Going live from the Shosho app
The Shosho app is the fastest way to go live IRL — point your phone, press a button, and your camera is broadcasting.
How to go live
Install the Shosho app
Install on iOS or Android and grant camera and microphone permissions when prompted.
Open the broadcast screen
You’ll see your camera preview, a large Start Stream button, the chat panel, and other controls.
Start the stream
Press Start Stream. A confirmation modal appears showing the user profile you’re streaming as and the Show your stream will broadcast to. Press either panel to change it.
Resolve any setup steps
If you’ve never used the chosen streaming server before, an Attention icon may list setup steps you need to complete — work through them inside Shosho.
Go live
Press Go Live. Your stream shows Connecting, then Live.
Once you’re live:
- Your video is broadcasting to the Streaming Server you selected.
- Your Show is published as a live event to the Nostr network so that it appears on Shosho.live and anywhere else that Nostr live streams are shown.
- Any chat messages from viewers on Shosho or the Nostr network appears in your chat panel.
Tips for setting up before you go live
Setting things up well before you go live will make your live stream stand out more and attract more viewers to join you on your live. Shosho offers many ways to stand out
- Set up your User Profile with username, profile picture, banner and bio
- Set up your Show with a Title, Summary, Image, and Hashtags
See Stream titles and thumbnails for more.
Mobile-specific things to know
Streaming from a phone is different from streaming from a computer. A few things worth knowing:
Camera quality and your internet connection
In Camera Settings, the Default Quality picker has three options that trade picture sharpness against the upload bandwidth your stream needs:
- High — Best quality for strong 5G and Wifi connections
- Medium — Recommended for most users
- Low — Best connectivity for weak cellular connections
Higher quality means a sharper picture but more bandwidth, and it may glitch if your bandwidth drops. Lower quality is less sharp but more stable on weaker connections. A clean Low stream is far better for viewers than a glitching High one.
If your stream is choppy, buffering, or dropping out, open Camera Settings and switch the Default Quality down — from High to Medium, or Medium to Low. Change this before going live.
Permissions
Shosho asks for camera, microphone, and notification permissions on your phone. You must grant camera and microphone permissions in order to go live.
If you stream and the camera preview is black, check the camera permission first.
Background and lock screen
If you lock your phone or switch to another app while streaming, the stream may stop. Live streaming requires the camera to be active, which only works while Shosho is in the foreground.
Network and battery
- Streaming uses ~1–4 GB per hour depending on resolution. On a metered cellular plan, watch your data.
- Streaming drains battery fast — capturing camera, encoding video, and uploading at the same time. Plug in if you’re streaming for more than ~30 minutes.
- Phones get hot when streaming. If your phone overheats, the stream may degrade or stop. Take the case off if needed and avoid direct sunlight.
Portrait vs landscape
Shosho streams in portrait by default so that playback looks great for your viewers on mobile phones. Landscape mode is currently not supported.