StreamLive ProThe guest link does not work
Guest link not working? Usually it expired after 4 hours or your studio was closed, so the room is gone. What the guest sees, what it means, and how to fix it fast.
When a guest says your invite link does not work, the most likely cause is that the room behind the link is not there: the link is valid for 4 hours from when you created it, and the room also goes away when you close the studio and do not come back. The guest then sees "This invite link isn't active right now" or "Room has expired". The fix is to open the studio, click New link in the invite window, and send the new link. The second most likely cause is on the guest's side: the link opened inside another app, or the browser blocked the camera.
One link serves every guest, so if it works for one guest and not for another, the problem is with that guest's phone, browser or network.
Symptom, likely cause, fix
| What the guest sees | Likely cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| "This invite link isn't active right now" | Your studio is closed, or the link expired | Open the studio; if it still fails, create a new link and send it |
| "Room has expired" | 4 hours passed since the link was created | Click New link in the invite window and send it |
| "This room is full right now" | The room already has as many guests as your plan allows | Remove a guest who left, or see When you reach a limit: what the message means |
| "Connected, waiting for host..." and nothing more | Your studio tab is closed, hidden or asleep, so nothing answers the guest | Open the studio and keep its tab in front |
| "Connecting is taking longer than usual" | The guest's network blocks the call (an office or hotel Wi-Fi, for example) | The guest switches to another Wi-Fi, mobile data or a hotspot |
| A black page, or the camera never asks | The link opened inside WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram or another app | The guest opens the link in Safari or Chrome |
| The page does not open at all | The link was cut or changed when copied | Send it again with the copy button, or by WhatsApp or e-mail from the invite window |
Steps
- Open your studio first. The guest joins your studio. Open Live stream for a live, or Podcast for a podcast, and keep the tab in front while guests arrive.
- Ask what the guest's screen says. The guest page explains the problem in words. Match it to the table above.
- Send a fresh link if in doubt. In the invite window, click New link and send the new link to every guest. The window can copy the link or send it by WhatsApp or e-mail.
- Keep the studio open. There is no waiting room to switch on: guests come in by themselves, muted, as soon as your studio tab answers them. If the tab is closed or hidden, they stay at "Connected, waiting for host...".
- Check the room size. Live-studio rooms and podcast or video-call rooms each have a guest number set by your plan. When the room is full, the next guest is told so.
- Have the guest open the link in a real browser. Safari on iPhone, Chrome on Android, or Chrome, Edge or Safari on a computer. Not inside a social app.
- Have the guest allow camera and microphone. If they refused, they can fix it in the browser's site settings and reload. Steps: My camera does not work in the browser.
- Try another network. If the guest stays on "connecting", a different Wi-Fi or a phone hotspot usually solves it.
Before the next show
- Create the link close to the show: it works for 4 hours from when you create it.
- Keep the studio open from the moment you send the link.
- Send the guest Join a live as a guest from your phone beforehand, if they join from a phone.
- Run a short test call with a new guest a day before.
More on invitations and what you control: Guests and invitations — bringing people into the room.
When to contact support
If you created a new link, your studio is open, the guest uses Safari or Chrome on a working network, and they still cannot join, write to [email protected]. Send the time, the guest's device and browser, the exact text on the guest's screen (a screenshot is best), and whether it was a live or a podcast.
Frequently asked questions
How long is a guest link valid?
Four hours from when you create it. After that the guest sees that the room expired, and you make a new link from the invite window.
Do I need a separate link for each guest?
No. One link serves all guests. If you make a new link, send the new one to everyone.
The link worked yesterday. Why not today?
It expired. Links last 4 hours. Create a new one before each show.
Does the guest need an account or the app?
No. The guest only needs the link and a browser.
What does the guest see if my studio is closed?
That the invite link is not active right now, and that the host may have closed the room. The page keeps trying in the background, so it connects once you open the studio, as long as the link has not expired.
Keep reading
Can't hear a guest in your live? Usually the guest arrived muted, joined without a microphone, or picked the wrong mic. The checks for host and guest, in order.
A guest cannot join because the room is fullA guest sees "This room is full right now"? Your plan sets how many people a room seats. Who counts, how to free a place, and when to upgrade.
Echo during a live stream with guestsEcho in a live with guests usually comes from someone using speakers instead of headphones, or watching the live in another tab. How to find who and fix it.
Echo cancellation and noise suppression explainedEcho cancellation removes your speakers from your microphone; noise suppression removes background sound. What each does, its limits, and the StreamLive Pro settings.
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