How to Raid on Twitch in 2026: Chat, Dashboard, Mobile and OBS Guide

By Paul d'Anjou, Twitch growth expert June 3, 2026

TLDR

• The /raid channelname chat command stays the universal method, working on PC, mobile, and inside OBS or Streamlabs.
• The Stream Manager in your Creator Dashboard offers the same action as a visual click flow, with channel suggestions.
• 10-second countdown (90 seconds before October 2022), cancellable at any moment with /unraid.

Verdict: 4 methods, one command that always works

If you want the shortest version possible: open your chat while streaming, type /raid channelname, wait 10 seconds, your viewers land on the other streamer. That's it. The command works on PC, on mobile, in the Streamlabs chat widget, and even through the API if you code a bot. No plugin needed, no extension, no third-party tool.

The rest of this guide covers the three other methods (visual Stream Manager, mobile app, OBS context), a troubleshooting section for when the raid stalls, the etiquette that protects your reputation, and what to do when someone raids you. The goal: zero ambiguity on the technical move, so you can focus on the social moment a raid actually is.

What is a Twitch raid and why do one

Quick definition: moving your viewers to another live stream

A Twitch raid triggers the automatic transfer of your current viewers to another streamer's live channel. Your spectators arrive in the target chat with a visible system message: "X viewers from [your channel] are joining the raid". The receiving stream sees its viewer count climb within seconds, and the conversation continues over there.

It's a feature that doesn't exist anywhere else on the live platforms: YouTube, Kick and TikTok Live have no equivalent this clean.

Raid vs Host: Host has been dead since October 2022

The /host command, which used to display another streamer's live on your channel while you were offline, was removed by Twitch in October 2022. If you find an old YouTube tutorial mentioning hosts, skip it: outdated. The only option today to redirect your audience is the raid, and the only option to mention a channel without moving your viewers is the shoutout (/shoutout).

Three concrete benefits for your channel

A well-executed raid brings three things. First a community signal: you show your audience you know other creators and you back them. Second a network effect: the channel you raid will tend to raid you back later, and that's how small streamers build their first circle. Third a social hand-off: your viewers don't scatter into the void at the end of your stream, they stay together in another chat.

Method 1: starting a raid with the /raid chat command

Exact syntax: /raid channelname

While streaming, open your chat (on Twitch.tv or via your OBS chat overlay) and type:

/raid channelname

No "@" symbol, no space, no slash before the channel name. The channel name must be the streamer's unique handle (what shows in the URL twitch.tv/channelname), not the display name. If you hesitate, copy-paste the channel URL in a tab to confirm.

If the channel exists and is live, Twitch confirms with a system message in your chat and starts the 10-second countdown.

The 10-second countdown

For 10 seconds, a visual widget appears on screen with the target channel name and a countdown timer. Your viewers see this widget too. That's the moment when you should say out loud "we're raiding [streamer name], be nice in chat", because once the redirect fires, you have no control left over how your viewers behave in someone else's chat.

The countdown was shortened from 90 to 10 seconds in October 2022, because Twitch observed that beyond 10 seconds, the viewer drop-off explodes and the raid payoff collapses.

Cancelling with /unraid

If you change your mind (the target channel just ended their live, you typed the wrong username, you notice a bad vibe in their chat), type /unraid in your chat while the countdown is still running. The raid is immediately cancelled and your viewers stay with you. You can also click Cancel Raid in the visual widget on screen.

After the 10 seconds, the raid is gone: no rollback possible.

Method 2: starting a raid from the Stream Manager

Navigation: Creator Dashboard → Stream Manager

If you prefer a visual interface, open your Twitch Creator Dashboard in a tab next to your OBS scene. In the left menu, click Stream Manager. That's the main screen that aggregates your real-time activity while you stream.

To the right of your video preview, you'll find the Quick Actions zone. That's where the raid function lives.

Quick Action "Raid Channel"

Click Raid Channel. A window opens with two things: a search field to type a username, and a suggestion list based on your history, your follows, and channels Twitch recommends in your game category.

Type a name or click a suggestion, confirm, and the 10-second countdown starts just like with the chat command.

