# Starting and stopping a Link device
<a name="device-start-stop"></a>

You must start or stop a Link only if it is configured as the source for a MediaConnect flow. (You don't need to start or stop the device when it is configured as the source for a MediaLive input. In this case, MediaLive automatically starts and stops the device when you start and stop the related channel.)

You must start a device to instruct it to start streaming video content to send to MediaConnect. After you start a device, it will always try to stream content. It will only stop trying when you explicitly stop it. This means, for example, that if you reboot a device, streaming will automatically resume after the reboot.

You must stop a device before you can perform the following actions:
+ [Update some settings](device-edit.md)
+ [Attach ](device-attach.md)the flow to a different device or detach the flow from the device.

**To start or stop a device**

1. Open the MediaLive console at [https://console.aws.amazon.com/medialive/](https://console.aws.amazon.com/medialive/).

1. In the navigation pane, choose **Input devices**. Find the card for the appropriate Link , and choose the hyperlink.

1. On the **Device details** page for the device, choose **Start** or **Stop**.