OBS says live but platform shows offline
The green "LIVE" indicator is on, but Twitch or YouTube says you're not streaming.
This is one of the most frustrating issues in streaming. A "silent failure" where everything looks fine on your end, but viewers see nothing. OBS connects to the ingest server, but something breaks between there and the platform.
Why this happens
When you click "Start Streaming" in OBS:
- OBS connects to the platform's ingest server
- The ingest server processes your stream
- The platform distributes it to viewers
The connection can succeed at step 1 but fail at step 2 or 3. OBS only knows about step 1. It shows "LIVE" even when the stream isn't reaching viewers.
Immediate fixes
1. Check and regenerate your stream key
Stream keys can become invalid or corrupted.
- Go to your platform's dashboard and copy a fresh stream key
- In OBS: Settings → Stream and paste the new key
- Twitch: Dashboard → Settings → Stream → Reset key
- YouTube: Live Control Room → Stream Settings → Copy key
2. Try a different ingest server
The server you're connecting to might be overloaded or having issues.
- Twitch: Settings → Stream → Server. Choose a different city
- Don't always pick "Auto". Sometimes manual selection works better
3. Check platform status
The platform itself might be experiencing issues.
- Twitch: status.twitch.tv
- YouTube: Google Workspace Status
- Check Twitter/X for reports from other streamers
4. Stop and restart the stream
A full restart can clear transient connection issues.
- Click Stop Streaming in OBS
- Wait 30-60 seconds (not just 5 seconds)
- Click Start Streaming again
Twitch-specific troubleshooting
Use Twitch Inspector
Twitch Inspector shows whether your data is actually reaching Twitch.
- Go to inspector.twitch.tv
- Log in with your Twitch account
- Start your stream in OBS
- Watch the Inspector for incoming data
If Inspector shows no data but OBS says "LIVE", the connection is failing after OBS.
Check account status
- Verify your account hasn't been flagged or restricted
- Check for any moderation actions in your Creator Dashboard
- Ensure 2FA is properly set up if required
YouTube-specific troubleshooting
Stream scheduling issues
- If you scheduled a stream, check that the scheduled time has passed
- Stream keys for scheduled streams can expire
- Try using a persistent stream key instead of event-specific keys
Check YouTube Studio
- Open YouTube Studio
- Go to Content → Live
- Check if your stream appears there
- Look for any error messages in the stream health panel
Advanced checks
Firewall and antivirus
Security software can block outgoing stream data.
- Temporarily disable firewall to test (re-enable after)
- Add OBS to your antivirus exceptions
- Check if VPN is interfering (try without VPN)
Protocol settings
- Try switching between RTMP and RTMPS
- Some ISPs throttle RTMP traffic specifically