Twitch chat commands: complete setup guide (2026)

Twitch chat is the heartbeat of your stream — but unmoderated chat is a liability. A small library of commands turns chat into something that runs itself during your broadcast. Here are the commands worth knowing in 2026, from built-in moderator tools to the bot commands every Affiliate-and-up channel runs.

Built-in moderator commands (no bot needed)

Per Twitch's official chat-commands reference, these work without any third-party setup. You need broadcaster or moderator status to use most.

• /ban [username] [reason] — permanent ban from channel
• /unban [username] — reverse a ban
• /timeout [username] [seconds] [reason] — temporary mute. Default 10 minutes. Common values: 60 (warning), 600 (10 min), 86400 (24h)
• /untimeout [username] — lift a timeout early
• /slow [seconds] — slow chat mode, viewers can only message every X seconds
• /slowoff — disable slow mode
• /followers [minutes] — restrict chat to followers only, with optional minimum follow age (e.g. /followers 30 = followers of 30+ minutes)
• /followersoff — open chat to non-followers
• /subscribers — subscriber-only chat (toggle)
• /subscribersoff — disable sub-only chat
• /uniquechat — disallow repeated/identical messages (replaces deprecated /r9kbeta)
• /emoteonly — emote-only chat
• /clear — clear all chat messages on viewers' screens
• /marker [optional label] — mark a timestamp in your VOD for easy clip later
• /raid [channel] — initiate a raid at end of stream
• /host [channel] — deprecated (host removed early 2023 per Twitch's announcement)

Viewer-side commands worth knowing

• /me [text] — italicize your message in chat (e.g. "/me waves")
• /color [hex or name] — change your username color (Turbo / Prime users only)
• /whisper [user] [message] or /w — DM a viewer (must be enabled by them in settings)
• /block [user] — block a viewer (hides their chat from you)
• /help — list all available commands for your role

Nightbot — the de-facto custom-command bot

Nightbot is free and the most-used chat bot on Twitch. Setup takes 60 seconds: log in with Twitch, click "Join Channel", mod the bot (/mod nightbot).

Most-used Nightbot custom commands:

• !discord — link to your Discord. Setup: !commands add !discord https://discord.gg/yourserver
• !socials — link to your Twitter / TikTok / YouTube
• !schedule — your stream schedule
• !setup — your gear / specs list (mic, keyboard, mouse, PC build)
• !youtube — link to most recent YouTube upload
• !sub — "Want to support the stream? Sub here: https://twitch.tv/yourchannel/subscribe"
• !lurk — chat-friendly way for viewers to say they're watching but not chatting
• !uptime — Nightbot built-in, shows how long stream has been live
• !followage — shows when a viewer started following (popular for moments of recognition)

StreamElements — the more-feature-loaded alternative

StreamElements overlaps with Nightbot but adds: loyalty-point system, raffles, betting/predictions, and tighter overlay integration. If you're already using StreamElements for your overlay, use their chat bot too — one less integration to manage.

StreamElements-specific commands worth knowing:

• !points — viewer's loyalty-point balance
• !give [user] [amount] — transfer points to another viewer
• !bet [outcome] [amount] — viewer bets on stream prediction
• !raffle [duration] — start a chat raffle, e.g. "!raffle 60" for 60 seconds

Custom commands every streamer should set up in their first 24 hours

• !socials — links to all your other accounts (TikTok and YouTube clip channels are how new viewers find you)
• !discord — your community hub
• !schedule — when you stream
• !sub — direct subscribe link with brief value pitch
• !commands — Nightbot auto-built, lists all your custom commands

Auto-mod settings worth tweaking

• AutoMod level — Twitch's built-in word filter. Start at level 2-3, dial up if you stream to younger audiences.
• Followers-only chat for first 60 minutes of stream — reduces drive-by trolls during your most-vulnerable startup window
• Banned words list — add your name's most-common misspellings, your previous chat-toxics, slurs
• Slow mode of 3-5 seconds — only when chat is moving fast enough that messages blur together

Common chat-management mistakes

• Permanent-banning over timeout. /ban is for genuine bad-actors. /timeout is for warnings, slip-ups, and "that wasn't cool."
• Not modding ANYONE. Mod 1-3 trusted regulars early. They'll catch what you miss while gaming.
• Over-modding. If chat feels like a library, viewers stop talking and the parasocial energy dies.
• Forgetting !lurk. Many viewers are at-work or doing-something-else and feel weird saying "hi" then going silent. !lurk lets them check in without committing to chat-participation.

The 5-command MVP for new streamers

If you're just hitting Affiliate and want the minimum-viable command set up before tomorrow's stream:

• !socials — your other accounts
• !sub — subscribe link
• !lurk — lurker greeting
• !discord — your Discord
• !uptime — Nightbot built-in

Set those 5 up + mod Nightbot + enable AutoMod level 2. That's enough for the first 50-200 CCV phase. Add more commands as your community develops in-jokes and recurring questions.

TL;DR

• Built-in moderator commands cover bans/timeouts/slow-mode without any setup.
• Nightbot is free, takes 60 seconds, and handles 90% of bot needs.
• Start with 5 custom commands: !socials, !sub, !lurk, !discord, !uptime.
• AutoMod level 2-3 + followers-only first 60 minutes = solid baseline protection.

Ready to put this into practice?

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