{"id":4314,"date":"2023-01-30T17:40:01","date_gmt":"2023-01-30T12:10:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/?p=4314"},"modified":"2023-01-30T17:40:06","modified_gmt":"2023-01-30T12:10:06","slug":"how-to-private-stream-on-twitch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Private Stream on Twitch (Top 3 Methods That Work in 2023)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>A while ago, Twitch decided to remove password-protected private streams from its platform. Now your best bet is to use an alt (or 'testing') account or use a different platform altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For a long time, I used to stream privately on Twitch using alt accounts. However, lately, I prefer using alternate platforms like Discord to host a private watch party or simply to test audio and video quality for live streaming my setup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Keep reading if you want to learn how I do it, and why I made the shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_64 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-white ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662d5a70b8c4b\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-662d5a70b8c4b\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#How_to_Stream_Privately_on_Twitch\" title=\"How to Stream Privately on Twitch?\">How to Stream Privately on Twitch?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Use_An_Alt_Account\" title=\"Use An Alt Account\">Use An Alt Account<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Subscriber_Only_Streams\" title=\"Subscriber Only Streams\">Subscriber Only Streams<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Use_Twitch_Inspector_Only_For_Testing\" title=\"Use Twitch Inspector (Only For Testing)\">Use Twitch Inspector (Only For Testing)<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#What_Happened_To_Password-only_Streaming_on_Twitch\" title=\"What Happened To Password-only Streaming on Twitch?\">What Happened To Password-only Streaming on Twitch?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Alternatives_How_to_Stream_Privately_on_Other_Platforms\" title=\"Alternatives: How to Stream Privately on Other Platforms\">Alternatives: How to Stream Privately on Other Platforms<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Streaming_Privately_On_YouTube_Live\" title=\"Streaming Privately On YouTube Live\">Streaming Privately On YouTube Live<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Streaming_Privately_On_Discord\" title=\"Streaming Privately On Discord\">Streaming Privately On Discord<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Streaming_Privately_On_Facebook_Gaming\" title=\"Streaming Privately On Facebook Gaming\">Streaming Privately On Facebook Gaming<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Streaming_Privately_On_Steam\" title=\"Streaming Privately On Steam\">Streaming Privately On Steam<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/how-to-private-stream-on-twitch\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Stream_Privately_on_Twitch\"><\/span>How to Stream Privately on Twitch?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_An_Alt_Account\"><\/span>Use An Alt Account<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you're determined to use Twitch as your private streaming platform, the best option is to make a new Twitch account. Let's call this a \"test account\" or \"alt account.\"<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, there are a few things to keep in mind.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Gamer-Playing-Online-Game-Using-PC.jpg\" alt=\"Gamer Playing Online Game Using PC\" class=\"wp-image-4319\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Gamer-Playing-Online-Game-Using-PC.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Gamer-Playing-Online-Game-Using-PC-300x210.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>First, make sure to use random letters and numbers for your username. Also, don't link it to any of your social media accounts or anything else that may reveal your identity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em><u>Tip<\/u>: It's possible to create multiple Twitch accounts using the same phone number and email address. You just need to enable these in your security settings.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you've created the new account, start a public stream but this time, DON'T set any game, title, tags, or category. You can then share the direct link to this live stream with your friends or family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you stream privately using the above method on a brand new account, it's unlikely that anyone will find your live stream on Twitch. Also, it won't be easily picked up by the algorithm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Subscriber_Only_Streams\"><\/span>Subscriber Only Streams<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While not exactly a \"private\" stream, a subscriber-only stream can be a good option if you want to restrict access to your loyal fans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But there's a catch here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To host subscriber-only streams, you must have a <strong>Twitch Partner or Affiliate <\/strong>status. Both these have certain criteria which can be found <a href=\"https:\/\/help.twitch.tv\/s\/article\/joining-the-affiliate-program?language=en_US\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\">here<\/a>. In addition, you shouldn't be violating any community guidelines and terms of service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The steps to host a subscriber stream on Twitch are mentioned below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Open <a href=\"https:\/\/www.twitch.tv\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><strong>twitch.tv<\/strong><\/a> on any browser and login to Twitch.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click on your profile icon on the top right corner, and select <strong>Creator Dashboard.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Navigate to <strong>Stream Manager<\/strong> in the left hand panel. On the right hand panel, click on <strong>Edit Stream Info.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Find the <strong>Audience<\/strong> option and change it to <strong>Subcribers Only<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>This will create a private stream on Twitch restricted to just your subscribers. (Your friends can use a free Twitch Prime subscription if they have an Amazon Prime account.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Yes, this isn't exactly a private Twitch stream, but it's still a viable option to ensure that random folks don't watch your stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_Twitch_Inspector_Only_For_Testing\"><\/span>Use Twitch Inspector (Only For Testing)<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to host a private stream on Twitch just for testing purposes (like checking audio, video, or connection), Twitch Inspector is the best option for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It's free and easy to use, although you can't share any link or invite your friends to watch this private stream. It also won't send any 'Go live' notifications to any of your followers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here's how to do it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol>\n<li>Go to <a href=\"https:\/\/inspector.twitch.tv\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener nofollow\"><strong>inspector.twitch.tv<\/strong><\/a> from any web browser and login using your Twitch credentials.