Despite being extra careful, it’s still a good idea to test your live stream on Twitch to ensure that the mic, camera, streaming software, and your setup look good in it. This helps you avoid any embarrassing mistakes when you’re in front of your fans and also makes you more confident as you’ve ensured everything is up to the mark.

How To Test Stream On Twitch Without Going Live

But, how to test streams on Twitch without going live? You can do it by running the Twitch stream on the Twitch servers and also from your streaming software directly, like OBS and Restream.

How To Test Stream On Twitch Without Going Live?

You can easily test your stream on Twitch without hitting the “Go Live” button and ensure that everything about it is of the best quality. These are the methods to do it.

1. Testing Twitch Stream On Servers

There’s an easier method of testing the Twitch stream on the Twitch server without going live. You can tweak the stream key a little to do that by following these easy steps:

Testing Twitch Stream On Servers
Testing Twitch Stream on servers with stream key and Twitch inspector tool
  • Open your Twitch and then head over to the Twitch Creator Dashboard > Settings > and there, click on Stream.
  • There, you’ll see your stream key. Click Copy to copy the link.
  • Open any text editor like Notepad or Sticky Notes on your system and then paste the stream key there. And then, at the end of it, just add ?bandwidthtest=true.
  • So if your original key was something like live_12345abcde, it should now look like live_12345abcde?bandwidthtest=true.
  • Now, whatever Twitch streaming software you’re using — OBS, Restream, etc. — launch them and then paste the new edited stream key into them.
  • Now, hit Go Live and start streaming. The stream won’t go live to your audience but will just be on the Twitch server, where you can easily test it.
  • While your stream is running, visit inspector.twitch.tv and sign in with your Twitch account.
  • Twitch Inspector will show if your stream is stable, if there are any dropouts, or if your internet can’t keep up.
  • You can also manually check the camera, the mic, the sound, the setup, and the colors, and make sure they’re up to the mark. Once you’re happy with your stream quality, change the key again and remove the last added part. Then, go live.
Twitch Stream Test
Twitch inspector tool

2. Testing Twitch Stream Without Going Live With OBS and Restream

Test your Twitch stream without going live using OBS and Restream, two of the best streaming software options for Twitch.

OBS

This is how you can perform a Twitch stream test with OBS.

OBS
  • Open the OBS Studio on your system and then head over to Settings > Stream.
  • From the dropdown menu, select Twitch.
  • Then, connect your Twitch channel to OBS if you haven’t done that already.
  • Find the Enable Bandwidth Test Mode option and then check the box next to it. After that, hit OK to save the changes. It’ll do the same work as the first method — run the stream on the Twitch servers for testing purposes.
  • Hit Start Stream and you’ll get an error message telling you that your stream won’t go live on Twitch. Confirm that by clicking on OK.
  • Now you’re streaming on the servers, not in front of your audience. Look at the bottom of your OBS — there you’ll get the indicators about your streaming quality. It’ll include factors like stream quality, frame rate, and CPU usage.
  • You can also check the streaming quality manually as well by experiencing it yourself and then fixing any issues you face.

Restream

For checking the Twitch stream quality before going live on Restream, these are the steps to follow:

Restream
  • Create an account on Restream or log in with an existing one.
  • After that, select the Record Video and Audio option.
  • When you’re in the Restream live streaming studio, adjust the stream settings and then click Start Recording.
  • Record a test video for a while and then rewatch it to check if the sound, camera, microphone, and colors are okay. Also, check if there’s any buffering or lag due to internet issues.
  • Find the issues, fix them, and then repeat the process to test the stream again.
  • When you’re happy with your stream quality, connect your Twitch account to Restream and, on the Restream dashboard, select Stream with Studio. Now, you can start streaming on Twitch with Restream with a perfectly working stream.

FAQS

Is there a way to test streams on Twitch?

Yes, you can test your stream by adding ?bandwidthtest=true to your stream key — it lets you check everything without going live.

Can I stream on Twitch without being live?

If you use the test stream method, Twitch won’t notify followers or show your stream publicly — it’s just a private check.

Can you watch Twitch streams that are not live?

Yes, just like on YouTube, there are recorded videos — VODs (Video on Demand) — which are the past streams of Twitch streamers. They save these on their channel for viewers to watch later.

Final Words

How to test stream on Twitch without going live? Use ?bandwidthtest=true in your stream key, enable Bandwidth Test Mode in OBS settings, or record a private test session using Restream Studio. 

Testing your Twitch stream without going live will help you avoid mistakes and ensure that everything about the stream is of high quality and engaging.

Avatar for Walter Miller

Walter Miller is not just your average tech geek; he's a warm, approachable digital wizard who loves nothing more than helping brands, influencers, and content creators grow their online presence. With years of hands-on experience under his belt, Walter has honed his ability to understand each client's unique needs and create personalized growth strategies that really work.