How to Go Live on TikTok: Requirements and Setup

To go live on TikTok, open the app, tap the + (Add post) button, swipe to LIVE, add a title and tap Go LIVE. That's how to go live on TikTok once your account qualifies: TikTok requires you to be at least 18 and, in most places, to have 1,000 followers before the LIVE option appears.

The steps take under a minute. The requirements and setup are where people get stuck, so this guide covers who can go LIVE, how to do it from a phone or a computer, what to do when the LIVE button is missing, and the settings worth turning on before your first stream. Rules are from TikTok's own help pages as of 2026; they change often and differ by country, so check the app if anything below doesn't match what you see.

What are the requirements to go live on TikTok?

TikTok's Help Center lists three conditions: you must be at least 18, have 1,000 followers (which may vary across regions), and follow the Community Guidelines and Terms of Service. TikTok also notes that LIVE and Gifts aren't available everywhere.

Two things catch beginners. First, the follower number is a minimum to unlock the feature, not a sign that anyone will watch. Second, these are the rules for a regular creator account. If you sell products, a TikTok Shop's linked accounts follow seller rules instead; how that works is covered in our guide to selling on TikTok Shop LIVE, and the bigger picture is in our step-by-step TikTok Shop guide.

How do you go live on TikTok from your phone?

Tap the + button, swipe to LIVE, set a title and your settings, then tap Go LIVE. TikTok's Help Center describes these steps for the app:

1. Open TikTok and tap the + (Add post) button at the bottom of the screen.
2. Swipe to LIVE in the options at the bottom. You may need to scroll across to find it.
3. Add a title, and set a cover, effects and LIVE settings if you want them.
4. Tap Go LIVE. Your stream starts.
5. To finish, tap End LIVE at the top, then End now.

You can change tools and settings mid-stream by tapping More (the three dots) at the bottom, then Settings.

Before you tap Go LIVE

TikTok's own step-by-step guide suggests checking your internet connection, audio, lighting, camera angle and content plan first. In practice that means:

• Prop the phone up. A stand or a stack of books beats holding it for 30 minutes.
• Face a light source. A window in daytime works; a cheap ring light works at night.
• Kill background noise. Close windows, turn off fans, mute other apps.
• Plan three talking points. Dead air is the fastest way to lose the few viewers who arrive early.

How do you go live on TikTok from a computer?

You have three desktop routes: TikTok LIVE Studio, OBS with a stream key from TikTok, or TikTok on the web. TikTok says the availability of desktop options may vary by account and region.

TikTok LIVE Studio

LIVE Studio is TikTok's own streaming app for Windows and macOS. Download it from TikTok's official LIVE Studio page, log in with your TikTok account, add your camera, microphone and screen sources, set a title, check the preview and start. TikTok's LIVE Studio FAQ lists the minimum Windows setup as an Intel Core i3 9th Gen or AMD Ryzen 5 3000 Series processor, an NVIDIA GTX 10 Series or AMD Radeon graphics card, and 8 GB of memory.

OBS

If you already use OBS, create a scene, add your video and audio sources, then paste the Server URL and Stream Key provided by TikTok into OBS's streaming settings and click Start Streaming. Treat the stream key like a password: anyone who has it can broadcast to your account.

TikTok on the web

Some accounts see a Go LIVE option on tiktok.com in a desktop browser. You add a title and cover, follow the on-screen setup, then select Go LIVE.

What is LIVE access, and how do you get it?

Desktop streaming needs LIVE access, a permission separate from the phone's LIVE button. In LIVE Studio, open Your LIVE access in the top-right corner to see your status. If you meet the criteria (account history, recent LIVE activity, followers and good standing), you click Get access. If you don't, the unmet requirements show in gray and you can reapply later. Creators new to TikTok LIVE or moving from another platform can submit an application form there, which TikTok reviews.

One rule to know: according to the LIVE Studio FAQ, if you're on a trial, you must go LIVE for at least 25 minutes, twice during your first week, or the access is revoked.

Why can't you go live on TikTok?

If the LIVE option is missing or greyed out, the cause is almost always one of the requirements above. Work through this list in order.

1. Under 1,000 followers. It's the most common reason. The threshold may be different where you live, so compare with what your app shows.
2. Under 18, or the age on your account says so. TikTok won't let under-18 accounts host LIVEs.
3. Your region. LIVE and Gifts aren't available in every country.
4. A violation or suspension. Community Guidelines strikes can suspend LIVE. TikTok's LIVE Studio FAQ says violation records appear in LIVE Center, and that you can appeal a LIVE ban only once, usually with a result within 24 hours.
5. Desktop only: no LIVE access, or a trial that expired because you didn't stream enough.
6. An outdated app. Update TikTok and restart it before assuming anything is wrong with your account.

If none of these fit, use Report a problem in Settings and privacy to contact TikTok.

Can you go live with fewer than 1,000 followers?

Not as a regular creator in most regions. Be wary of anything sold as a shortcut: paid "LIVE unlock" services, people asking for your login, or bought followers. Handing your login to a stranger puts the whole account at risk, and fake followers won't watch your stream anyway. The legitimate exceptions are a TikTok Shop's own linked accounts and the LIVE access application inside LIVE Studio.

Which settings should you turn on before your first LIVE?

Set moderators, comment filters and audience controls before you start. They take two minutes and save you from scrambling while strangers type in your chat.

TikTok's Help Center lists these controls under LIVE settings:

• Moderators. Add people you trust to filter comments, mute viewers and manage blocked lists while you talk.
• Comment settings. Filter comments and block keywords, including their variations.
• Audience controls. Limit the LIVE to viewers who are at least 18.
• Mute and block. Tap a viewer's comment to mute them for a set time or block them from your LIVE. In LIVE Studio, mute options run from 5 seconds to the whole session.

A simple first-stream plan

Example (hypothetical): a 20-minute first LIVE might be 2 minutes of introduction, three 5-minute segments on topics you already post about, and 3 minutes answering comments before you sign off. Write the segments on a card. It's normal for a first LIVE to have only a handful of viewers; what matters is learning the controls and getting comfortable on camera.

Can you make money when you go live on TikTok?

Yes, but going LIVE and earning from LIVE have different rules. The main paths are LIVE Gifts, selling products on TikTok Shop LIVE, and, for some creators, working with a LIVE agency.

Be realistic about Gifts. They depend on viewers choosing to spend money on you, and TikTok doesn't publish a fixed Diamond-to-cash rate in its Help Center. Many small streams receive no Gifts at all. Selling tends to suit people with a product to show, and our guide to making money on TikTok Shop explains that route from the start.

Next steps

Check the + menu in your app today. If LIVE is there, run a short practice stream with moderators and keyword filters switched on. If it isn't, focus on posting consistently in one topic until you cross the threshold, and don't pay anyone who promises to unlock it.

• Want LIVE to earn money? Compare the options in how to make money on TikTok.
• Have products to sell? Read how to sell on TikTok Shop LIVE, then follow our step-by-step TikTok Shop guide.

For other realistic ways to earn online, see our guide to making money online.