Visit our Accounts & Billing page for instructions about how to create a Switcher Studio account. When you create a new Switcher Studio account, you'll receive a free 14-day trial.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here you'll find the answers to life's big questions. OK, maybe not, but you will find the answers to Switcher Studio's big questions. These should help you determine whether Switcher is a fit for your needs and how to create your account. If you're looking for app tutorials instead, visit our Help Center.
Free Trial
- How do I create an account (and a free trial)?
- When does my free trial start?
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Your free 14-day trial starts as soon as you sign up for a Switcher Studio account either through the mobile app or on our website.
- What happens when my free trial ends?
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When your free 14-day trial ends, you can choose to subscribe to one of our three Switcher Studio plans. If you do not sign up for a paid subscription plan, your account will become inactive, and you will not be able to stream or record with Switcher.
- What is included in the free trial?
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The 14-day free trial includes almost everything Switcher has to offer. You can find a complete list of features included on our Free Trial Breakdown.
- What plan is the trial most similar to?
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The trial experience is the same as our Standard plan with the following exceptions:
- Video Chat: The trial allows 1 remote guest to join via Video Chat at a time and includes 5 hours of Video Chat time, whereas the Standard plan allows up to 2 remote guests at a time and includes 30 hours of Video Chat time per month.
- Cloud storage: The trial does not include Switcher Cloud storage for media assets (logos, graphics, prerecorded video, etc.) for your videos. The Standard plan includes Switcher Cloud storage for up to 100 media assets.
- YouTube integration: Our YouTube integration, which allows you to link your Switcher account to YouTube and stream there directly, is disabled during the trial, but it is included on the Standard plan.
- Watermark: The Switcher Studio logo, which you’ll see on your streams during your trial, will not be on your future broadcasts once you subscribe to any paid plan.
Check out our Pricing page for a complete side-by-side comparison of all Switcher’s paid plans.
Subscribing & Paying
- How do I sign up for a paid subscription?
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Back to topVisit our Accounts & Billing page for instructions about how to sign up for a paid Switcher Studio subscription. You can upgrade to a paid subscription any time during or after your free 14-day trial. If you do not sign up for a paid subscription at the end of the trial, your account will become inactive, and the app will not function.
- What payment methods can I use to pay for Switcher?
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We accept almost all major credit and debit cards. If you are purchasing bulk licenses or want to prepay for 2+ years, we can issue a purchase order (PO). Email support@switcherstudio.com to request a PO.
- Can I change or pause my subscription?
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You can upgrade or downgrade your subscription at any time. Check out our Account & Billing page for step-by-step instructions about how to change your Switcher subscription. Currently, we do not offer a way to pause subscriptions.
- What happens if I change my plan?
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If you upgrade or downgrade your plan in the middle of your billing cycle, your features will be updated immediately based on your new plan. You will be charged a prorated amount (or potentially receive a credit if you’re downgrading), and your renewal date will change. Our Account & Billing page includes more details and examples of how billing works when you make a change to your Switcher subscription.
You can cancel your subscription at any time using the Switcher Studio Dashboard, but the cancellation will become effective at the end of your current billing period. If you’re on an annual plan, your cancellation will be effective at the end of the 12-month period. You will continue to have access to your Switcher Studio account until the cancellation date. Our Account & Billing page has easy-to-follow instructions about how to cancel your Switcher subscription.
Technical Requirements
- What can I use to stream with Switcher?
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Switcher Studio runs on iOS devices and uses the cameras from iOS devices — iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches. You cannot bring in third-party cameras like Androids, DSLRs, or Mevos. (You can, however, bring in Mac webcams using Switcher Cast.)
- What iOS devices are compatible with Switcher Studio?
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You can use Switcher Studio on iPhones, iPads, and iPod Touches on iOS 13 or newer. View the complete list of compatible devices in our Help Center.
- Can I use Switcher with a green screen or virtual background?
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Switcher does not have a built-in green screen feature. You can, however, use a third-party green screen app that works with iOS devices. For more info, view our Help Center article on using green screens and chroma keying with Switcher Studio.
- What is the minimum internet speed to use Switcher?
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To stream with Switcher, you’ll need a consistent upload speed of at least 3 Mbps. We recommend checking your speed at a site like speedof.me/. Make sure to test your speed in an environment similar to the one in which you’ll be running your production. (For instance, if you plan to stream in a busy public location, make sure to test the speed when the location is busy.) Speeds can vary, so ensure you’re consistently getting at least 3 Mbps before you stream.
- What gear do I need to start using Switcher?
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All you need to start using Switcher is an iOS device with the Switcher Studio app installed, a Switcher Studio account, and a data or Wi-Fi connection. However, if you want to have a more robust production, we recommend connecting additional iOS devices to capture more angles.
- Can I use an external audio source, mixer, or soundboard with Switcher?
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By default, Switcher uses the built-in mic of your main device. If you want to use a different audio source, check out our Help Center articles on connecting and managing internal and external audio sources with Switcher Studio.Back to top
- Can I use Switcher on a computer?
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Switcher Studio is an iOS application, so it cannot be used on a computer. You can, however, bring your computer’s webcam (Mac) or screen (Mac or PC) into the videos that you stream or record with Switcher. This is done with a complementary app called Switcher Cast.
- Can I use Switcher on an Android device?
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No, Switcher Studio will only run on iOS devices, so it is not compatible with Android devices. For more info, check out our Help Center article on our experiments with Android. (Though you can’t use an Android as one of your local cameras, you can invite remote guests to join from any device — including Androids and computer webcams — using Switcher’s Video Chat feature.)
