How to Post Your First Video on igsh.tv (Step by Step, 2026)

If you already post on Hive (or you’re coming from YouTube and just made a Hive account), getting your first video onto igsh.tv takes a few minutes. This is the honest, screen-by-screen version — including the one step nobody warns you about (a free Pinata key), so you don’t get stuck halfway.

What you need first

• A Hive account — the same one you already use on Hive/3Speak works. Nothing new to create. If you don’t have one yet, start with our Hive wallet setup guide.
• Hive Keychain — the browser extension that signs your uploads so you never paste a private key into a website. Two minutes to install: see how to set up Hive Keychain.
• A free Pinata key — one small thing to set up the first time. We’ll get it in Step 2; it’s free and takes about a minute.

Step 1 — Open the uploader and log in

Go to igsh.tv/#/u (or open igsh.tv and click Upload in the top nav).

Click Login, enter your Hive username, and approve the Keychain popup. Keychain signs a one-time challenge with your posting key — the key never leaves the extension, and the site only gets a yes/no. You’re now logged in with the account you already own.

Step 2 — Get your free Pinata key (the one-time step)

igsh.tv stores your video on IPFS, a decentralized storage network, so no single company controls or can delete it. To pin your file to IPFS, you supply a Pinata JWT — a free key from pinata.cloud. You do this once and reuse it for every upload.

1. Go to pinata.cloud and sign up (free tier is plenty to start).
2. In the dashboard, open API Keys → New Key.
3. Give it Admin (or at least pinning) permissions, create it, and copy the JWT — the long token it shows you. Save it somewhere; Pinata only shows the full JWT once.

That’s the whole “new setup.” It exists because your video lives on storage you control, not on a company’s server — the trade-off for nobody being able to demonetize or remove it.

Step 3 — Fill in your video

Back on the igsh.tv uploader:

• Pinata JWT — paste the token from Step 2.
• Title — what viewers see.
• Description — optional, but helps discovery.
• Video file — choose your file (any common video format).
• HLS (optional) — leave it off for your first upload. When on, igsh.tv transcodes the video in your browser into a streaming format for smoother playback on slow connections; it takes longer. Plain upload is fine to start.

Step 4 — Publish

Click Publish. igsh.tv pins the file to IPFS, then asks Keychain to sign the post with your posting key — approve the popup. When it finishes, you’ll get a confirmation link to view your video on igsh.tv. That’s it — you’re published.

What just happened

• Your video is now a Hive post tied to your account and stored on IPFS — it’s yours, and any Hive app can display it.
• On igsh.tv you keep 97% of on-chain post rewards (a 3% platform beneficiary), plus direct tips from viewers that land straight in your wallet. Here’s exactly how creators get paid on Hive video.
• No approval gate, no demonetization, no waiting to “qualify” — you can earn from your first post.

Tips for a strong first post

• Cross-post, don’t switch. Keep your existing audience where it is and mirror videos here to start building on-chain rewards and an audience you own. See how to cross-post from YouTube to Hive.
• Use a clear title and a real description — it’s how people (and search) find the video.
• Reply with your handle if a creator or the igsh.tv team invited you — early creators often get a signal boost.

FAQ

Do I really need a Pinata key? The pitch said “nothing new to set up.” You keep your same Hive account — that part is true, there’s no new social login. The one genuinely new thing is a free Pinata key, because your video is pinned to IPFS storage you control rather than a company’s server. It’s a one-minute, one-time signup and then you reuse the same key forever.

Is Pinata free? Yes — the free tier is more than enough to start. You only need one key.

Which key does publishing use? Your posting key, via Keychain. It can post and vote but can’t move funds, so it’s the low-risk key for daily use. Keep your owner/master key offline — see is Hive safe.

Where do my earnings go? Straight to your Hive wallet — post rewards and tips both settle on-chain to your account. igsh.tv never holds your money.

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Ready? Open the igsh.tv uploader and post your first one.