TikTok is a popular short-form video app that allows users to create, watch, and share videos up to 60 seconds long. TikTok Live is a feature within the app that enables users to live stream videos to their followers in real-time. According to the most viewed live on tiktok right now, TikTok LIVE is gaining significant popularity, with some live streams garnering over 600K viewers.
With TikTok’s massive growth, especially among younger audiences, TikTok Live has become a place to engage with popular creators, participate in real-time challenges, shop live streams, and more. However, TikTok Live is only accessible within the mobile app. This leads some people to wonder – how can I watch TikTok lives without downloading the app?
Why Watch TikTok Lives Without the App?
There are several reasons why you might want to watch TikTok lives without having the app installed on your phone:
Avoid taking up storage space and memory on your phone. The TikTok app can take up a significant amount of storage space on your device. By viewing lives through a website or TV, you don’t have to sacrifice that space for the sake of watching lives.
Prevent distractions. Having the app makes it easier to get sucked into the endless scroll. By only viewing lives specifically, you reduce the temptation to endlessly browse.
Watch on a bigger screen. Viewing lives on a TV or desktop monitor can provide a more immersive experience than on a tiny phone screen.
Control data usage. Streaming lives without WiFi can use up cellular data quickly. Streaming through another device instead allows you to more easily connect to WiFi and prevent unwanted data overages.
Avoid providing personal data to TikTok. The app collects a significant amount of user data which raises privacy concerns for some. Accessing TikTok’s lives through third-party sites bypasses this data collection.
Methods to Watch TikTok Lives on Desktop
One of the easiest ways to watch TikTok lives without the app is by using a desktop web browser like Google Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Simply go to tiktok.com/live on your browser and you’ll be able to view all live broadcasts happening at the moment.
The TikTok website has the same functionality as the mobile app, allowing you to search for specific streamers or hashtags and interact with broadcasts in real time. You can like, comment, share, follow creators, and even go live yourself all from the desktop experience.
An advantage of using a desktop browser is the larger screen real estate compared to a phone, providing a more immersive viewing experience. Desktops also allow better multitasking if you want to watch a live while doing other work on your computer.
One thing to note is that browsing TikTok on desktop requires creating an account and logging in, even just to watch lives. But it only takes a minute to sign-up if you don’t already have an account.
Stream TikTok Lives on Smart TVs
One of the easiest ways to watch TikTok lives without the mobile app is by streaming them directly to your smart TV. Many modern smart TVs now come with built-in support for screen mirroring from your mobile device. This allows you to cast the TikTok app from your iPhone or Android phone onto the big screen.
To do this, first make sure your TV and phone are connected to the same wireless network. Then on your phone, open the TikTok app and find the live video you want to watch. Next, locate the screen mirroring or cast button in your quick settings/control center on your phone. This will bring up available devices – select your TV. Finally, grant permission if prompted and your phone screen will be mirrored to the TV, showing the TikTok live.[Source]
If your TV doesn’t natively support casting, another option is using third-party apps like AirScreen or Google Home. These allow you to wirelessly mirror content from your phone to compatible smart TVs. Simply connect both devices to the app, initiate screen mirroring, and then open TikTok to view lives on the big screen.[Source]
Watch on Gaming Consoles
Many modern gaming consoles like Xbox and PlayStation have TikTok apps available that allow watching live streams directly on your TV. Here are some of the main options:
The Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 all have official TikTok apps in their respective app stores. Once downloaded to your console, you can log in to your TikTok account and watch live streams on your TV just like on mobile. This provides a full screen viewing experience.
For the Xbox, go to the Microsoft Store and download the TikTok app. On PlayStation, find it in the PlayStation Store. Log in with your TikTok account and navigate to a live stream to start watching on the big screen.
One thing to note is that gaming console apps may not have all the same features as mobile. But for simply watching lives, they offer a handy way to view TikTok streams on TV without needing to mirror your phone.
Mirroring TikTok to External Displays
One of the easiest ways to watch TikTok lives and videos on a bigger screen is by mirroring or casting your device’s display directly to a TV or external monitor. This allows you to view the TikTok app and content on your device while it is simultaneously shown on the larger display.
