All that said, navigating Twitch as a newbie can be a little confusing. So, if this is your first time on the platform, naturally you’d wonder how you can check your chat logs.
What Is Twitch?
Image Source: Unsplash.com On the surface, Twitch could be seen as a live streaming platform created solely for gamers. The majority of its population are gamers broadcasting their gameplay for other gamers to watch. However, since COVID-19 trapped most of society at home with nothing else to do, Twitch has slowly started including other creators on its platform e.g., musicians, singers, artists, and many others. There have even been a few TV shows aired on the platform, on top of concerts, digital tours, and more. We have articles that cover other chat platforms, eg Enable Camera on Omegle and we will post more as we write them. This article is about Twitch on your laptop. If you are using a different device, check out our guide on activating Twitch on XBox/Playstation/Android.
What Are Twitch Chat Logs?
If you’re unfamiliar with Twitch chat, it’s a vertical window that appears on the right-hand side of your stream. It was designed so that gamers could interact with other players while in-game. Nowadays, it’s also used by content creators to chat with their fans while live streaming. Viewers may also interact with other viewers during a stream via Twitch chat. This has allowed millions of users to create online communities with like-minded people across the world. Twitch logs are essentially a streamer’s entire Twitch chat history. It’s a recording of all the exchanges conducted on a Twitch chat. Twitch Streams (VOD) are different, and we have a whole post on how to save Twitch Streams.
Why Monitor Twitch Chat Logs?
There are many reasons why a user may want to monitor their Twitch chat logs. Below are some of the most common (and most important ones) in our opinion:
To find which content strikes the most attention
Consumer behavior is a fickle thing. For a streamer to be successful, you need to get the attention of your audience consistently during your streams. The only way to do that is to stay in sync with viewer tastes and behaviors. The more you know about what your audience likes and dislikes, the easier it will be for you to come up with content that sells. Otherwise, your audience might not feel as motivated to continue watching your stream and leave.
Moderate viewer actions and reactions
Hecklers don’t just exist in the physical world; there are a bunch of them swimming around in the virtual world as well. These people typically get into arguments with other viewers, leave hateful comments about a stream, and cause a lot of annoying ruckus. During these instances, streamers won’t be able to take immediate action in the chat. Checking the chat logs at a later time and removing inappropriate comments or blocking people from ever entering a stream again is the best way to resolve the issue.
Acquire accurate insight
When you check your chat logs, you get a better sense of which viewers are your most loyal fans and which aren’t. This helps you identify which portion of your audience you should pay more attention to. That way, you can create more content that appeals to their tastes and nature.
How to View Twitch Chat Logs
Now that we’ve discussed why you should review your Twitch chat logs, let’s talk about how you can do it as a streamer or moderator. Streamers and moderators have the power to check Twitch chat history by user. There are several ways that can be done, including:
1. User Search Command
This is the simplest way you can check your Twitch chat log by user. You simply enter a command into the Twitch search bar and it’ll show you the results you need. In this case, the command is “/user” only, instead of typing the word “user” you type the name of the user whose chat log you want to check. Example: /tootsierollsareawesome72 This command can get you several pieces of information about a user, such as:
The date they made their account How many messages they left on your channel and what they contained How many times the server has timed them out How many times they were banned Comments left by Mods (moderators) about them
2. Third-Party Programs
Third-party programs such as “Chatty” are popular among streamers looking for ways to check chat logs. This software is open-source and for free. It also has a wide selection of tools that outdo the native tools you find on Twitch. You can search and store chat logs on Chatty, so pulling up chat history can be a piece of cake in the future. It’s also a great way to back up data so you don’t lose anything important in case of an application error.
3. Video on demand (VOD)
Live sessions can be recorded on Twitch. All you have to do is activate the VOD feature on your stream. To do this, perform the following steps:
Go to “Creator Dashboard” on Twitch Look for “Stream Settings” and click Under “VOD Settings” toggle the slider next to the option that says “Save past broadcasts”
Twitch will now automatically record and store your stream on their servers. This file is later posted on your channel where you can replay the entire thing and watch the chat minute by minute. Context can often get lost in chat logs because moderators and streamers won’t often have a reference to what users are saying. VOD is a great way to get more context on user comments. This way they can also see what situations triggered certain reactions from users.
4. Get a moderator
Adding a moderator can make checking chat logs much easier for a streamer. For one, moderators can track chat in real-time, so immediate action is taken against hecklers and other troublemakers. And two, it allows streamers to focus on more important things i.e., their content. To act as a moderator for a Livestream, simply click the sword icon located at the bottom of your screen. This will open “Moderator View,” so you and the streamer will be the only ones who can see the Live Chat.
1. Can viewers also check chat logs?
If you’re online searching “how to check twitch chat logs as a viewer,” you’ll be hard-pressed for answers. The truth is, as of the moment, viewers just can’t access chat logs the way Streamers and Mods can. This is to protect user privacy and information. If you want to see a certain stream’s chat log as a viewer, you can always watch the VODs uploaded on the streamer’s channel.
2. Can chat VODs be accessed indefinitely?
Chat VODs are stored on the Twitch servers for 60 days max. You can’t access these videos once they’re taken down. So, if you want to keep your VODs longer, you should download them onto your computer or a hard drive.
Conclusion
Chat logs are useful tools that ensure both user safety and content effectiveness. Streamers can use their Twitch chat logs to keep their audiences happy and comfortable on their channel. Additionally, they can also use it to improve their content and make it more appealing to viewers. We hope the solutions we provided today have answered most of your questions about Twitch chat logs. If you think we missed anything, feel free to drop us a message on any of our socials!
