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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: TikTok Live Studio is TikTok's official desktop app — simplest option, made for TikTok. Mac (or Windows): OBS Studio, free and industry-standard, works with a TikTok stream key.

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 — even viewer-controlled games — right on the stream. They're just a URL added in OBS: Sources → Browser → paste the overlay link, size 1080×1920. LiveFlyer hosts AI-styled TikTok overlays with 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?
No — TikTok Live Studio is Windows-only. Mac streamers 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.