How to Go Live on TikTok
In the TikTok app, tap Add post + at the bottom, swipe to LIVE, add a title and adjust your settings, then tap Go LIVE. TikTok says you must be at least 18 and have 1,000 followers to go LIVE (the follower number may vary by region). To stream from a computer, use TikTok’s official LIVE Studio app.
Who can go LIVE on TikTok
According to TikTok’s help center, to go LIVE you must:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Have 1,000 followers (TikTok notes this may vary across regions).
To send or receive Gifts during a LIVE you must also be 18 or older (19 in South Korea). LIVE and Gifts aren’t available in every location. TikTok may ask you to confirm your age the first time you try to go LIVE, for example with a photo ID and selfies, a selfie with your ID, credit card authorization, or facial age estimation, depending on where you are. If TikTok can’t confirm you’re 18 or older, you won’t be able to go LIVE.
How to go LIVE on your phone
- Open the TikTok app and tap Add post + at the bottom of the screen.
- Tap LIVE along the bottom. You may need to swipe across the camera modes to find it.
- Add a title, then set up any LIVE tools, filters, effects and Settings you want (comments, moderators, LIVE Gifts and so on).
- Tap Go LIVE to start.
You can change LIVE tools and settings, including safety settings, while you’re live: tap More ... at the bottom, then Settings.
How to end a LIVE
Tap End LIVE at the top of the screen, then End now.
If you don’t see LIVE
If the LIVE option is missing or shows Get access to go LIVE, tap it to see TikTok’s access requirements. If you meet them, tap Get access. If not, the requirements you haven’t met are shown in gray at the top, and you can reapply once you meet them. To watch your follower count climb toward the goal, try our TikTok follower counter.
How to go LIVE from your PC or Mac with LIVE Studio
TikTok LIVE Studio is TikTok’s official desktop app for streaming. It works much like OBS, with scenes and sources such as your camera, mic and desktop capture, but you log in with your TikTok account, and it adds TikTok features like co-host, multi-guest, LIVE goals and live comments. It runs on both Windows and macOS.
- Download LIVE Studio from TikTok’s official page: tiktok.com/studio/download. Don’t download it from third-party sites.
- Install it, open it and log in with your TikTok account.
- Check your access status in the top-right corner. Click Your LIVE access, then Get access if you qualify.
- Set up your environment: click Set up now for a guided setup (content type, mic and camera, LIVE quality), or Import from another tool to bring over some settings from the streaming software you already use.
- Add your sources, such as Camera capture, Desktop capture, photos, videos, goals or a countdown.
- Click Go LIVE, set your LIVE title, cover photo and topic, and confirm to start.
Getting LIVE access on LIVE Studio
LIVE Studio runs its own access check. TikTok grants instant LIVE Studio access to active LIVE creators whose account is old enough, who have gone LIVE for a certain amount of time recently, who have enough followers, and whose LIVE access hasn’t been suspended recently. TikTok doesn’t publish the exact numbers: they vary by country or region and can change without notice.
If you stream on another platform but aren’t an active TikTok LIVE creator, LIVE Studio sends you to an application form where you share details about your other channel. Reviews can take days, and you get a notice in the TikTok app when you’re approved.
If you’re given a trial, go LIVE for at least 25 minutes, twice, during your first week. TikTok says trial access is revoked if you don’t, and you’ll have to reapply.
What about OBS and stream keys?
TikTok’s help center documents LIVE Studio as the desktop route and doesn’t publish a public guide to getting a stream key for OBS or other third-party software. If you’re used to OBS, the easiest path is LIVE Studio’s Import from another tool option. Never paste a TikTok stream key from, or share yours with, a site that isn’t TikTok: anyone with the key can stream to your account.
Tips before your first TikTok LIVE
- Write a clear title so people scrolling past know what your LIVE is about.
- Add a moderator and set comment filters in Settings before you start.
- Turn on LIVE Gifts in Settings on the LIVE screen if you’re eligible.
- Stay on longer than a few minutes. Viewers trickle in, and a consistent schedule helps people know when to find you.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t I have the LIVE option on TikTok?
Usually because your account doesn’t meet the requirements yet. Open the LIVE section and tap Get access to go LIVE: any requirement you haven’t met is shown in gray at the top. LIVE also isn’t available in every country or region.
Can I go LIVE on TikTok with under 1,000 followers?
TikTok’s help center lists 1,000 followers as the requirement but notes it may vary across regions, so check Get access to go LIVE in the app to see the number that applies to you. See our TikTok LIVE requirements guide for the full list.
Can I go LIVE on TikTok from a computer?
Yes, with TikTok LIVE Studio, which runs on Windows and macOS. You log in with your TikTok account and need LIVE access, which you can request inside the app.
Can I use OBS to stream to TikTok?
TikTok’s official desktop tool is LIVE Studio, and its help center can import settings from other streaming tools. TikTok’s help pages don’t publicly document how to get a stream key for OBS, so be wary of any site that promises one.
Can I receive Gifts during my first LIVE?
Only if you’re 18 or older (19 in South Korea), live where LIVE Gifts is available, and your account is in good standing. Turn it on in Settings on the LIVE screen before you tap Go LIVE.
Sources: TikTok Support: What is TikTok LIVE? · TikTok Support: Age requirements for TikTok LIVE · TikTok Support: LIVE Gifts on TikTok · LIVE Studio Help: Install and start LIVE Studio · LIVE Studio Help: Apply for LIVE access · LIVE Studio Help: FAQ · TikTok: Download LIVE Studio