Multiple audio tracks let you broadcast one live event with several interpreter audio tracks, so viewers can listen in their preferred language. Viewers switch between audio tracks directly in the player, and your event still uses a single concurrent stream slot no matter how many tracks you configure.
This feature is available to Custom and Enterprise customers.
Multiple audio tracks are currently supported only with RTMP/RTMPS ingestion, not SRT.
Set up language audio tracks
Language audio tracks are configured when you stream with an external encoder:
- In your live event, set the production mode to Use an external encoder.
- Go to Live event settings > Stream > Language streams.
- Add a language track for each language you want to offer. Each track receives its own RTMP endpoint.
By default, events include 2 audio tracks. If you need more, contact your account manager.
Connect your streams
- Start the primary stream first. Vimeo picks it up and moves the event to live.
- Connect the additional language streams so each audio track registers with our system.
- Verify that all streams are healthy and confirm every audio track is connected. See How to monitor the health of your stream.
How viewers choose their audio track
During the broadcast, viewers use the audio track selector in the player to choose their language. Switching is instant — no reload or stream restart needed.
Frequently asked questions
How do interpreters connect their audio?
The organizer creates RTMP endpoints in the event settings, and each interpreter streams to their assigned URL using a standard RTMP setup.
Can I have more than 2 audio tracks?
Events include 2 audio tracks by default. Contact your account manager to request additional tracks.
Can viewers switch tracks mid-stream?
Yes. Viewers can switch audio tracks instantly during the broadcast, with no reload needed.
What happens to the audio tracks after my event ends?
When your live event ends and is automatically archived as a VOD, the multiple audio tracks carry over. All individual audio tracks remain available on the recording, and viewers can switch between them in the player just as they did during the live broadcast.
Is this the same as live caption translations?
No. They're separate, complementary features. Multiple audio tracks provide separate interpreter audio streams, while live caption translations are AI-generated translated text captions created from the primary audio.