YouTube Live Streaming API lets scheduled broadcasts set geo-restrictions with availabilityConfig

Announced1 Jun 2026

Effective1 Jun 2026

StatusIn effect

What changed

YouTube's June 1, 2026 Live Streaming API revision adds the liveBroadcast resource's contentDetails.availabilityConfig property, which lets you specify geo-restrictions for a live broadcast to manage regional availability. It has two forms: globalConfig (available everywhere except excludedRegionCodes) and regionsConfig (available only in the listed regionIntervals). If it is not set, no restriction is enforced. The time windows (interval) inside both forms are not supported for upcoming or active live broadcasts.

What it means

Tools that schedule YouTube live events through the API can limit a broadcast to chosen countries, or block chosen countries, without editing it in YouTube Studio.

Who is affected

Live streaming and scheduling tools that create YouTube live broadcasts, and broadcasters with regional rights limits such as sports or events.

What to do by 1 Jun 2026

Optional. Set contentDetails.availabilityConfig with globalConfig.excludedRegionCodes or regionsConfig.regionIntervals on liveBroadcasts.insert or update.

What this means for you

Sometimes a live video should only be watched in some countries, for example because of sports rights. Apps that set up YouTube live streams for you can now say "only show this in Poland and Germany" or "show it everywhere except France" when they schedule the stream.

The details

Property: contentDetails.availabilityConfig on liveBroadcast. "Used to set specific region availability or block specific regions. It is optional - if not set, it is not enforced."
globalConfig: available in all regions except excludedRegionCodes (list of region codes).
regionsConfig: available only in the regions listed in regionIntervals[], each with a regionCode. "If a region is specified multiple times, the union of all intervals is used."
Time windows: interval.startTime and endTime exist in both forms, cannot be more than five years in the future, and are "not supported for upcoming or active live broadcasts".
Quota: liveBroadcasts.insert costs 1 unit; the revision does not mention a change.

What to do next

Business owners: Nothing, unless you stream events with regional rights: ask your streaming tool about region limits.
Marketers and agencies: Nothing.
Developers: Add availabilityConfig to your live broadcast form, and do not send interval for upcoming or active broadcasts.

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