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Earn from your content

Invite viewers with access keys

Open a video or a broadcast to the people you choose — one key per viewer, a shared key for a group, or a key for a set number of viewers.

Before you start

  • The video or the broadcast already exists in your account.
  • You know whether it is free or paid: on paid content a key seats one viewer at a time, or everyone with One key for everyone — a set number of viewers is available on free content only.

Steps

  1. 1
    Open your account menu (your avatar), click Monetization and open Content Management. Switch to the Access control tab.
  2. 2
    In the Generate access keys card, choose the Content type — Video or Broadcast — and pick the item under Content. A badge shows whether it is Paid content or Free.
  3. 3
    Choose the kind of key. Leave the options off for a key that seats one viewer at a time. Turn on One key for everyone for a single shared key. On free content, turn on Multi-seat and set Viewers per key for a key that seats a set number of people.
  4. 4
    Add a Label if you want to remember who the keys are for, set How many keys you need, and click Generate.
  5. 5
    In Your keys, copy a key, use Copy unlock link, or Show QR — Print QR sheet prints the codes of all keys at once for an event.
  6. 6
    For a broadcast you can also make keys on the stream page: open the Access tab. There the key panel adds Expires at (optional) and Max uses, and its list shows whether each key was Used or Not used.
  7. 7
    Send each key to its viewer. On the watch page or in the embedded player the viewer clicks Have a key? Enter it, types the key into Enter your access key and clicks Use key.
  8. 8
    To withdraw an invitation, switch the key off in the list (or Disable key on the stream page). Delete key removes it for good: viewers using it lose access immediately.

Expected result

A viewer with a valid key watches the video or the broadcast without buying it, and a switched-off, expired or used-up key no longer opens anything.

Common problems

The viewer says the key does not work.

The key is wrong, expired, switched off or used up. Check its status in the list and send a new key if needed.

A single-viewer key stopped playing on one device.

A single-viewer key plays on one device at a time; opening it on a second device stops the first. For a group, make a key with One key for everyone or with several viewers per key.

I cannot set a number of viewers for a paid broadcast.

On paid content a key seats one viewer at a time or everyone. Generate as many single-viewer keys as you have guests.

The viewer does not see where to enter the key on my creator site.

The key field is in the player on the watch page and in the embedded player. Send the viewer the watch link or the unlock link.

Invite viewers with access keys | DCAST Docs