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Now click on <strong>Run A Stream Test<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>A popup window will appear showing the instructions on how to set up a private stream.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>To continue, you need to copy your Twitch Stream Key. It can be found listed as \"Primary Stream Key\" under <strong>Twitch Creator Dashboard &gt; Settings &gt; Stream.<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Open your broadcasting tool (for example, Streamlabs or OBS), and in the field where you enter your Stream key, paste this key.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Add <strong>?bandwidthtest=true <\/strong>at the end of the key. This addition is what makes it a private stream that'll show up in your inspector page.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>Twitch inspector will show you details regarding bitrate, live server charts, fps, and other technical information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you finish testing, make sure to remove the \"?bandwidthtest=true\" flag from the streaming key so that the subsequent streams go live on your Twitch account like normal.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Young-Man-Playing-a-PC-Game-with-Headsets-On.jpg\" alt=\"Young Man Playing a PC Game with Headsets On\" class=\"wp-image-4420\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Young-Man-Playing-a-PC-Game-with-Headsets-On.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Young-Man-Playing-a-PC-Game-with-Headsets-On-300x210.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happened_To_Password-only_Streaming_on_Twitch\"><\/span>What Happened To Password-only Streaming on Twitch?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Twitch used to have a password-protected private stream feature long ago, but they got rid of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>They didn't disclose the actual reason for this, but it's thought that some people used it to stream pirated or adult content, which was absolutely against the ToS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, it also messed with their revenue model since private streams meant fewer viewers and wasted resources.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For now, this feature is not available and it's unlikely that these private streams will return to Twitch anytime soon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Alternatives_How_to_Stream_Privately_on_Other_Platforms\"><\/span>Alternatives: How to Stream Privately on Other Platforms<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Since the options to stream privately on Twitch are fairly limited, I suggest you take a look at some other platforms you can use. Four of the most popular alternatives are listed below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Streaming_Privately_On_YouTube_Live\"><\/span>Streaming Privately On YouTube Live<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>YouTube Live is one of the best ways to privately stream to a select few people. Just log in to your Google or YouTube account and create a live stream with an \"unlisted\" audience setting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you're live, you can share the streaming link with your loved ones. Remember that only people with this URL can access your YouTube Live stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Streaming_Privately_On_Discord\"><\/span>Streaming Privately On Discord<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>On Discord, simply create a new Discord server and invite your friends to this server using the <strong>+ <\/strong>icon in the left panel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once all your friends have joined the Discord server, ask everyone to join a voice channel (speaker icon). Now you can share your screen (or use streaming software) and only server members will have access to this stream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Streaming_Privately_On_Facebook_Gaming\"><\/span>Streaming Privately On Facebook Gaming<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Like Twitch, Facebook Gaming also doesn't have a private streaming option. However, there's a workaround for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>All you need to do is create a private page on Facebook and invite the people you want to share the stream. You can simply hit the go live button to start streaming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The best part is that Facebook provides specific settings to choose who is allowed to see posts, streams, and the links you publish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Streaming_Privately_On_Steam\"><\/span>Streaming Privately On Steam<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In your Steam application, go to <strong>Settings &gt; Broadcasting<\/strong> and find the <strong>Privacy Settings <\/strong>drop-down menu. Set this to <strong>Friends can request to watch my games<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This way, only the people in your \"Friended\" list will be able to watch the stream. You can also allow or deny specific viewers watching the stream.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" src=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Girl-with-Headphones-Playing-an-Online-Game.jpg\" alt=\"Girl with Headphones Playing an Online Game\" class=\"wp-image-4320\" srcset=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Girl-with-Headphones-Playing-an-Online-Game.jpg 500w, https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/01\/Girl-with-Headphones-Playing-an-Online-Game-300x210.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/resources\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Read more resources<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>That was it for this guide. I hope you learned all the possible methods to stream privately on Twitch. If you really want to host a fully-fledged private stream with your friends, the best thing to do is use a different platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whatever you do, make sure that all the content you stream follows the community guidelines and terms of service of the platform. This will ensure that you don't get flagged or banned from the platforms.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A while ago, Twitch decided to remove password-protected private streams from its platform. Now your best bet is to use an alt (or 'testing') account or use a different platform altogether. For a long time, I used to stream privately on Twitch using alt accounts. However, lately, I prefer using alternate platforms like Discord to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":4324,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[24],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4314"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/8"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4314"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4314\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4421,"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4314\/revisions\/4421"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4324"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4314"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4314"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cpuforever.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4314"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}