.
For V2 users → follow this section ⤵️
Crowdcast’s built-in Studio is the simplest way to share pre-recorded content. Hosts and co-hosts can upload pre-recorded videos to the Studio at any point before or during an event. The video must be hosted on Youtube, Vimeo, or Wistia.
Was this article helpful? Please share your rating below! Happy Crowdcasting! 🎥