How to Fix Stream Delay on Twitch & Tips to Improve Stream Latency

Wondering how to fix stream delay on Twitch? Stream latency is the delay between your broadcasting software capturing an event and the event being displayed to viewers. When streaming to Twitch, you can choose between three different latency settings – Normal, Low, and Ultra Low.

If your primary objective is to live chat with your audience, it’s highly recommended to opt for Ultra-Low Latency, which results in a delay of 2 to 5 seconds. Despite streaming with an Ultra-Low Latency setting, many Twitch streamers face huge stream delay problems.

How to Fix Twitch Stream Delay

While streaming to Twitch, your audience may report the huge stream delay in the chat, which could be annoying not only for your viewers but also for you. In such a case, you can follow these steps to fix stream delay on Twitch:

1. Open any browser on your system and open Twitch from the URL bar.
2. Login to your streaming account and click on the profile picture located at the top right corner of the screen.
3. Choose Settings from the drop-down list.
4. From there, click on “Channel & Videos” and navigate to the “Stream” tab.
5. Finally, look for “Latency Mode” which can be found under the Stream key and Preferences, and set it to “Low Latency”.

Meanwhile, you will notice that Twitch has clearly mentioned “best for real-time interaction with viewers” right next to the low latency option.

Tips to Improve Stream Latency

Before moving forward, knowing what factors cause stream latency is relatively essential. The stream delay entirely depends on metrics like your geo-location, internet connection, computer speed, bitrate, resolution, viewers’ location, and so on. While there’s no way to bring the stream latency number to zero, here are a few tips to improve it:

• Better Internet Connection: A better internet connection with higher bandwidth will allow you to stream smoothly on platforms like Twitch. This simple yet expensive solution can improve stream latency.
• Stream on Low Bitrate: Without going into the nitty-gritty, bitrate affects the overall quality of the stream. If spending money on an expensive connection isn’t for you, simply lower the bitrate from your streaming software like OBS to leap forward with stream latency.
• Use Wired Connection: It’s no secret that wired connections give much more stable internet connectivity in contrast to wireless connections. In the continuously evolving internet sector, you should be using fiber-optic connections that provide the ability to broadcast streams with low latency.

That’s everything you need to know about fixing stream delay on Twitch and tips to improve stream latency. Before leaving, don’t forget to check out some of our other Twitch-related content here at Twinfinite, like How to Fix Twitch Error 2000, How to Appeal a Ban on Twitch and more.

Featured Image Source: Twitch