This guide covers the most frequently asked questions about going live on Patreon. If you’re looking for step-by-step instructions on how to set up or manage your Live events, check out our Live Setup and Overview article.
If you’re part of the Ticketed Lives beta and have questions specifically about selling Lives as one-time purchases, see our Ticketed Lives FAQs for more details.
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If you start a Live directly through Patreon, only one host is supported – the person logged in to the Patreon account.
However, Patreon Live integrates with OBS and other streaming platforms. This allows you to go live with multiple hosts using tools like Discord (via screenshare) or streaming software that supports multi-host setups.
For example, StreamYard supports co-hosting and guest management.
- Yes, you’re in control of who you’d like to go live to, whether you want to go live to all members or only certain tiers
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At this time, you can only go live with hosts in separate locations if you use a streaming setup like Zoom, OBS or StreamYard.
Additional resources:
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To stream using OBS:
- On desktop, create a Live and select Use Streaming Software as your method
- Copy the Stream URL and Stream Key from Patreon
- In OBS, go to Preferences > Stream and choose Custom as the service
- Paste the URL and Key into the appropriate fields in OBS
- Click Start Streaming in OBS
- Go back to Patreon and click Go live now
Make sure to end the stream in OBS first. Then end it on Patreon to ensure a smooth close.
Additional resources:
- There’s no limit on how many guests can attend your Live event.
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Yes, there is an integrated chat feature that overlays on the Live (mobile) or shows up next to the Live (web) for all attendees. Members can send messages, react with emojis and chat with each other in real time while watching your stream.
When setting up your Live, the chat display option is enabled by default. You can turn it on or off at any time before going live.
After your Live ends, the chat will stay open for five minutes before closing to new messages.
If you enabled Display Chat Replay when creating your Live, viewers will be able to rewatch the recording with chat messages appearing in sync with the video timeline – just like during the original Live.
Note: Messages that were deleted or flagged during the Live won’t appear in the replay
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When you go live, your selected audience receives an email and a push notification so they don’t miss it.
If the Live is scheduled, members are notified when it’s scheduled and again when it starts. They can join from desktop or mobile and engage in real time.
- Notifications: Members receive both email and push notifications.
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Ways to join:
- From notifications – via email or push alerts
- From a shared link – any member with access can join
- From the launcher – Lives appear in the home feed on app and desktop
- From your creator page – visible to members who visit your page → GIF here
- Waiting Room: If a member joins early, they’ll see a gradient background and your avatar while you prepare.
- Engagement: Members can chat and react with emojis in real time. Creators can also share images to Chat. However, members cannot at this time.
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After the live: After your Live ends, a recording automatically saves as a draft in your Library. Sharing that recording with members keeps your Live content active even after it’s over. The chat remains open for five minutes after the stream ends, giving members time to wrap up conversations or share final thoughts. After that window, the chat closes to new messages and becomes read-only.
If you enabled Chat Replay in your Live settings, viewers will be able to rewatch the recording with chat messages appearing in sync with the video timeline – just like during the original Live.
- Once your Live has been scheduled, you’ll see a countdown page where you can share your event with fans. You can copy your Live link to post or message anywhere – like on social media, in newsletters or on Discord – or use the promo card to make your post stand out. Anyone who clicks your link will see the countdown page until your stream begins.
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After your Live ends, the recording is saved as a draft post. You can choose to publish the draft as a post, or download the Live to edit into clips or episodes.
- If the Live was audio-only, it is saved as an audio post
- If it was a video, it is saved as a video with audio
Currently, you can’t separate video and audio directly within Patreon, but external editing tools can help if needed.
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Yes! After your Live has ended and the recording finishes processing, you’ll find it in your Library under Drafts. Click the three dots (⋯) next to the recording and select Download post to save it to your device. You can then edit or share it wherever you like.
It may take a few minutes for the recording to appear in your drafts – especially after longer streams – so if you don’t see it straight away, check back in a bit.
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After your livestream ends, the chat will stay open for five minutes before closing to new messages. During that short window, members can wrap up conversations or send final thoughts.
If you enabled Display Chat Replay when creating your live, once the Live fully ends, the chat history is saved and becomes visible when you publish your recording. Viewers will then be able to rewatch the recording with chat messages appearing in sync with the video timeline – just like during the original Live.
Note: Messages that were deleted or flagged during the Live won’t appear in the replay
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Post insights now also show key metrics for Live. You can check data such as the total sessions, unique viewers, peak concurrent viewers, average view time and chat activity (messages per minute). Please note that the data for Live events is not included in total reach.
- Navigate to the Insights page and select the Posts tab
- Scroll to the bottom to locate the Live events Insights section
- Click on View insights next to the specific live event you wish to analyse. You can identify events by name and date
- Once selected, you'll be able to access all available metrics for that live event
For more details on this dashboard, please visit our dedicated article on Post Insights
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At this time, we do not offer transcriptions or captions for Live. However, plugins and settings for web browsers and mobile devices allow for captioning on Lives. Here’s how to get set up:
On web
- You can enable live captions in Google’s Chrome browser through the browser settings
- On your computer, open Chrome
- At the top right, select More
> Settings > Accessibility
- Turn Live Caption on or off. Learn more here
- If you want to get Live Captions in a language other than English:
- Next to Manage languages, select Add languages
- This will automatically download language packs
- Next to Preferred caption language, select Down arrow > your preferred language
- Log into Patreon on Chrome and join the Live
On macOS
Enable live captions on Apple computers with an M1 Chip through MacOS Accessibility System Settings. Learn more about how to use captions here.
- On your Mac, choose Apple menu
> System Settings
- Click Accessibility
in the sidebar, then click Live Captions (you may need to scroll down)
- Turn Live Captions on or off. The Live Captions window appears on the screen but is automatically hidden if no audio is detected. If you want the Live Captions window to always be visible on the screen, click
in the menu bar, then choose Keep Onscreen
Note: The first time you turn on Live Captions, language data is downloaded to your Mac. You must be connected to the internet
On iOS
Enable live captions on iPhone 11 or newer through iOS Accessibility System Settings. Learn more about how to use captions here.
- Go to Settings
> Accessibility > Live Captions, then turn on Live Captions
- Tap Appearance to customize the text, size and colour of the captions
- By default, Live Captions are shown across all apps
- To get live captions only for certain apps such as FaceTime or RTT, turn them on below In-App Live Captions
On Android
Enable live captions on Android mobile phones compatible with the Android Live Caption App. Use Patreon however you wish, on web or mobile, outside of the phone device running the captioning app. Learn more about how to use captions here.
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Yes – eligible creators can sell one-time access to a Live through Ticketed Lives (currently in beta).
When setting up a Live on desktop, some creators will see the option to make their Live available as a one-time purchase, instead of (or in addition to) member access. This lets you sell tickets to a Live event without requiring fans to join your membership.
Note: Ticketed Lives is currently in beta and isn’t available to all creators yet. If you’re interested in offering one-time ticketed access to a Live, you can share your interest by filling in this form. We’ll get in touch directly if you’re a good fit for early access.