Twitch: Live Streaming for PC - Free Download: Windows 10/11 Edition

Enjoy Ad-free Streaming with Twitch desktop app

Twitch is a free streaming service which intermittently puts in ads while in use. This app is a hybrid of gaming and non–gaming content.

The services on Twitch are stratified. If you’re already an Amazon Prime user, your membership status gives you access to Twitch Prime with features like;

Extended broadcast storage for broadcasters (60 days instead of 14 days).
A single Twitch channel subscription (which includes ad-free viewing).
Exclusive emoticons
Expanded chat color options,
A chat badge
Free PC games each month. These games belong to the user.

The Twitch Prime channel is a mouthwatering package. With it you can watch anything you want without encountering ads while streaming. However, this does not prevent the hosts on the channel from running their own sponsored ads during streams.

Once you create a Twitch account, you can begin to follow the channels you want. Following these channels does not mean that you have subscribed. It only gives you the opportunity to be alerted when streamers begin broadcasting on any of the channels.

When it comes to gaming content, Twitch highlights a wide range of games and gaming genres. Not just that, but the gaming content has been painstakingly sorted by genre. What this means is that Twitch makes it relatively easier to find the content you want to stream.

The really interesting thing about Twitch is the fact that it adjusts the streams to suit the speed of the internet connection on your device. As a result, Twitch streams are quite reliable, and the issues of video clarity (a lack of it) is quite rare. What’s more, you can manually adjust the bit rate from your device. 4K streaming is not supported on Twitch.

Features of Twitch desktop:

Twitch has a lot of features which helps optimize streaming, as well as user experience. Some of these features are:

#1. Squad Stream:

This feature allows up to four users to broadcast today in one window, and in real-time. This way, viewers gain the benefit of multiple angles, a chance at discovering new creators, and interact.

#2. Clip:

This is a feature that allows you to record moments of note and share. You can do this by recording the video from 25 seconds before you click the Clip button, and 5 seconds after. With the trimming feature, you can polish the recorded video a little

#3. Theater/ Full Screen Mode:

Nothing beats a fully immersive visual experience. That’s why you need to activate the Theater Mode or the Full Screen Mode. You can do that by clicking the icon on the bottom-right corner of the video player.

While Full Screen Mode enlarges the screen by exiting the chat feed, Theater Mode blackens the rest of the screen so that you can focus on the objects in the center of the screen.

Interaction has always been a huge part of Twitch. This is why you should sync your Twitch with your Discord account to be a part of private communities. You can interact, meet new people, exchange ideas, and bond with people who have the same likes and interests as you.

If you’re looking to broadcast from a PC, you should consider using the Creator dashboard. With this, you can keep track of the stats and keep up with your audience in real time.

Twitch is one app where you can enjoy yourself and have a lot of fun. Stream, interact, and enjoy premium content in real-time.

Download and install Twitch: Live Streaming on your computer

GET Compatible PC App

App	Download	Rating	Maker
Twitch	Get App ↲	2,260,422 4.71	Twitch Interactive, Inc.

Or follow the guide below to use on PC:

Select Windows version:

Windows 10
Windows 11

Install Twitch: Live Streaming app on your Windows in 4 steps below:

Download an Android emulator for PC:
Get either Bluestacks or the Nox App >> . We recommend Bluestacks because you can easily find solutions online if you run into problems while using it. Download Bluestacks PC software Here >> .

Install the emulator:
On your computer, goto the Downloads folder » click to install Bluestacks.exe or Nox.exe » Accept the License Agreements » Follow the on-screen prompts to complete installation.

Using Twitch on PC [Windows 10/ 11]:

Open the Emulator app you installed » goto its search bar and search "Twitch"
The search will reveal the Twitch: Live Streaming app icon. Open, then click "Install".
Once Twitch is downloaded inside the emulator, locate/click the "All apps" icon to access a page containing all your installed applications including Twitch.
Now enjoy Twitch on PC.

Download a Compatible APK for PC

Download	Developer	Rating	Current version
Get APK for PC →	Twitch Interactive, Inc.	4.71	21.3

Download on Windows 11

For Windows 11, check if there's a native Twitch Windows app here » ». If none, follow the steps below:

To get started, Download the OpenPC software »
- Upon installation, open OpenPC app » goto "Playstore on PC" » click "Configure_Download" button. This will auto-download and install PlayStore on your computer.

To use Twitch,
- Login to the PlayStore we just installed
- Search for "Twitch" » then Click "Install".
- Twitch: Live Streaming will now be available on your Windows start-menu.