Picking a channel from suggestions

Twitch suggestions aren't always relevant: they mix big streamers (you won't raid them usefully) with offline channels (you can't raid them). Filter yourself: raid in priority streamers of a size close to yours, in the same game category, visibly active in their chat. That's what maximises your chances of being raided back later.

Method 3: raiding from the Twitch mobile app

iOS and Android flow

The official Twitch app on iOS and Android lets you raid from your phone. Two scenarios.

If you stream from PC but want to handle the raid from your phone (for example because you're away from the keyboard at the end of stream), open the Twitch app, go to your own channel in chat mode, and type /raid channelname like on PC. The chat command works identically.

If you stream directly from your phone via the Twitch app (broadcast mode or Twitch Studio mobile), an end-of-stream menu shows a Raid a Channel button as soon as you stop the live. You search the username, confirm, the countdown starts.

Twitch Studio mobile

Twitch Studio mobile, the official mobile streaming app, includes a native raid interface in the post-stream menu. That's the cleanest path when you stream IRL or on the move.

Method 4: raiding from Streamlabs / OBS

No native button: use the Stream Manager in a tab

OBS Studio and Streamlabs Desktop don't have a built-in raid button, because they're encoding and capture software, not Twitch clients. The raid feature lives on the Twitch side.

The clean method: keep a Twitch Stream Manager tab open in your browser while you stream, alongside your encoding software. When you want to raid, switch to that tab, click the Raid Channel quick action, pick the target. That's the path recommended by most OBS streamers.

Streamlabs Desktop: integrated chat widget

Streamlabs Desktop shows a chat widget in its sidebar. You can type /raid channelname directly there, without going to the browser. It's faster if you want to raid in a single action without switching windows.

Raid etiquette: do's and don'ts

Notify the target channel when possible

If you know the target streamer (Discord, X, previous interactions), send a short message 5 to 10 minutes before the end of your stream: "wrapping up in X min, was thinking of raiding you if that's cool". Not mandatory but appreciated, and it largely increases your chances of being raided back one day.

If you don't know them, raid anyway: it's the community norm, no one gets upset over a friendly surprise raid.

Prep a raid message for your viewers

Before typing the command, tell your chat: "we're raiding [streamer], they stream [game], be nice, drop a follow if you vibe". Give the context and the tone. Your viewers have 10 seconds to understand what's happening and land ready to interact, instead of landing confused.

You can also configure an automatic raid message in your settings: it shows up in the receiving channel's chat as your viewers arrive.

Avoid raids into inappropriate channels

Never raid a channel whose content or community doesn't align with yours. No political raid into gaming, no 18+ raid into family-friendly, no trash raid into chill community. Your viewers will hate it, and the receiving channel may block you for good.

Receiving a raid: what to do

Enable or disable incoming raids

Go to Creator Dashboard → Settings → Moderation → Raids. There you can enable or disable incoming raids, restrict them to subscribers, or block specific accounts. By default, everything is open.

If you start getting unwanted raids (rare when you're small, more common past 1,000 followers), this is where you filter.

Welcome the raid and run a !so

When a raid lands, two reflexes. First salute the raider by name as soon as they show in your chat ("thanks [username] for the raid"). Second, mention their channel out loud for your audience and run a shoutout: /shoutout channelname or !so channelname (if you've set up the chatbot command).

The shoutout displays a visual card in your chat with the raider's username, avatar and last streamed category. It's the minimum respect signal back for the raid received.

Block unwanted raids

If a channel raids you repeatedly in a hostile way (hate raid), you can block that specific account in Settings → Moderation → Raids → Block this raider. Twitch has also deployed an anti-hate-raid system that auto-detects suspicious mass raids and offers a one-click response.

Troubleshooting: my raid isn't working

"User cannot be raided": the target is offline or restrictive

Most frequent cause. You can only raid a channel currently live. If the target streamer just stopped or is in rerun mode, the command fails. Check on twitch.tv/channelname if they're red (LIVE) or grey.

Other cause: the target channel has disabled incoming raids or restricted them to subscribers. Nothing you can do except message the streamer directly.

Countdown restarts or doesn't start

Occasional bug on PC: reload your Twitch tab (F5), retype the command. If it persists, clear browser cache. On mobile, force-close and reopen the app.

