How do I test stream audio on Twitch?

Being a streamer can be hard work, especially when you're starting out or testing out new gear. The last thing you want is for your viewers to see you fumbling around on stream. To help ensure this doesn't happen, you can learn how to do test streams before going live.

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Twitch has made the process of testing your stream pretty easy, as the website has its own dedicated testing tool. This tool can tell you if your satisfying the minimum streaming requirements and help you to ensure that all of your equipment is running smoothly.

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Here's how to test out your stream before going live on Twitch:

• Go to Twitch Inspector and login with your account.
• Once you're in, simply click Run a stream test.
• This will cause a window to pop-up giving you instructions on how to run the test.

• You simply need to get your Twitch key and add ?Bandwidthtest=true at the end.
  • Your Twitch key is found within Settings --> Stream section of the Creator Dashboard on Twitch.

• Copy this new key into the Twitch key section of your preffered streaming progam (OBS/StreamLabs).
• Hit start streaming on the pop-up.

Once this is done, your test stream will be viewable. You can stop this stream at any time and refresh Twitch Inspector to see your stream stats. Be sure that your normal Twitch key is put back in, and you will be able to go live to your viewers without issue.

For more Twitch guides, check out What is the difference between hosting and raiding on Twitch? on Pro Game Guides.

Broadcasting on Twitch is fairly simple, but at the same time, there are regularly technical difficulties that can stymie a content creator. 

Running a test stream and using Twitch’s “Inspector Tool” is a good way to assess your stream quality and make sure that your broadcast will run properly when you go live for the masses. Doing this can allow a streamer to focus more on their content when they broadcast instead of worrying about whether they’re dropping frames or have some sort of connection issue.

To run a test stream and look at your stream quality, the first thing you need to do is go to Twitch’s Inspector Tool at inspector.twitch.tv. 

From there, you’ll be asked to log in and you can “run a stream test.” It’s not as easy as just clicking the purple button in the middle of the screen, though. You’ll have to follow a few instructions and edit the text area of your operating broadcast system (like OBS or Streamlabs).

First, you’ll want to get your stream key from your Twitch dashboard. After that, you’ll need to go into your broadcasting software to edit your stream key and add “?bandwidthtest=true.” 

By adding that last part, your software won’t push your channel live for viewers. Instead, you’ll only be running a test. And by referencing the inspector tool, you’ll be able to check for any potential technical issues with connectivity.

Twitch has a few requirements for video and audio settings for streams, including a 4,500 to 6,000 kbps bitrate and 60 or 50 fps framerate, but its website also has a number of tools and guides for understanding and analyzing stream tests to make sure your first live broadcast goes off without any hiccups.

To learn more about how to read Twitch’s Inspector Tool, you can check out the platform’s guide to broadcast health.

So, you are looking at starting streaming. You’ve set up all your overlays and equipment and you are ready to go live. Question is, how do you know that all your sound is going to be working or even that you’re using the right settings for your stream to be stable? You don’t. But this is where test streams come in! In this article, you’ll learn not only how to run a test stream, but when and why you should run a test stream on the Twitch channel.

How to Start a Test Stream on Twitch

Running a test stream is super easy and fast to do. Twitch even provides us with all the tools to run a test stream without actually going live through Twitch Inspector. You can easily track instabilities in your current bitrate on the site, just make sure whilst your test stream is running you are also checking for dropped frames in OBS or Streamlabs too. To run a test stream using Twitch Inspector here’s what you do;

You might also want to test your audio before you go live too. You can easily do this by clicking ‘start recording’ in OBS or Streamlabs and record yourself offline just talking by yourself with maybe even your background music or alerts going off in the background. Watch that recording back and repeat the process until you are happy with all your levels!

Reasons to Run a Test Stream on Twitch

You should run a test stream before every stream. Running a test stream helps you find the perfect bitrate and quality for your stream so you can focus on your content rather than fixing a laggy stream. Laggy or poor-quality content tends to chase away your viewers.

Though your regulars might be ok with you spending the time to try and fix your stream quality whilst you are live, and newcomers who have yet had the chance to get to know you will get a terrible first impression of your content. Using Twitch inspector to test your stream means you won’t actually be live whilst you are testing, keeping all the uninteresting issues of streaming behind the scenes.

Some streamers would argue they don’t have time to run a test stream… Just be 2 minutes late to stream to run one. It really doesn’t take that long and will stop you from worrying about that little color-changing box in the bottom corner of your broadcasting software. There are lots of reasons in which your broadband might not be giving you the speeds you require to stream – it is best to know where you are at before you go live. Worst case scenario you can’t fix it, at least then you’ll expect it to happen and can warn your viewers so it will be a little less stressful for you if it does.

Conclusion

Running a test stream before every stream is quick, easy, and will help you find the right output settings for your live. Failing to run a test stream could result in loss of growth or even viewers. It’s better safe than sorry and Twitch even provides us with all the right tools to run one efficiently.

About the Author

Arry

Arry, also known as ArryBo, is a full time Partnered Twitch streamer from the southeast of England! Video gaming and music are two of the passions he shares on his stream.

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