Minimum requirements	Recommended
8GB RAM SSD Storage Processor: Intel Core i3, AMD Ryzen 3000 Architecture: x64 or ARM64	16GB RAM HDD Storage

Get Twitch on Apple macOS

Download	Developer	Reviews	Rating
Get Free on Mac	Twitch Interactive, Inc.	2260422	4.71

Twitch: Live Streaming functions

- Watch live videos of your favorite games, from blockbuster titles to little-known indie gems.

- Connect with other gamers in real-time with full-featured live chat.

- Go live with a touch and share your passion with the world.

- Watch interactive live shows from the likes of Sony, Microsoft, Blizzard, and Riot Games.

- Tune into unique programming, from music festival live streams to exclusive video game events.

- Discover new content with ease thanks to simple and intuitive navigation.

- Switch to Dark Mode for those late-night viewing sessions.

- Nielsen’s proprietary measurement software is included in the app, which contributes to market research, like Nielsen’s TV Ratings.

Pros of Twitch app for PC:

Great Interactive Interface
Exciting Features
Premium Gaming experience

Cons:

Glitchy
Unskippable ads
App Lag
Too many ads

Top Pcmac Reviews

Honest critic

By Mortal_Man (Pcmac user)

While the app wasn’t the best for mobile streaming, or watching older videos (had plenty of times where the video would reset entirely after watching an ad, or just randomly flicker and then reset back to the start of the video), it did work well enough, though I still don’t understand why the method of getting bits by watching ads was removed from mobile, despite already giving barely any bits by comparison to what you would get for watching an ad on your computer. The recent change of adding “recommended channels” to the home screen is buggy for me and doesn’t actually load correctly (being stuck with the initial error message as well as the “recommended channels”), but reloading the page works as a workaround for now. I personally find most of the recommendations, despite being a push to make me watch more content... distasteful, as most of them are people I followed and didn’t want to see again as the community was either to exclusive, or I didn’t really connect with the streamer. So honestly, it shouldn’t go on the home page where I have my listing of what I started watching, and the streamers I do want to watch and am following. (More to follow
It’s not a bad app but....

By McCaseyFresh (Pcmac user)

It’s not a bad app but it would be nice to be able to subscribe and donate to people straight from the app. Besides all that the this app app seems to have been working just fine for me for quite some time now. I really enjoy being able to watch my friends and favorite streamers while on the go. It’s also a great time passer when sitting at my psychiatrists office and having a 3-4 hour wait just to see my doctor for 5 to 10 minutes. I don’t know anything about the live streaming part because I just use the mobile app to watch. But as far as that it seems to work pretty good. It would be PERFECT if they’d implement the “subscribe” and “donate” buttons somewhere in the app though. Maybe put it on the screen next to the “follow/heart” button on the actual stream video. Ive looked everywhere on the app and hadn’t been able to find the sub or donate anywhere on the app and will feel pretty stupid if it’s been there the whole time but none of my friends or viewers have been able to find it either. Please update this app and add those 2 things and people would probably use the app a lot more!
A major suggestion

By MoonlitSkyPaintingBlue (Pcmac user)

I did not know this app defaults to auto play. Not to say there’s anything wrong with auto playing streams themselves but I was not aware of it and as a result I assumed a stream would end if I let the phone be. Halfway through a late night stream, I fell asleep without worries. However, I woke up and found my phone went from 100% to 13%. The streams stopped it from naturally falling into sleep mode after I unplugged it and set it to low power mode. This night of nonstop video playing no doubt harmed my phone battery’s maximum capacity, meaning it will be quicker to drop to 0% in the future and I did not intend for that. My suggestion is that you please make a pop up for mobile that stops the stream, live or otherwise, and asks the viewer “Are you still there?” after one or two auto plays have already occurred without outside input. If there’s no further response, the phone can fall into sleep mode. If there is someone still watching, they’ll tap ‘Yes’ and keep watching. Anyway, I’ve turned off auto play in settings, so this problem won’t happen for me again. But I still I wouldn’t want any people starting out with this app to make the same mistake I did.
Unstable as of late

By Shane247 (Pcmac user)

I used to never have problems with this app, it was one of the apps I used to always get on and just watch a stream for fun. After a while I left because had life things to handle. But recently I decided it was a good time to get back on this app. Was I wrong, yes and no. While the audio is fine without video, I’ve had troubles watching a stream and have audio at the same time. While the video plays just fine, it’s the audio that don’t work well on the stream. While I’ve been thinking maybe it could be my end, but when it’s been constant, I just don’t see the point in watching anything. Another thing, you removed the option to switch from 720 to something like 480, how can you test something to make sure it’s not your end if you actually take away a feature that was fine to begin with. I get the times are changing and technology is getting more and more advanced, trust me, I was born in the age of technology’s very beginnings of taking over. Just fix the stability of the app please, is that so much to ask. And please just add back a 480p button just for the users who can’t watch in 720.