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How to Stream TikTok LIVE from a PC or Mac (2026)

Streaming TikTok LIVE from a computer gets you a real camera, clean audio, and on-screen graphics your phone can't do. Here's the whole setup, start to finish.

1. Check you're eligible

You need LIVE access on your TikTok account — generally around 1,000 followers and 18+. If you can go live from your phone, you're eligible; desktop access appears in TikTok's LIVE Center on the web.

2. Pick your streaming software

Windows & Mac: TikTok LIVE Studio is TikTok's official desktop app — the simplest option, made for TikTok, and it now runs on Mac too. Power users: OBS Studio, free and industry-standard, works with a TikTok stream key or as a virtual camera inside LIVE Studio.

3. Set up OBS for vertical video

  1. Open OBS → Settings → Video. Set Base (Canvas) and Output resolution both to 1080×1920. TikTok is portrait — this is the step everyone misses.
  2. Skip the auto-configuration wizard; TikTok isn't in its service list because TikTok issues personal stream keys instead.
  3. In Sources, add a Video Capture Device for your camera and drag it to fill the tall canvas.

4. Add a live overlay (this is where streams level up)

Overlays put your gift goal, alerts, chat feed, leaderboards, gift animations of you — even viewer-controlled games — right on the stream. They're just a URL. In TikTok LIVE Studio: Add source → Web → paste the overlay link (no OBS needed). In OBS: Sources → Browser → paste the link, size 1080×1920. LiveFlyer hosts TikTok overlays with gift animations starring you — your own face, made from a selfie — and gift-powered games — free with our badge.

5. Get your stream key and go live

  1. Open TikTok's LIVE Center on the web and find "Go LIVE via streaming software" — it shows a Server URL and Stream Key.
  2. In OBS: Settings → Stream → Service: Custom… → paste both.
  3. Click Start Streaming in OBS, then start the LIVE from LIVE Center.

6. Read your chat

Your stream is just the picture — chat and gifts show in LIVE Center's monitor page (keep it open beside OBS), on your own stream on your phone, or on the overlay itself via a chat-feed widget.

Know the one limitation

Stream-key lives don't support battles or multi-guest boxes — those live inside the phone app. Desktop lives are for solo shows with full production quality: gifts, chat, and likes all work normally.

FAQ

How many followers do I need to stream TikTok LIVE from a computer?
TikTok generally requires around 1,000 followers (sometimes less) and an 18+ account for LIVE access with a stream key. Phone streaming unlocks at the same LIVE eligibility.

Can I use TikTok Live Studio on a Mac?
Yes — TikTok LIVE Studio now runs on Mac as well as Windows. Mac streamers can also go live with OBS using the stream key from TikTok's LIVE Center.

Do TikTok battles work when streaming from OBS?
No. Battles and multi-guest boxes are in-app features and aren't available on stream-key desktop lives. Desktop lives support chat, gifts, and likes.

What resolution should a TikTok LIVE stream be?
1080×1920 (vertical portrait). In OBS set both the canvas and output resolution to 1080×1920 so your stream fills the phone screen.