If the issue continues on both platforms, it's likely a Twitch-side incident: check status.twitch.tv to confirm.

The raid lands but viewers don't follow

The incoming viewer count on the raided channel side is cleaned of bots and inactive accounts by Twitch in real time. If you stream with 50 viewers and 35 are bots or inactive accounts (typical case of a channel that's been hit with past viewbotting), only 15 real people will land. That's an anti-fraud safeguard, not a bug.

Turning a raid moment into more reach

The raid moment itself (the last 30 seconds of your stream, your announcement message, the countdown, the transition) stays one of the highest-energy passages of your lives: peak interaction, peak vibe, emotional payoff. That's exactly the kind of sequence that performs as a TikTok clip or YouTube Shorts.

The app I'm building for Twitch streamers, Snowball, the platform that auto-detects clippable moments in Twitch streams, converts these sequences into vertical short-form formats in minutes. You get your best raid moments as publishable clips, and you stretch a 10-second on-stream action into days of additional reach.

Conclusion

Four methods, one core command: /raid channelname in chat does the job on every platform (PC, mobile, OBS, Streamlabs). The Stream Manager gives you the visual version if you prefer clicking over typing. The mobile app handles native post-stream raids. And OBS / Streamlabs rely on Twitch in the background via a browser tab.

The real questions aren't technical: it's who you raid (similar size, same category, currently live), when you raid (end of stream only), and how you brief your audience during the 10-second countdown. You can decide whether raiding is worth it even with 2 viewers, figure out what to do when you receive a raid for the first time, drop a proper shoutout to your raiders, and handle the rare hostile raids on the moderation side.

FAQ

What is a Twitch raid?

A Twitch raid is the action of sending your current live viewers to another streamer's channel at the end of your stream. You type the command in your chat, a 10-second countdown starts, and your audience is automatically redirected to the target channel with a visible message in the receiving chat. It's the only Twitch feature that actually transfers a live audience from one live stream to another.

How do you start a raid on Twitch?

Two main methods. The fast one: type /raid channelname in your chat while streaming. The visual one: open your Stream Manager (Creator Dashboard), find the Raid Channel quick action, pick your target from suggestions or via search. Both trigger the same 10-second countdown before the redirect.

How long is the Twitch raid countdown?

10 seconds since October 2022. Before that, the countdown was 90 seconds, but Twitch shortened it because the drop in viewers waiting through 90 seconds was killing the raid payoff. You can cancel at any time with /unraid or via the Cancel Raid button shown on screen while the countdown runs.

How do you cancel a Twitch raid?

Type /unraid in your chat while the 10-second countdown is still running. You can also click Cancel Raid in the visual widget that appears on screen during the wait. Once the countdown ends, the raid is gone and you can't pull it back: your viewers are already on the other channel.

Can you raid from the Twitch mobile app?

Yes, from the official Twitch app on iOS and Android. When you end a mobile stream (via Twitch Studio or the main app in broadcast mode), an end-of-stream menu shows a Raid a Channel option. You search the username, confirm, and the 10-second countdown starts just like on PC. The /raid command also works if you have chat access.

How many viewers do you need to raid on Twitch?

No technical minimum. The /raid command works even with 0 viewers in chat, but the point is moot since you're sending no one. With 1 viewer present, the raid is valid and the receiving channel sees one new spectator land with a friendly message. The gesture matters more than the volume, especially when you're building a network of small streamers.

Do bots and viewbots count in a Twitch raid?

No. Twitch filters inactive, suspicious and bot-flagged accounts before the transfer. The incoming viewer count shown on the receiving channel side is cleaned in real time: if you stream with 50 viewers and 30 are bots, roughly 20 real people will land. That's also why viewbots aren't useful for fraudulent raid stacking.

How do you receive a raid on Twitch?

Receiving raids is automatic if you have raids enabled in your moderation settings (Creator Dashboard → Settings → Moderation → Raids). When someone raids you, a native Twitch alert pops in your Stream Manager, a system message appears in your chat ("X is raiding with N viewers"), and your overlay alerts (Streamlabs, StreamElements) play the configured raid sound and animation.