When your favourite creator goes Live on Patreon, it’s your chance to connect in real time – with them and with fellow members.
Joining is easy, and this guide will walk you through how to find a Live, join in and know what to expect.
Get notified about Live events
If you have access to a Live event, we’ll let you know when it starts so you don’t miss out. You’ll receive:
- An email notification as soon as the Live begins
- A push notification if you use the Patreon app and have notifications turned on
- For scheduled Lives, you'll get an email/push when the Live is scheduled (this could be days or hours in advance), plus a push notification 5 minutes before it starts
These alerts help you join right on time – whether it’s a surprise Live or something you’ve been counting down to.
Where to find a Live
Before joining, make sure you’re logged in to your Patreon account. You can join from your browser (desktop or mobile) or via the Patreon app on iOS or Android.
You can join a Live from several places:
- Your Home Feed – Live events appear in your feed on both desktop and mobile
- The creator’s page – If a creator is Live, it will be featured on their page
- If the creator selects the option, a banner will appear at the top of Community Chats so you can jump in directly
- Shared links – Creators may post or share direct links you can use to join
- Notifications – Tap the link in your email or push notification to go straight into the Live
Some creators are testing Ticketed Lives during a limited beta. Access to a Live depends on how the creator has set it up – in some cases, you may see Lives that require you to buy a ticket before you can join.
If the Live is scheduled but hasn’t started yet, you’ll see a countdown timer showing when it begins. Before entering the post, you’ll also have the option to add the event to your calendar so you don’t miss it.
Joining a Live
When you join a Live – whether it’s just starting or already in progress – you’ll enter the stream directly from your browser or the Patreon app.
If the Live hasn’t started yet, you’ll land in a waiting room with a gradient background and your creator’s avatar.
First time joining? You’ll be asked to agree to the terms of participation before entering. This step is only required once.
Once the Live has begun, the stream will start automatically – no need to refresh or rejoin.
Interacting during the Live
Once you’re in the Live, you’ll see the video (or audio) stream and a chat where you can connect with your creator and other members.
- On the computer, the chat appears next to the stream
- On mobile, it overlays the video
Ways to participate:
- Say hello, react to what’s happening or ask a question in the chat
- Use emoji reactions to engage without typing
- View images shared by the creator – only creators can post images, but everyone in the chat can see them
Setting up Notifications
Want to make sure you get notifications about your favourite creator’s Lives? Here’s how to get set up:
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- Head to Personal Settings in the left navigation bar
- Select Email notifications, and click on the creator for whom you want to enable email notifications
- Use the toggle for Lives to determine whether you are notified about scheduled and current Lives via email
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- Tap your profile icon in the upper right corner
- Select Settings, then Notification Settings, and scroll down to tap on the creator for whom you want to enable notifications
- Select the boxes for Lives to get notified via email and/or push notifications when the creator schedules or starts a Live
Watching a Live after it has ended
If your creator shares the Live afterwards, you can watch the replay in a post on their page. Not all creators post replays, so it’s a good idea to check their posts or contact them directly.
When a replay is available and the creator has enabled chat display, you’ll be able to see the message interactions alongside the livestream recording. This feature enhances your experience by providing context from the original livestream. If you decide you no longer want to see the chat, you can easily close the panel by clicking the X in the top right corner. To reopen it, simply click the speech bubbles icon in the bottom menu.