What was announced
At Made on YouTube, YouTube Live shared a set of updates for streamers. The company said that in August 2026, on average, more than 600M logged-in viewers watched live content (including archive) each day.
Watch With is expanding beyond livestreams to include all eligible long form videos across YouTube. Creators can tap 'React live' on any eligible long form video or livestream to join conversations happening across the platform. YouTube first piloted Watch With for premium tentpole streams and earlier this year began testing live reactions between creators' livestreams.
New ways to co-stream
Previously, creators could only invite an offline guest with a link. YouTube is introducing live creator matchmaking, letting creators browse and select from creators who are currently streaming, or join a quick match queue to be paired automatically with similar creators.
Once in a co-hosted stream, creators can start a Live showdown, an interactive format that turns fan funding into a team challenge. In head-to-head matchups, viewers send chats, gifts, and Super Chats to push their creator's score forward on-screen in real time.
What it means for creators
For Watch With, reacting creators keep the live ad revenue and fan funding they earn, while original creators get clear attribution, added view credit in YouTube Studio, and full control over which of their videos can be reacted to.
YouTube noted that today more than 40% of live watch time comes from viewers outside a creator's home country. To help cross language barriers, it is piloting Live auto dubbing, which automatically translates a creator's speech in real time so viewers can listen in their preferred language.
Availability and timing
The Watch With expansion rolls out starting later this year. Live creator matchmaking arrives in early 2027, Live showdown is coming in 2027, and Live auto dubbing begins piloting in early 2027.
Source: YouTube official blog