If your account is eligible, you can go LIVE on TikTok by opening the mobile creation screen, selecting LIVE, adding a title, reviewing the available settings and tapping Go LIVE. The basic process applies to the TikTok app on iPhone and Android.
A LIVE is a real-time broadcast. If you want to upload recorded content instead, follow the separate guide to make a regular TikTok post.
Check the TikTok LIVE requirements
Before looking for the LIVE option, confirm that your account meets TikTok’s current requirements. According to TikTok’s official LIVE guidance, you must:
- Be at least 18 years old. TikTok currently requires users to be 18 or older to host a LIVE.
- Meet the follower requirement. TikTok currently states that creators need at least 1,000 followers, but it expressly notes that this threshold may vary by region.
- Be in a region where LIVE is available. TikTok says LIVE is not available everywhere, so regional availability can affect whether the option appears.
Meeting the published age and follower requirements does not guarantee that every account will have immediate access. TikTok can restrict access to account features, and broadcasts remain subject to TikTok’s Accounts and Features rules and its wider Community Guidelines.
Do not rely on services or unofficial methods that claim to bypass the minimum age, follower threshold or regional availability. TikTok does not support those workarounds.
How to start a TikTok LIVE on iPhone or Android
TikTok documents the same basic mobile sequence for starting a LIVE. The precise appearance or placement of controls can vary with the phone, account or app release, but the supported workflow is:
- Open TikTok and tap Add post (+). This opens the creation screen.
- Select LIVE. Look for LIVE among the creation options at the bottom of the screen.
- Add a title. Enter a title that clearly identifies the subject of your broadcast.
- Review the available settings. Check the controls TikTok displays before the broadcast and choose the options appropriate for your LIVE.
- Tap Go LIVE. This starts the real-time broadcast.
Before starting, take a moment to check that the title and visible settings are correct. Comments during a LIVE can be affected by creator settings, filters, blocks or moderation actions, but detailed moderation configuration is a separate workflow.
These steps cover broadcasting directly from the TikTok mobile app. Desktop broadcasting uses a separate setup and is not part of this mobile procedure.
How to end your TikTok LIVE
When you are ready to stop the active broadcast, use TikTok’s documented ending controls:
- Tap End LIVE.
- Tap End now to confirm.
The confirmation step helps prevent an accidental tap from immediately ending the broadcast. This completes the live mobile session.
What to do if the LIVE option is missing
If LIVE does not appear on the creation screen, first recheck the conditions that determine access:
- Confirm that you are at least 18.
- Confirm that you meet the follower threshold shown for your region. TikTok’s published figure is 1,000 followers, but the threshold may vary regionally.
- Remember that LIVE is not available in every location.
- Consider whether TikTok has restricted feature access on the account.
If you meet the applicable requirements but still cannot start a broadcast, TikTok’s official next step is to report the problem. Follow the reporting option provided through TikTok LIVE issue guidance. Reporting the issue allows TikTok to review it, but it does not guarantee that LIVE access will be enabled.
Do not use an unofficial follower-threshold bypass. If your actual blocker is that you cannot sign in, use the separate steps to recover access to your TikTok account rather than treating it as a LIVE eligibility problem.
How many followers do you need to go LIVE on TikTok?
TikTok currently states that you need 1,000 followers to go LIVE. However, TikTok also says that the follower threshold may vary by region, so 1,000 should not be treated as a universally fixed figure.
How old do you have to be to go LIVE on TikTok?
You must be at least 18 years old to host a TikTok LIVE under TikTok’s current official requirements.
Why is the TikTok LIVE option missing even if I meet the requirements?
Regional availability or an account-level feature restriction may prevent LIVE from appearing. If you meet the applicable age and follower requirements but still cannot access LIVE, TikTok directs you to report the issue through its official support process.