Substack has introduced a new audio-only livestream option, allowing publishers to connect with their audience without using a camera.
The feature was announced on Tuesday, May 6, 2025, and will begin rolling out next week.
This update offers a more relaxed way for creators to go live, especially for those who prefer to stay off camera or remain anonymous during broadcasts.
To activate the new feature, users simply need to click on the camera icon before going live, which switches the stream to audio-only.
If they later decide to appear on screen, they can turn the video back on at any time.
Despite the lack of visuals, the livestream will still support audience interaction, including comments and subscriptions, just like a regular video stream.
This new addition follows Substack’s earlier move in January when livestreaming was made available to all users.
Before that, only publishers with at least 100 paying subscribers had access to the livestream tool.
With the latest change, Substack continues to expand its features, giving writers and podcasters more flexibility in how they engage with their followers.
