Twitch's streaming software for newbies arrives on Mac

If you’re a Mac user who’s interested in livestreaming but you aren’t sure how best to get started, it might be worth checking out the Twitch Studio Beta, which is available on Mac starting today. Twitch created the software, which debuted on PC in November, for streaming newbies. It has pretty much everything you need to start sharing your esports-level gameplay, cooking skills, musical talents and wit (in Just Chatting streams) with the world.

The idea is to help you start streaming with as few barriers as possible, so Twitch Studio can detect what hardware you have and offers recommended settings during the setup process. You can create different layouts -- you might put together a “be right back” screen, for instance -- and include audio from several devices or apps. More customization options are on the way soon.

If you connect your iPhone or iPad, you’ll be able to share that screen on your stream. That’d come in useful if you’d like to stream mobile games. And of course, the software is fully integrated with Twitch, so when you’re streaming you can see your chat and alerts within Twitch Studio.

You probably won’t need this if you’re already familiar with more advanced streaming software, such as OBS or Streamlabs OBS. For other Mac users, it’s a solid tool to help you start your streaming career. It’s probably best to avoid using copyrighted music on stream, though.