Going live starts a real-time session in a space that members join from their browser or the Mateflow app. You can host an Interactive video room, an Interactive audio room, or a Webinar, go live now or schedule it, chat with viewers, and publish a recording as a replay. Everything runs inside Mateflow: there's no streaming software, RTMP stream key, or OBS setup.
Who can do this: Community owners and admins, and the space's admins and moderators. Members can go live in a space when Allow members to go live is on. · Where: Web (Live in the main navigation, or the Live card on a space's page) and the iOS and Android apps. · Plan: Live sessions depend on your platform plan. Which room types you can use, how many people can join, how long sessions run, and your monthly live allowance come from your plan.
Before you go live
- Live must be turned on in the space you'll use. See Turn on events and live streaming in a space. Chat Spaces can't host live sessions.
- If you don't see Start live, there's no space where you're allowed to go live. If the button is greyed out, your plan's live allowance isn't available. See Check live streaming usage and limits.
Start a live session now
- Click Live in the main navigation, then click Start live → Start now. You can also click Start live in the Live card on a space's page.
- Under Start something live, choose Interactive video room, Interactive audio room, or Webinar.
- Under Publish to, choose the space, and enter a Title.
- Optionally adjust Who can join, Who can speak (for a webinar, Raising hands), Screen sharing, Seats, Enable chat, and Allow recording.
- Click Set up the room. Creating the room doesn't notify anyone yet.
- Click Join backstage. Nobody has been notified while you're backstage, so test your camera and microphone.
- When you're ready, click Start for everyone.
When the room opens, members of the space get a notification that you're live (for a session linked to an event, the people who RSVP'd get it instead), and the session shows under Live now on the Live page.
To choose between room types, see Manage a live room: stage, speakers, and participants.
Schedule a live session
- On the Live page, click Start live → Schedule a live session. (Or click Schedule instead while setting up a room.)
- Choose the Type if asked, the space, and a Title.
- Set Starts at and the time zone. The time must be in the future, and you can't change it after the session starts.
- Optionally add a Cover and an About description.
- Optionally pick an event under Link an event (optional) to add RSVPs, reminders, and calendar export. Only upcoming events in the same space are listed. See Create an event.
- Click Create.
The session appears under Upcoming. It doesn't start by itself: when it's time, open it, click Manage, click Set up the room, then join backstage and click Start for everyone.
Chat during a live session
Each session has its own live chat when Enable chat is on (the default). Open Chat in the room to read and send messages; hosts are tagged Host. To slow a busy chat, set Chat slow mode from Manage. The chat closes when the session ends.
Record a live session and publish the replay
Replays aren't created automatically.
- Turn on Allow recording when you set up the room (or Record and publish a replay when you schedule it).
- After the room opens, click Record. Everyone is asked to agree before joining ("This room may be recorded").
- Click Stop recording to finish. Recording can't be restarted in the same room.
After the session, the page shows "Replay is being prepared", then Replay ready. Replays appear in the Replays tab on the Live page and on a linked event's page, and members get a notification that the replay is ready. Recording uses part of your live allowance. See Live replays and recordings.
End a live session
Click End for everyone and confirm. Everyone is disconnected, and the room can't be reopened. Clicking Leave only takes you out of the room. If you're hosting or on stage and try to open another page, Mateflow asks Leave this room? first.
Go live from the mobile app
In the iOS or Android app, open Live and tap New room. Choose Video room, Audio room, or Webinar, pick Start now or Schedule, then tap Create the room or Schedule the room. Host controls, including Start for everyone and End for everyone, are in the room's manage screen.
Troubleshooting: live allowance used up
Symptom: You see Live allowance used up. Why it happens: Your community has used this month's live allowance. Fix: Admins can click View usage to check it. See Check live streaming usage and limits.
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