Here’s round one of some quick streaming tips. These are all things that helped me when I first started streaming and that I still find myself reminding people about pretty often. Streaming can feel overwhelming in the beginning, especially with how many settings and tools there are, but once you understand the basics, it starts to feel a lot more manageable. The goal here isn’t to turn you into a pro overnight, it’s just to give you a solid foundation so you can spend less time troubleshooting and more time actually enjoying your stream.
1. Check Your Moderation Settings
Start by setting up your moderation tools. Twitch’s built-in AutoMod handles the bulk of moderation automatically, and you can choose how strict you want it to be. Most chatbot tools like StreamElements or Streamlabs have their own moderation options too, so make sure they’re not overlapping or conflicting.
You can find your moderation settings here (replace YOURUSERNAME with your Twitch name):
https://dashboard.twitch.tv/u/YOURUSERNAME/settings/moderation
2. Explore Your Creator Dashboard
Spend some time looking through every section of your Creator Dashboard. You’ll find a lot of useful tools that can improve your stream or save you from losing something important later. One key thing to enable is VOD storage. Twitch doesn’t automatically save your streams unless you turn this on before you go live.
Here’s the page for that:
https://dashboard.twitch.tv/u/YOURUSERNAME/settings/stream
3. Secure Your Account with 2FA
Enable two-factor authentication as soon as possible, and make sure your recovery email and phone number are always up to date. Twitch uses Authy for all 2FA, and their support page can walk you through what to do if you ever lose access.
Text-based 2FA isn’t as secure as using an authenticator app. Try something like Google Authenticator instead, and store your backup codes somewhere safe so you’re not locked out if you lose your phone.
4. Know the Rules
Take time to read Twitch’s Terms of Service and Community Guidelines carefully. It’s not the most exciting task, but knowing the rules ahead of time can save you a lot of stress later. Remember that everything that happens on your stream is ultimately your responsibility.
5. Try Out Extensions
Twitch has a huge library of channel extensions that can make your stream more interactive and fun. Some add mini-games for chat, others show game stats or donation goals. There’s something for nearly every type of streamer, so it’s worth spending a little time browsing.
You can find them here:
https://dashboard.twitch.tv/u/YOURUSERNAME/extensions
6. Avoid Copyright Strikes
Don’t play copyrighted music. Even if something says it’s “stream-safe,” that doesn’t always mean it really is. There are plenty of safer choices like StreamBeats, PretzelRocks, or Backing Track, but always do your research before adding music to your stream. It’s better to be cautious now than to risk losing your VODs later.
7. Use OBS Studio (and Explore Plugins)
If you’re not already using OBS Studio, it’s worth switching. It’s lightweight, reliable, and gives you full control over your stream setup. OBS also has a massive library of free plugins that can completely change the way your stream looks and runs. Spend some time exploring them, because you might find something that inspires a whole new idea for your channel.
Final Thoughts
These tips barely scratch the surface, but they’ll help you get your footing and avoid a lot of the common beginner mistakes. The more you learn about how your tools work, the easier everything becomes, and before you know it, you’ll be focusing on the fun parts like chat interactions and creative overlays instead of tech issues.
If you ever have questions or want to chat more about streaming setups, feel free to email me or stop by my stream and say hi. I’m always happy to help.
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