For iOS devices like iPhones and iPads, you can use AirPlay to mirror your screen to AirPlay-compatible smart TVs, streaming boxes, and other devices. Android devices have similar built-in casting functionality through Miracast to cast to supported TVs and displays. You can also use an HDMI cable to connect your mobile device directly to an external display.
Chromecast users can cast the TikTok app from their mobile device to the TV by tapping the Cast button from within the TikTok app. This streams the video feed to the Chromecast without mirroring the entire device display.
The main advantage of screen mirroring is being able to watch TikTok Lives and videos on a bigger screen while still using the mobile app interface you’re familiar with. However, quality may decrease compared to watching directly on your device.
Using Third-Party Streaming Sites
Some third-party websites let viewers watch TikTok live videos without using the official app. However, many of these streaming aggregators do not have permission to rebroadcast TikTok content and may violate TikTok’s terms of service.
While these unauthorized streaming sites can provide access to live content without the app, the video quality may be poor or lag behind the actual livestream. Additionally, some third-party sites embed ads or use disruptive practices to profit from unlicensed TikTok content without compensating creators.
If opting to use an unauthorized TikTok streaming site, it’s prudent to research the platform’s reputation, quality, and legal standing. TikTok content creators have the right to issue DMCA takedown requests against aggregators rebroadcasting their videos without consent. In many cases, viewers may have a better experience directly within the TikTok app, while also properly supporting the creators producing the content.
Some popular but unofficial TikTok streaming platforms include TiktokRe, TiktokVid, TiktokDown, and OnlineTikTok. However, their legal standing remains questionable.
Downloading and Watching Videos Later
One of the easiest ways to watch TikTok lives without the app is by downloading the videos to view later. There are various downloader tools and apps that allow you to save TikTok lives directly from the platform.
To download a live video, first copy the video URL or share link while the broadcast is still active. Then paste this URL into a downloader tool like TTDownloader, MusicallyDown, or other similar services. Most downloader tools are free to use and will allow you to save the live video to your device.
Just keep in mind that downloading videos from TikTok directly violates their terms of service. Use downloader tools judiciously and avoid redistributing downloaded content without permission.
The benefit of using downloaders is you can watch an entire live video playback just like a normal TikTok video. It also allows you to save and archive live streams to view later offline. However, most downloader tools only work while the live broadcast is still active.
Considerations and Drawbacks
While watching TikTok lives without the mobile app allows more accessibility, there are some drawbacks to consider:
You will miss out on the live interactions and ability to comment in real time that make TikTok lives engaging. The experience may feel more passive and one-sided without the app. As TikTok’s help center states: “Interacting with the LIVE video creator and other viewers in real time is what makes LIVE videos so fun” [1].
Seeing comments and reactions from other viewers is a big part of the appeal. This social component will be lacking. Additionally, you cannot send gifts or otherwise interact with the creator when watching without the app.
Visual quality may suffer slightly when mirroring to a TV or viewing on third party sites instead of the optimized mobile app. Buffering and lag could also be an issue depending on your internet connection.
There is no guarantee that full livestreams will remain available indefinitely on third party sites due to copyright issues. Downloaded videos may get taken down as well.
You will not get notifications about when your favorite creators go live unless you actively check. So it’s easier to miss the start of streams.
Conclusion
Being able to watch TikTok livestreams without the mobile app opens up new possibilities. Using a desktop or laptop, smart TV, gaming console or other methods lets you view content on a bigger screen. You can even mirror TikTok to external displays for a shared viewing experience.
However, some drawbacks exist. Quality and performance may suffer compared to the native app. And accessing content meant for mobile on other devices violates TikTok’s terms in some cases. Proceed with caution and be aware of limitations.
In summary, while the app provides the best experience, with the right tools and techniques, TikTok lives can be viewed on nearly any device. Evaluate your options and choose the method that works best for your situation. Just be mindful of TikTok’s terms of service to stay on the right side of the rules.
