How to Rewind a Twitch Stream

You’re enjoying a Twitch stream when suddenly something amazing occurs and you’re confused. You scramble to find something to rewatch this epic event but unfortunately, Twitch lacks a rewind feature, making it more difficult than YouTube to rewatch exciting moments. But there is still hope, whether it is checking old broadcasts or using browser extensions, here are a few ways to go back on a Twitch stream.

Is Twitch Ever Getting a Rewind Feature?

For many years, Twitch users have desired the rewind option, but no action has been taken to implement it. The main issue is that Twitch is designed solely for real-time engagement, and incorporating the rewind feature would require a total overhaul of the current stream infrastructure. In 2021, Twitch tested a feature that permitted viewers to jump back 30 seconds during the stream. This feature was called “Rewind the Stream.”

It was not made available for general use, and Twitch has been silent ever since. At this point, there is still no confirmation on whether they are developing a rewind option similar to YouTube. If they decide to bring the feature back, there will most likely be a cap to how far the rewind feature will allow you to go into the live stream, and it’s unlikely to be hours.

How to Rewind a Twitch Stream with a Browser Extension

Twitch users can use third-party extensions on their browsers to watch previous Twitch streams. One of the best options available is the Twitch DVR Player, which allows users to watch old streams again.

How to Install Twitch DVR Player:

1. Works on Google Chrome (not available for Firefox or Edge).
2. Download it from the Chrome Web Store and install it.
3. Refresh your Twitch page, and the extension will activate.

How to Use It:

1. A DVR button will appear on the Twitch player.
2. Click it to enable rewinding.
3. Use the scroll bar to rewind up to 30 minutes, depending on when you joined.
4. Switch back to the live stream anytime.

However, this only works if the streamer has VODs enabled. If they’ve turned them off, the extension won’t be able to rewind anything.

Rewinding a Twitch Stream by Using Recent Broadcasts

You can rewind some parts of a stream even while it’s live. You can do it if the streamer saves their past broadcasts or VODs.

How to Do It:

• Visit the streamer’s Twitch channel.
• Open the “Videos” section.
• Choose the most recent VOD (it might show “LIVE” if the stream is ongoing).
• Use the timeline bar to rewind and watch from an earlier point.

This is the only thing Twitch offers closest to a rewind feature. However, this won’t work if the streamer has their VODs disabled.

How to Rewind a Twitch Stream with Clips

Twitch has a Clip feature that allows viewers to save moments they find exciting from a live stream. If you want a moment to be saved, you can create a clip and watch it again by this process:

How to Make a Clip:

1. Hit the Clip button (it looks like a clapperboard) in the bottom right area of the Twitch player.
2. After clicking, a new window pops up with 90 seconds of the stream.
3. Slide the slider left or right to record 60 seconds of footage.
4. Save and title your clip.

Things to Know About Clips:

• You cannot wind back beyond 90 seconds.
• Clips are public and anyone can go to watch them.
• Streamers can disable clips.