Functionality
- What is the Switcher Studio Dashboard?
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The Switcher Studio Dashboard is your online (browser-based) account hub where you can manage your Switcher account and access some of Switcher’s more advanced features, like Video Chat and Switcher Cloud storage. Once you have a Switcher account, you can access the Dashboard at dashboard.switcherstudio.com.
- Can I present slides during my broadcast?
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Yes, you can bring in slides from PowerPoint, ProPresenter, or any presentation software that runs on Macs, PCs, or iOS devices. To do this, you must use Switcher Cast to screenshare your computer or iOS device screen into your Switcher production.
- Can I see comments people make on my livestream?
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The Comments tab in the Switcher Studio app shows real-time comments from your streams on Facebook. This allows you to engage with commenters during your stream. The Standard and Plus plans also allow you to display these comments inside your videos for others to see. Only comments on Facebook streams show up within the Comments tab.
Remote Guests
- Can I have a guest join my broadcast from another location?
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Yes, you can invite remote guests to join your stream via Video Chat. They can join from anywhere in the world and any device (computer or smartphone) with a browser and a camera.
- How many remote guests can join a show via Video Chat?
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This varies by plan. On the Essentials plan, you can have one remote guest at a time. On the Standard plan, you can have two remote guests at a time. On the Plus plan, you can have four remote guests at a time.
- What gear do remote guests need in order to join via Video Chat?
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Just a smartphone or a computer! Guests can join from any device with a browser and a camera — you simply send them a URL, which they open to join your Video Chat. Guests don’t need a Switcher Studio account, and they don’t need to download the Switcher app.
- Can I record without going live?
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Yes, totally, lots of people use Switcher this way! Even if you don’t want to livestream, Switcher lets you record multiple angles without having to edit footage together in post-production. Switcher even has a feature called Director Mode that lets you simultaneously record each angle in HD.
Livestreaming & Platforms
- Can I stream my live video to multiple platforms?
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Switcher Studio does not have a built-in simulcasting feature for streaming to multiple platforms (for example, Facebook and YouTube) simultaneously. You can, however, connect Switcher with numerous third-party simulcasting tools, including Castr and Switchboard. Connecting one of these tools to Switcher lets you combine Switcher’s editing features with their simulcasting features.
- Which platforms does Switcher integrate with?
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Switcher has direct integrations with Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitch, and Microsoft Stream. Switcher also lets you stream to nearly every other destination, including Twitter/Periscope, using Custom RTMP. A notable exception is Instagram — unfortunately it’s against Instagram’s policies for third-party apps to stream to their platform.
- Can I stream to Instagram?
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Unfortunately, it is not possible for third-party apps to stream to Instagram in a way that’s compliant with their policies, so the only way to stream to Instagram is to use the native Instagram app. As soon as Instagram opens an API that will enable us to build an integration, we’ll get on it!
- What stream quality settings are available for Switcher videos?
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Switcher can stream at 270p, 360p, 540p, 720p, and 1080p (beta). If you’re streaming to Facebook or using Custom RTMP, you can even use Switcher’s speed test feature to help you choose the streaming quality that’s right for your network.
- Can I livestream to our website and not a social platform?
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Yes, you’ll simply need to embed the video player for your livestream into your website. For instance, you can schedule a private livestream on YouTube and then embed the video player on your website ahead of time so that the stream is accessible only on your website. Check out our Help Center articles on embedding YouTube videos and embedding Facebook videos.
- Can I limit who sees my stream?
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Yes, Switcher lets you create private streams on Facebook, YouTube, and LinkedIn. (This option is not available for Twitch.) Many platforms that use Custom RTMP also enable private streaming. You must simply set your stream to private on the platform itself before going live to that platform via RTMP from Switcher.
- Can I schedule my broadcast?
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Yes, scheduling is available for Facebook and YouTube. You can schedule a broadcast up to 7 days in advance on these platforms. Check out our Help Center article on scheduling Facebook Live streams. (You must have a subscription to Switcher’s Standard or Plus plan to schedule streams. Scheduling is not included in the Essentials plan.)
Video, Content, & Assets
- Can I access my video after my broadcast?
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Yes, after a stream, your video is stored in the Switcher app on your main device. If you’d like to store it somewhere else, check out our Help Center article on moving or copying your Switcher Studio recordings.
- Can I use custom graphics and colors?
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Yes, totally! Switcher Studio lets you upload and store your own on-brand creative assets, like logos, lower thirds, graphics, and more. You can also customize the colors, fonts, and sizes of Switcher’s built-in templates, including titles, lower thirds, and overlays. Switcher even lets you save swatches of your brand colors for easy access to approved hues. You can choose colors using a rainbow palette, RGB, or Hex/CSS codes.
- Can I share video assets with other people at my company?
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Yes, on Switcher Studio’s Plus plan, which includes licenses for multiple team members, you can upload and store shared assets so that everyone on your team always has access to on-brand creative assets.
Miscellaneous
- How do I contact Support?
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The best way to contact the Support team is through the messaging tool inside the Switcher Studio app or on the Dashboard. To access the messaging tool from the app, tap the question mark icon in the bottom right of the launch screen. To access it from the Dashboard, click the word bubble icon in the bottom right of any page. If you’re unable to use the messaging tool, you can email support@switcherstudio.com with your questions.
- Do you have a referral or affiliate program?
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We have a Switcher Affiliate Program that you can learn more about here.
We currently do not have a referral program.