The rule
To go live on TikTok you need two things:
- 1,000 followers on your account.
- Age 18 or older in your account settings.
Both must be true. When they are, the LIVE option shows up next to Camera and Templates when you tap the plus button. Instagram has no follower rule for Live. See how many followers on Instagram to go live.
The age rules in detail
- Under 16: no Live at all. You also cannot watch Lives.
- 16 and 17: you can watch Lives, but you cannot host one and you cannot send or receive gifts.
- 18 and older: you can host Lives and receive gifts, once you also have 1,000 followers.
TikTok uses the birthday on your account. If it is wrong, you can ask TikTok to change it, but you need proof of age.
Exceptions
TikTok sometimes opens Live to accounts below 1,000 followers. This happens in some regions and for some accounts TikTok picks. There is no switch to turn it on. If you do not see the option, you are not in that group.
Be careful with videos that promise a trick to unlock Live early. They do not work. Some ask for your login. Never give your password to anyone.
How to go live once you qualify
- Tap the plus button at the bottom.
- Swipe to LIVE.
- Add a title and a cover image.
- Tap Go LIVE.
You can add moderators, turn comments on or off, and end the Live at any time.
Why the Live button is still missing
Check these in order:
- Wait a day or two. Access is not instant after you reach 1,000.
- Check your age. Profile → Settings and privacy → Account. It must be 18 or older.
- Update the app. Old versions hide new features.
- Check for strikes. Recent Community Guidelines violations can block Live for a while.
- Count again. Use our free TikTok follower counter to see your exact live number. TikTok rounds numbers on profiles, so “1K” may still be 997.
- Ask TikTok. If all of the above check out, report the problem at TikTok’s help center or from Settings → Report a problem in the app.
Getting to 1,000 followers
Most people reach 1,000 with steady posting. A few things that help:
- Post short videos often. Two or three a day beats one a week.
- Hook people in the first two seconds. That is what the For You page measures.
- Reply to comments. Replies count as engagement.
- Use a trending sound while it is still rising.
If you want a paced push to get over the line, Famoid sells TikTok followers. Delivery starts within minutes and is spread out so it looks natural. We only need your username, never your password. Orders that would look fake on a small account get resized or refused.
After you go live
Followers matter less once you are live. What matters is how many people join and stay. Post a short video an hour before you start, and tell people when you will be live. A Live with many viewers early gets pushed to more people. Viewers send gifts with Coins. Our TikTok Coins guide explains what each gift is worth to you. For all the ways Live fits into earning, see how much TikTok pays.