How to Host on Twitch? A Guide for Every Aspiring Streamer

Stream hosting on Twitch is a great way to support other content creators and help grow your Twitch community or the community of the person you are hosting. If you’re not familiar with hosting and want to learn how to host someone on Twitch, keep reading!

Key Points

  • What Is Twitch Hosting
  • How to Use Host Mode
    • Hosting from Desktop
    • Hosting on Mobile
  • How to Use Auto Hosting on Twitch
  • How to Unhost Twitch Streams
  • How Hosting Can Help You Grow on Twitch
  • Conclusion

What Is Twitch Hosting


In order to understand how to host on Twitch, it’s important to know what Twitch hosting is. When you host someone on Twitch, you essentially put their channel on your own channel’s page and allow your viewers to watch their content. This can be a great way to promote other streamers, especially if you have a larger following. Hosting is a separate function from raiding—learn how to raid on Twitch—though they serve a similar purpose.

How to Use Host Mode on Twitch


Now that you know what Twitch hosting is, it’s time to learn how to use host mode. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

Hosting from Desktop

There are a couple of ways you can host other channels on your channel, and the most important ones are from any browser you are logged in on Twitch. Here are your options for how to host someone on Twitch from your PC:

Option One

  1. Go to your channel or dashboard (https://dashboard.twitch.tv/u/*username*/stream-manager);
  2. Open your chat
  3. Then use the Twitch host command “/host [channel].” 
How to Host on Twitch: Option 1 via Twitch Host Command

Option Two

  1. Go to your dashboard
  2. Find your Quick actions
  3. Find and press the “Host” button
How to Host on Twitch: Option 2 via Quick Actions (a)
  1. Type in the channel you want to host
How to Host on Twitch: Option 2 via Quick Actions (b)
  1. Click the channel from the list and click host
How to Host on Twitch: Option 2 via Quick Actions (c)

Hosting from Mobile

On the other hand, hosting on the mobile app is quite straightforward, and it’s the same on both Android and iOS. So, here are the steps for setting up Twitch hosting mode on mobile apps.

  1. Go to the channel you want to host
  2. Find the share button (the three dots connected by two lines)
  3. Press the host (camera) button
How to Host on Twitch: Mobile Apps

How to Use Auto Hosting on Twitch


If you’re a Twitch streamer, you’ve probably heard of auto hosting. Basically, auto hosting allows you to host another channel without you having to host them manually. So, here’s how to use  Twitch autohost:

  • Go to your dashboard and click on the Settings icon (cog icon).
How to Use Auto Hosting on Twitch (a)
  • Click on “Channel” and select “Featured Content.”
How to Use Auto Hosting on Twitch (b)
  • Scroll down to the “My Streamer Shelf” section, and next to the “Auto host List,” click the “Edit” button.
How to Use Auto Hosting on Twitch (c)
  • Select the channel or channels you want to host from the drop-down menu. Here, you can also arrange them in priority order (the higher on the list, the higher priority for the autohost). 
How to Use Auto Hosting on Twitch (d)

That’s it! Now, whenever you’re not live, your channel will automatically host the channels you selected.

How to Unhost Twitch Streams


There may come a time when you need to unhost a Twitch stream. This could be for any number of reasons—the streamer is inappropriate or you simply want to host someone else. Whatever the reason, here’s how to unhost a Twitch stream:

First, go to your channel or dashboard, and use another of the Twitch hosting commands – “/unhost,” or press the unhost button (on the dashboard and mobile) and that’s it! You’ve unhosted a Twitch stream successfully.

How to Unhost Twitch Streams (a)
How to Unhost Twitch Streams (b)
How to Unhost Twitch Streams (c)

Unhosting a stream is easy and only takes just a few seconds to do. So if you ever need to do it, don’t hesitate!

How Hosting Can Help You Grow Your Twitch Channel


One way to give your channel a boost is by hosting other streamers. Hosting someone can introduce their audience to your content and maybe get them to follow you or share Bits. Of course, you don’t just want to host anyone; you want to host people who are a good fit for your channel. Make sure they have a similar audience to you and that their content complements yours.

For example, if you primarily stream first-person shooters, it wouldn’t make sense to host a streamer who only plays RPGs. But if you both play shooters and they also do some IRL or creative content on the side, that could be a good fit. 

You also want to make sure that the person you’re hosting is actually active on Twitch and growing their own channel. There’s no point in hosting someone who barely streams or who never interacts with their audience. So take some time to find the right people to host, and you’ll see your channel growing in no time.

Finally, it’s important to stream at the right time—check out when the audience is most likely to tune in.

Conclusion


As you can see, the answer to “how to host on Twitch” is a very simple one. Hosting someone on Twitch is a great way to support other content creators and build the Twitch community. If you’re looking to get involved in the Twitch community, hosting is a great way to do so. Also, if you’re looking to grow your own channel, hosting can be a great way to do that too. Just make sure you choose someone who is a good fit for your channel and who is actively growing their own following.