How to Go Live on TikTok: Requirements and Steps

How to go LIVE on TikTok (step by step)

Once you meet the requirements, starting a LIVE from the app works like this:

1. In the TikTok app, tap the Add post (+) button at the bottom.
2. Tap LIVE at the bottom. You may need to scroll across the camera modes to find it.
3. Add a title, use the LIVE tools, or adjust your LIVE settings.
4. Tap Go LIVE to start.

During the stream you can still change tools and settings, including safety settings, by tapping More (...) at the bottom, then Settings. When you are done, tap End LIVE at the top, then End now.

Before you tap Go LIVE

A few minutes of prep make the first LIVE far less awkward:

• Write a clear title. "Q&A: editing my first short film" tells people what they are walking into. "Live!!" does not.
• Check your safety settings. Set up comment filters and add a moderator you trust before you start, not halfway through.
• Charge the phone and stabilize it. A tripod at eye level and a steady connection matter more than an expensive camera.
• Have a plan for the first two minutes. Viewers drop in gradually. Greet people, say what the LIVE is about, and repeat it every few minutes for newcomers.

If you also stream on Instagram, the logic is similar. Our guide on how to go live on Instagram covers the differences.

Can you go LIVE on TikTok from a computer?

Yes, through TikTok LIVE Studio, TikTok's desktop app for streaming. Its download page lists Windows 10 or newer (64-bit) and shows separate minimum hardware for general and gaming LIVEs. The page also includes a "No LIVE access yet?" prompt, which means LIVE Studio does not replace the requirements above: you still need LIVE access on your account.

LIVE Studio makes sense for gaming, tutorials with screen sharing, or a multi-camera setup. For a quick chat with followers, the phone is simpler.

Schedule your LIVE with LIVE Events

A LIVE that nobody knows about starts to an empty room. TikTok's LIVE Events let you announce a stream in advance so viewers can register and get notified. TikTok's Help Center describes the steps:

1. In the TikTok app, tap Add post (+) at the bottom.
2. Tap LIVE at the bottom.
3. Tap LIVE Center, then LIVE Events.
4. Tap Create an event and follow the steps.

The time you pick is shown in each viewer's local time, which helps if your audience is spread across countries. You can also create an event from TikTok Studio by tapping LIVE, then LIVE Events.

Viewers register from your profile by tapping the LIVE Event and then Register, and they can add it to their device calendar. You can also share the event from the Share button on the event screen, which gives you something concrete to post on your other channels.

Where to find your LIVE replay

TikTok saves recordings of your past LIVEs. According to the Help Center, replays are available for you to view and download for 30 days. To find them:

1. Tap Profile at the bottom.
2. Tap the Menu (☰) at the top and select TikTok Studio.
3. Tap LIVE at the top, then LIVE recordings.

From there you can download, clip or delete each replay. Clipping is the useful part: cut the best minute, post it as a regular video, and mention when you go LIVE next. Since replays expire after 30 days, download anything you want to keep.

Why can't I go LIVE on TikTok?

If the LIVE option is missing, go through this list:

1. Age. You need to be 18 or older to host.
2. Followers. Check whether you have reached the threshold that applies where you live (1,000 in TikTok's general rule, which may vary by region).
3. Location. LIVE is not available in every country.
4. App version. Update TikTok and restart the app. New features often depend on the latest version.
5. Account standing. Recent Community Guidelines issues may limit what you can do.

If none of that explains it, TikTok's Help Center suggests submitting feedback: in the app, tap Need more help? at the bottom of the relevant help article and follow the steps to submit a ticket. On the web, answer No to "Was this helpful?", then click Need more help?.

Promote your LIVE beyond TikTok

TikTok's Help Center says viewers can find LIVEs in the For You and Following feeds, the inbox, search results and creator profiles. You can bring in more people from everywhere else you exist:

• Put the LIVE at the top of your link in bio. A link titled "LIVE tonight 8pm" or "Watch me LIVE on TikTok" pointing to your TikTok profile, or to your shared LIVE Event, turns your bio into an announcement board. On a VISU page you can edit that link title in seconds and switch it off with its on/off toggle when the stream ends, without deleting it.
• Announce it in other places. A story, a post on your other networks, a message in your community chat. Same time, same title everywhere.
• Use a QR code in person. If you stream from an event, a shop or a market stall, a printed QR that opens your profile page lets people find the LIVE from their phones. Every VISU account comes with a QR code linked to your page. Our guide to QR codes for live events and meetups has placement ideas.

If your TikTok bio doesn't have a clickable link yet, see how to add a link to your TikTok bio for the current eligibility rules.

After the LIVE: turn one stream into a week of content

• Clip the replay while it is still available and post the best moments.
• Answer the questions you missed in short follow-up videos.
• Update your link in bio. Swap "LIVE tonight" for the clip or your next event.
• Note what worked: when people joined, which topic kept them, how long they stayed. After two or three streams you will know your best day and format.

Quick recap

• Requirements: 18+ and 1,000 followers (may vary by region). Gifts also require 18+ (19 in South Korea).
• Go LIVE: Add post (+), LIVE, add a title, Go LIVE.
• Schedule: LIVE Center, then LIVE Events, so viewers can register.
• Replays: TikTok Studio, LIVE, LIVE recordings, available for 30 days.
• Can't go LIVE: check age, followers, region, app version and account standing, then submit a ticket.

Your LIVE is the moment people meet you in real time. Give them one place to find everything else afterwards. Create your free VISU page and put your next LIVE right at the top.