Can You Stream Live Simultaneously On Twitch And TikTok?

The online platform Twitch has a well-deserved reputation as the home of live gaming streams (and other events). Twitch has been hosting streams since 2011 and has more than 240 million active users, predominantly males under the age of 35. It’s been a major online destination for Gen Z’ers and millennials, and now, Gen A users as well.

TikTok began offering live streaming services in 2020 under the banner “TikTok Live,” and they quickly became enormously popular. More than two million TikTok users are watching Live sessions at any one time, with almost five billion hours spent on the platform every quarter. Gaming wasn’t a Live standard at first, but about half of all mobile gamers now use the platform.

Clearly, there are large audiences available for live streamers on both Twitch and TikTok. It’s only natural, then, to wonder if it’s possible to broadcast a stream on both at the same time.

The answer is “yes,” although it’s become more difficult recently. Those who can figure it out can dramatically expand reach and popularity for both their Twitch and TikTok accounts.

Those who only want to stream live on TikTok can do it by connecting directly from their phone or a computer to TikTok and using the app’s native TikTok Studio. If the stream is also going to be broadcast on Twitch, though, things get more complicated.

How To Stream on TikTok and Twitch

We’ll assume that you’re already qualified to stream on TikTok Live, which requires being 16 or older (there are some restrictions on those aged 16-18) and having at least 1,000 TikTok followers. You’ll also need a Twitch account, of course.

Unfortunately for some readers just getting into streaming, however, you’ll need more than that. Streaming from your phone or computer on both platforms simultaneously is possible, but it’s cumbersome to do and often degrades video quality and connections on both TikTok and Twitch.

For high quality and a professional session, you’ll need streaming software (or an online streaming platform) that can send the broadcast to both TikTok and Twitch. Some of that software is designed to automatically connect with Twitch, but TikTok doesn’t allow it.

That necessitates obtaining a TikTok Live stream key, since third-party software needs permission to work through the TikTok Studio built into the social media platform. Once you have that stream key, you can input it into the software and broadcast your stream to both Twitch and TikTok at the same time.

Third-Party Streaming Software and Platforms

There are many options to choose from, but the most popular software among streamers is called OBS Studio. Other possibilities are Restream and Castr (online options that don’t require downloads). If you’re using OBS Studio, you’ll also need a special plugin such as Multistream or SEIVive.

You’ll be able to easily connect to Twitch from OBS Studio by logging into Twitch directly from the OBS settings. Connecting with TikTok, however, is more difficult.

TikTok Stream Keys

As mentioned above, you need a special key to broadcast through a studio or platform (no key is needed if you use TikTok Live Studio).

Until recently, TikTok gave a free stream key to most users who regularly conducted live streams on the app. There was no way to apply for one, but they almost always appeared in the users’ Inboxes pretty quickly.

That’s all changed. You still can’t ask TikTok for a key, but don’t hold your breath waiting for one to appear even after you’ve hosted lots of TikTok Live sessions. The app hasn’t made public its criteria for offering stream keys, so unless you’re a popular influencer or content creator, you’d do best to find another alternative.

The best option is signing up with a TikTok agency, which helps people and businesses (mostly businesses) grow their TikTok presence. Agencies have regular access to TikTok stream keys, and you need a new one for each live session. Some agencies work with and are paid by the platform, so they don’t charge for their services; others do require fees from clients.

Agencies can be found via Google search, platforms like Upwork and Design Rush, or in the TikTok Creator Marketplace. Be sure they’re a certified TikTok partner before using them.

We wish this article closed with news about how easy it is to stream on both Twitch and TikTok at the same time, but TikTok recently threw everyone a curveball by discontinuing easy access to stream keys — and many big-name streamers are still scrambling to find a new solution. If you find one, let us know!