The PC and software you need for TikTok LIVE

A phone is enough for a chat stream. But if you want to play an interactive game with your viewers on stream, a computer and streaming software come into play. In this guide, we explain what kind of computer you need, the difference between TikTok LIVE Studio and OBS, and which setup suits you.

Why do you need a computer?

Interactive live stream games are programs that process viewer interactions in real time and turn them into visuals on screen. TikQo games are built with Unity and run on a Windows computer through TikQo Launcher. Macs and phones aren't supported at the moment.

The setup has three parts:

1. Game and launcher: Run the game, connect to your stream and pick up gifts, likes, follows and comments.
2. Streaming software: Sends the game screen (and your camera, if you want) to your stream as video.
3. TikTok LIVE: Where your viewers watch you and interact.

In TikQo, the first part also includes the LIVE connection, so you don't need to install a separate connection program to pick up interactions.

Computer requirements

Here are the recommended system specs for TikQo Launcher and the games:

We also recommend keeping your graphics card driver up to date so the games run smoothly.

Factor in your streaming software too

The values above are for the game and launcher. If you're also encoding video and sending it to the stream with streaming software on the same computer, that takes a share of the processor and graphics card too. So 16 GB of RAM and a fairly recent graphics card give you a comfortable experience if you'll keep the game, streaming software and a browser open at the same time. For the streaming software's own requirements, we recommend checking that software's website.

Internet connection

An internet connection is required while the game is open, for license verification and LIVE events. If the connection drops briefly, the game waits a few minutes and then verifies again. If you're sending video from your computer to the stream, your upload speed matters too. Use a wired connection instead of Wi-Fi if you can; it's more stable.

Streaming software: TikTok LIVE Studio or OBS?

One of two programs is usually used to put the game screen on your stream.

TikTok LIVE Studio

TikTok LIVE Studio is TikTok's desktop app for going live from a computer. You can sign in with your account and start the stream directly from the app, adding the game window, your camera and other sources to the scene. Access and features may vary depending on your account and region.

If you're new to streaming from a computer, this is usually the easiest route.

OBS Studio

OBS Studio is a widely used, free and open-source streaming and recording software. It's very flexible when it comes to scene layouts, transitions and audio settings. To stream to TikTok with OBS, you need a stream key and server URL provided by TikTok; this access may not be available on every account.

Adding the game window to your stream

Whichever software you choose, the logic is the same:

1. Start the game from TikQo Launcher with Play.
2. Add a new source in your streaming software and choose the Game capture or Window capture type.
3. Select the game window from the list and resize it as you like in the scene.
4. If you like, add your camera and microphone as separate sources too.

Game capture can sometimes show a black screen; if that happens, trying window capture usually fixes it. Since TikTok LIVE is mostly watched vertically, setting up your scene layout for a vertical screen also helps.

Can I stream from my phone and run the game on my computer?

Even when you go live from your phone, the launcher can connect to your stream via your username and pass interactions to the game. But a phone stream shows the phone's camera; for viewers to see the game, the game screen has to be sent to the stream. That's why game streams are usually done from a computer with TikTok LIVE Studio or OBS.

Here's a quick summary of which setup suits you:

• Easiest: TikQo Launcher + TikTok LIVE Studio on your computer.
• Most flexible: TikQo Launcher + OBS on your computer (if you have stream key access).
• Mac or phone only: TikQo doesn't currently support these setups.

Performance tips

• Close unnecessary programs. Browser tabs and games running in the background use up resources.
• Update your graphics card driver. A large share of display problems come from outdated drivers.
• Leave disk space free. Each game takes up 1–3 GB, and updates need free space too.
• Test before going live. Use the test simulator in TikQo Launcher to send gifts, likes and follows and check how the game reacts, and check that the picture comes through properly in your streaming software.
• Do a short test stream. A quick test before your first big stream helps you catch audio and video problems early.

Warnings you may see during setup

Your browser or Windows may show a warning when you download TikQo Launcher. These warnings appear for newly released apps and don't mean anything is wrong with the file:

• If Chrome says "Suspicious download blocked": click the file in your downloads list (Ctrl+J) → Download suspicious file.
• In Edge: … → Keep.
• If Windows says "Windows protected your PC": More info → Run anyway.

Only download the launcher from tikqo.com. The installer is about 75 MB and setup takes less than a minute.

Next steps

If your computer is ready, the next step is setup. We walk through the whole process in our step-by-step setup guide; for ideas on getting your viewers involved during the stream, check out our viewer engagement guide.

Download TikQo Launcher, browse the games, keep the setup page open and create your account. Not sure your computer is good enough? Send us its specs on WhatsApp (0536 049 5274) and we'll take a look together.

TikQo is an independent service and is not affiliated with TikTok or ByteDance. OBS Studio and TikTok LIVE Studio are products of their respective owners.