How to Stream on Twitch
Becoming a Twitch Streamer has never been as popular as it is right now. However; a lot of people underestimate the amount of stuff that goes into it.
In this guide I will walk you through the basics of How to Stream on Twitch, step by step. I also included visuals as well as videos, so you can follow along as I am running you through it, and by the end of this guide, you will be able to hit the go live button and start your streaming journey.
This is what I cover in this guide:
Set up your Twitch account
I am showing you exactly how to create a Twitch account, since this is the backbone and very first step that is needed in order to stream on Twitch. As of right now, you cannot stream on Twitch or chat on the platform without an account.
Creating a Twitch account is very easy and only takes about 2 minutes. Head over to Twitch.tv and hit sign up at the top right corner of your screen. From there you will have to choose a username, enter your email address and your desired password. Once the account it created you can change your display name as well as profile picture, social links etc. For a detailed walkthrough on how to create a Twitch account, check out the full article.
Set up Streamlabs OBS or OBS Studio
In order to broadcast anything from your PC you need broadcasting software. In this article I am showing you the most popular and best broadcasting software and I am running you through connecting the software with your Twitch account.
The two most commonly used software are OBS Studio and Streamlabs OBS. Which one is better suited for you, is explained in detail in the article.
OBS Studio is the older version and is very minimalistic, no pretty colors and no walkthroughs. OBS Studio is open source and entirely customizable. It also requires less work from your CPU during your broadcast.
Streamlabs OBS is the new version of OBS and walks you through the setup process. Streamlabs OBS comes with a lot of Apps, and addons. While it looks prettier and requires less third party software to fill features OBS Studio is missing, it comes at a cost. Streamlabs OBS, or often referred to as SLOBS, requires a lot more work and resources from your CPU compared to OBS Studio.
Set up stream Alerts & Overlays
Now that you created your Twitch account and downloaded the broadcasting software, it is time to make your stream visually more appealing. Overlays and alerts are crucial to your stream and I will explain to you why in this article.
If you are using Streamlabs OBS, you can customize all alerts in your alert box settings. Here you can upload custom alerts and sounds. SLOBS also offers a shop for overlays and alerts, which can be fully installed and functional with a single click. Locate the theme store on the left, find an overlay you like, click install and SLOBS will set it up entirely for you.
OBS Studio does not offer an overlay store or alert box. My recommendation is to log in StreamElements, select one of their many free overlays, customize it and import it into OBS as a single browser source. This will save your CPU a lot of resources. For a detailed explanation click the full guide above.
Set up your Microphone
Without a microphone viewers would not be able to hear you during your live stream. In this article I am running you through on how to add your microphone to your software and even make it sound better.
In OBS Studio, locate your scene sources and add an audio input device. Here select your desired microphone, never select your onboard webcam microphone, and leave the settings on default.
If you are using Streamlabs OBS you can skip the previous step. SLOBS added the microphone for you. In your Mixer, bottom right, click the settings wheel for Mic/Aux and change the default setting to your desired microphone.
To make your microphone sound even better and of higher quality, read the full article above.
Set up your Webcam
Going hand in hand with your microphone is your webcam. Seeing your face on stream helps viewers to establish a connection with you, and makes the stream a lot more entertaining. In this article I am walking you through connecting your webcam and perfecting the settings.
In both Streamlabs OBS and OBS Studio locate your scene’s sources and add a video capture device. Here select the camera that you would like to use, if you have multiple to choose from. I highly recommend changing the FPS settings to the highest possible to get a smoother video quality. You can change the color spectrum as well, however the default always works best.
To add filters to your camera, right click the video capture device source and scroll down to filters. For a detailed list of filters you should apply, check out the full article.
Final Set up and Go Live
By now you are about ready to go live for the very first time. However; there are a few things you need to double check before you hit broadcast, to make sure your stream runs as smoothly as possible, and I will walk you through that as well.
First make sure your camera is turned on and you have a clear video feed. If needed adjust your room lighting to light yourself properly. Run a quick sound test to ensure your voice is getting picked up, and does not sound to quiet or too loud.
Lastly double check that each game capture or display capture is capturing exactly what you want, no unwanted information is giving out through the stream, have your content ready to go, and hit live.
If you have any questions while running through the guide, please to do not hesitate to reach out to me either directly through Streaming Live Academy, or any of my socials you find below.
Happy streaming!
