How to Check Twitch Chat Logs (Message History, Download Options)

Key Points

• Checking chat logs on Twitch is an essential skill for streamers and moderators.
• There are multiple ways to check chat logs, including using commands, bots, ModView, and the VOD.
• Commands and ModView allow you to check chat logs during a live stream, while bots and the VOD are useful for reviewing older chat logs.
• Third-party services like Nightbot and the Twitch Downloader can be used to download chat logs for record-keeping.

Sometimes, we really want to pull our Twitch chat logs to review what our trolls have said, or we simply need to check a message for some important information. If you’re a Twitch streamer or moderator, checking chat logs is a must-have skill, and we’ll show you how to do it in only a few easy steps.

If you need to go back and review a message for a report, see who won a contest, or check whether someone is trying to dispute a ban, the ability to check chat logs is a critical skill. However, there is more than one way to do it.

If you need to simply check one user’s chats during a live stream, you can use a command or ModView. If you need to go back in time, there are bots and the VOD for that. No matter your needs, we’ve covered it below.

How to Check Twitch Chat Logs for Individual Users

Using commands is the easiest and fastest way to do almost anything on Twitch. If you want to see all the actions in a chat from one specific user, there’s a command that works for that. Simply input the command and reveal the person’s Twitch chat logs.

For our readers who’ve never used commands on Twitch, don’t worry, the process is simple and the commands aren’t complicated. If you want the easiest way to pull your Twitch chat logs, do this:

Note: You can also click the user’s username in the chat to reveal chat logs. However, you must perform this action during the live stream. Otherwise, it won’t work.

Step 1: Type the / key

Click on the chat box during the live stream and type the backslash (/) key.

Step 2: Type User [Username]

Next, type User and whatever the person’s username is, then hit Enter on your keyboard.

Helpful hint: If you type the first part of the command right, you can actually select the command from the pop-up menu.

How to Check Twitch Chat Logs Using Bots

Bots are one of the best ways to moderate Twitch channels and get more features and customization from the platform. Bots on Twitch can even help you check your channel’s chat logs.

One of the more popular chat log bots for Twitch is Chatty, but you can also use Nightbot (which is what we’re using because it’s useful for many other things, as well).

Step 1: Launch the Bot Dashboard

Every bot has an external dashboard, so go to its website and log in to your account.

Step 2: Click on “Logs”

Now, these instructions will differ depending on the bot you’re using to monitor chat logs. We’re using Nightbot so the Logs option is on the menu to the left. Click on it. Then, you can see the chat logs that your bot has saved.

How to Check Twitch Chat Logs Using ModView

ModView is a great resource for creators and moderators alike. It allows you to monitor your streams and perform administrative tasks during live streams quickly. Moreover, you can view a user’s entire chat history using ModView.

If you’re in a live stream right now and need to check the Twitch chat logs, you can do it by following the steps below.

Note: You must perform these steps during the Live Stream. If you need to see older chat logs, visit the next section.

Step 1: Open ModView

Use this link to open the Twitch ModView window. Sign in if prompted and complete any 2FA authentication prompts.

Step 2: Click the Username

Now, locate the user whose chats you want to view. Their chats and activity during the live stream will appear in the window to the right (if you’ve customized the tiles, they may appear somewhere else on the screen).

Now, you can see the chat logs for that user in one simple place.

How to Check Twitch Chat Logs Using the VOD

If you want to go back to an older video and view the entire chat history, this is the method to use. While the methods above work great during a live stream or if you already had a bot set up, this one will work for our readers who need to go back in time to read chat logs.

Here’s what to do:

Step 1: Go to the VOD in Your Twitch Dashboard

Click on this link to go to the Twitch dashboard (where all your content creation and moderation takes place. Log in to your account. Then, select Content and Video Producer.

Step 2: Select the Twitch Video and Scroll the Chat Logs

Now, you’ll see a list of videos in this window. Select the video with the chat logs you need to investigate. Then, scroll the chat looking for the user or message you want to see.

Downloading Twitch Chat Logs

Suppose you need to download your Twitch chat logs and keep them for your records. Unfortunately, you won’t find a download button on Twitch. Instead, you can use third-party services to download your chat logs. Here is a list of more popular options.

Nightbot

Nightbot can do just about anything you need when it comes to taking care of your Twitch channel. But it can also help you retrieve your chat logs and download them. Follow the steps above to use Nightbot to store your chat logs

The Twitch Downloader

Another option to download your chat logs is the Twitch Downloader. Go to GitHub and download the release.zip file and the TwitchdownloaderCLI file that matches your OS. Extract your chat logs and save them to your device.

Wrap Up

Checking your chat logs on Twitch only takes a few steps. But each method provides a different result and has different parameters for success. For example, if you need to view older chat logs, the command option won’t work, but if you need to view them in real time, the VOD method won’t work.

Nonetheless, Twitch’s developers didn’t exactly give us a lot of options to check chat logs. So, adding bots or using the native features that we do have is the only way to check chat logs on Twitch.

The image featured at the top of this post is ©Mar Fernandez/Shutterstock.com.