Livestream on Discord: From Website and App

If you decided to start a Discord stream for your friends or an audience, you chose well. It’s a great alternative to YouTube, Twitch, and Facebook Live, and has its perks. For example, instead of adding a 10-second delay, Discord streams in real-time, allowing your viewers to participate together. That allows you to watch the same TV show, movie, or even play a video game. The limit used to be 10 players, not including the 11th person who streams. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, Discord increased the live stream screen sharing limit to 50 players temporarily. Because people loved it, the change could become permanent! With that said, here’s how to Livestream on Discord.

What is Discord Go Live?

Discord Go Live is a feature available on Discord that allows users to livestream either their games or screen. The Go Live feature will let users livestream games that are approved. The Go Live – Screen Share feature lets you share the mobile/computer screen with others. Using Go Live, you can share any application window or your entire screen with anyone on Discord easily.

Prerequisties to Go Live on Discord

We will assume you already created and configured a Discord server. If you haven’t, here are the essential steps required before going live on Discord.

1. In the Discord app, click on the + (Add a Server) in the first menu from the left.
2. Start from a template – we suggest Gaming or Friends.

Steps to Livestream on Discord

As soon as you have a Discord server setup, you are ready to go live. You can either choose to go live from the official Discord website or use their mobile application.

How to Go Live from Discord Website?

Discord’s official website allows you to livestream easily. For those who want to livestream from their laptops or computers, using Discord website is the best option. These are the steps to livestream from Discord website.

1. Join a voice channel in your Discord server. The voice channels will be located on the left sidebar.
2. Press the Go Live streaming icon (a monitor icon with an arrow) in the bottom-left corner of the screen.
3. Choose whether you want to livestream an individual application or the entire screen.
4. Press the “Go Live” button. As soon as you press the Go Live button, the livestream will begin. Make sure that you are ready for it.
5. You can now drag-and-drop the mini-screen anywhere you want.
6. Click on Turn On Camera in the bottom left corner of the mini-screen to add your web camera stream.
7. It’s time to invite your viewers.
8. After they join, they will have to click on Join Stream to see the video and hear audio.
9. Whenever you want to stop, click on Stop Streaming in the bottom right corner of the mini screen.

How to Go Live from Discord App?

If you are using the mobile application of Discord, you can use it to go live on Discord. The steps will be quite similar on both Android and iOS versions of the Discord app. This is how you can go Live on Discord app.

1. Join a voice channel in the server you wish to go live from.
2. Click on the Go Live button (mobile icon with an arrow) in the bottom left corner, near your sound settings.
3. Give permission to the application to share your screen when asked.
4. Click on Go Live/Start Now.
5. That’s it, your stream will start right away.

Creating a Discord Server for Your Audience

If you want to engage your audience, you should create a Discord server where you could communicate with them.

1. Launch the Discord app on your computer.
2. Register and make your Discord account or sign in.
3. After logging in, click on the plus icon in the menu from the left side of your screen.
4. You should see a Create a Server pop-up window appear, click on Create My Own.
5. Enter a name for your server and upload an image for your server’s icon then click on the Create button.
6. In a few seconds, you should see your new server in the menu section on the left column.

Add Discord Livestream overlay to games

In most cases, when you game, a Go Live overlay will be automatically added by Discord. But this may not be the case always. If you have a game or application you often stream, and want to add Discord Overlay, there’s a secondary way to do so. These are the steps to add Discord Go Live overlay.

1. Click on User Settings (gearbox icon) in the bottom left corner.
2. In the left sidebar, click on Game Activity.
3. If you are playing a game, it should detect it.
4. If it doesn’t, click on Add it! next to Not seeing your game?
5. Select it from the drop-down list, or type its name.
6. Click on Add Game.
7. You can double-click on the name to rename the stream.
8. Click on the Toggle overlay (computer monitor icon) on the right side to enable Discord Overlay.
   Discord Overlay allows you to add a chat or other Discord elements to the stream.
9. A new option was added above the Video/Stream buttons in the bottom left corner.
10. Click on Stream *Stream Name* to begin streaming.
11. Optional. Change settings such as Name, Channel, Resolution, and Frame Rate.
12. Click on Go Live.

Important Discord live streaming facts

• With a free version of Discord, you can only stream 720p (1280 x 720 pixels) in 15 and 30 frames per second.
• If you want to upgrade to 1080p (1920 x 1080 pixels) in 30 FPS or 60 FPS, you must purchase Discord Nitro Classic, a monthly subscription service.
• If you purchase Discord Nitro, an upgraded version of the subscription service, you can stream in up to 4k (3840 x 2160 pixels) in 60 FPS. Plus, you get 2 server boosts, which means you can grant some privileges to 2 more Discord servers.
• You cannot live stream from your mobile phone Discord app, but you can view a live stream from it.
• Whoever is watching your stream will have a little icon of an eye next to his or her name in the list of members.
• Your friends can livestream on your server. The option is enabled by default. If you are having trouble, right-click on the channel name, select Edit Channel, then Permissions. Make sure Go Live is toggled on. The user that’s currently streaming will have a LIVE icon next to his/her name.
• Discord limits you to viewing one livestream and one voice channel at a time. If you leave the channel, the stream stops and you will have to reconnect.

FAQs