Search StreamScheme

Stream Scheme

Twitch Error 4000 – Causes & How to Fix

calendar1 Last Updated

The Twitch 4000 error occurs when the video or stream that you are trying to watch cannot be connected to by your internet browser. There are a few possible causes with the most common being audio-related issues. Here are some ways to fix the error and get back to your favorite Twitch content.

While restarting your browser or computer can often help you fix a Twitch error code, there are times where your audio drivers or other systems may be interfering with watching your favorite streamer.

This post will serve as a Twitch error 4000 resource, covering both the possible causes and the fixes for the supported error. Whether you watch streams from the Google Chrome browser or from the Twitch desktop application, you will be able to find the help you need.

Twitch Error 4000 Possible Causes

Understanding what causes the Twitch Error 4000 can help you quickly fix it or avoid it when you are watching your favorite Twitch streams in the future. The following are the causes that may plague your Twitch desktop app or browser version:

  1. 1. Corrupted Cookies – Clear Data

    Bad cookies are the bane of any internet browser and can cause a variety of issues for any website. If these are the root cause, you can clear browsing data and cookies to get back to viewing the Twitch stream.

  2. 2. Media Devices – Reconnect Your Output Device

    Problems with your media devices and their settings can mess with how Twitch processes audio, causing the 4000 error to rear its’ ugly head. Disconnecting and reconnecting your audio devices can help with this, or making sure your audio drivers are properly selected. Also, other applications trying to access your audio devices can clash with Twitch so closing these using task manager can alleviate the issue.

  3. 3. Disconnected from the Internet – Refresh the Connection

    If your connection to Twitch cuts out for a moment, you may not realize and it can stop the video playback from working properly. Double-checking your connection and refreshing the page should handle this cause.

  4. 4. Chrome Settings – Change Settings

    The Google Chrome browser has a lot of different settings and is changing all the time – this can mean that new or old features can interfere with how websites work due to incompatibilities. Changing your autoplay or hardware acceleration options may fix the 4000 error and get that Twitch video playing smoothly once more.

How to Fix the Twitch 4000 Error

There are a few ways you may be able to fix the Twitch Error 4000. These will include the following:

1. Refresh the Page

twitch refresh page

Sometimes, internet browsers and web pages don’t want to cooperate anymore, and an error occurs – a simple refresh can often fix this. Make sure you’re on the tab to experience the problem and press the refresh button next to the address bar.

You can also try using incognito mode to see if you watch the Twitch stream there. Note that you would have to re-login if you want to chat with your username. Twitch Turbo users and Prime subscribers will also need to log in to avoid watching ads on the channel.

If you are using the Twitch desktop app, you may want to restart it to see if it will fix the Twitch Error 4000.

2. Use the Twitch Pop-Out Player

While not a permanent solution, using the pop-out player option for Twitch can make the 4000 error go away. To use the pop-up player as an alternative video format, complete the following steps:

  1. Step 1

    Log in to your Twitch account and visit the channel of your choice. Go to the little cog icon in the bottom right corner of the Twitch video player and click it to open the settings.

  2. Step 2

    twitch popout player

    Click “Pop-out Player” to fix Twitch Error 4000. A new window will open with the content that you were trying to watch playing. If you still encounter the error, try another one of our solutions.

3. Unplug Audio Hardware

If you have more than one audio output device, this can sometimes confuse Twitch and stop the video playback from working correctly. If you unplug your audio devices and try to watch the video or stream with them unplugged, this can tell you if the issue is caused by your favorite pair of headphones or something else. Then, just plug back in the one that you want to use and see if it continues to work normally.

Unfortunately, some audio hardware may activate the Twitch Error 4000 a little more than others, especially if you use a lot of equipment. That being said, once you learn which audio hardware is affecting you, you can unplug the audio device quickly when the error shows up.

4. Select the Correct Audio Drivers

When you don’t have the correct audio drivers selected, it can cause issues processing sound from the video you are trying to watch. Making sure you have the right ones selected can be a simple fix if that is what’s causing the issue.

Here’s how you can see what audio and graphics drivers you use so that you can fix the Twitch Error 4000:

  1. Step 1

    open sound settings

    Right-click on the sound icon in the bottom right-hand corner of your monitor and select, “Open Sound Settings” from the menu.

  2. Step 2

    related settings

    Scroll to the bottom of the window and select, “Sound Control Panel” from the “Related Settings” heading.

  3. Step 3

    playback tab

    Select the “Playback” tab to see your audio and graphics drivers.

  4. Step 4

    set at default device

    Find the audio driver in the list that you want to use, right-click on it, and select, “Set as Default Device.” Then click OK to exit the menu.

  5. Step 5

    Refresh the webpage you are watching on and see if the Twitch Error 4000 is resolved.

5. Change Autoplay Settings

If you’re using Google Chrome, the built-in autoplay feature can cause some issues with video players on various websites (including the Twitch Error 4000). Note that this solution prevents all video autoplay settings in the browser, so you’ll need to manually press play for any audio or video that you want to play from this point on.

  1. Step 1

    chrome flags

    Type in “chrome://flags” into the address bar for chrome.

  2. Step 2

    Find the “Autoplay Policy” heading, either by searching for it or scrolling through all the available flags. If you don’t find the option it just means this fix isn’t available to you. 

  3. Step 3

    Click on the dropdown next to the heading and select “Document User Activation is Required.”

  4. Step 4

    Reopen the site and see if the Twitch error 4000 persists.

6. Close Other Media Players

If you have other applications open on your PC that are trying to process audio, such as Spotify, they can interfere with the audio playback of the Twitch video and give you the Twitch error 4000.

  1. Step 1

    task manager

    Open task manager by right-clicking on your taskbar and navigating to the “Task Manager” option.

  2. Step 2

    end task

    Select the application that is currently playing back audio and click the “End Task” button in the bottom right.

  3. Step 3

    Repeat Step 2 for any applications that are trying to play audio and refresh the Twitch page that you are encountering the 4000 error on.

7. Clear Cookies and Cache

If your cookies or cache are broken this can prevent your browser from functioning correctly – therefore site data is a great step in solving many web-based problems. Here is how you can remove your cached images, cookies, and cached data so that you can fix Twitch Error 4000:

  1. Step 1

    Go to the Settings for Google Chrome. Either type, “chrome://settings” into the address bar or press the 3 dots in the top right corner of the browser and select, “Settings.”

  2. Step 2

    Find, “Privacy and Security” on the left-hand side.

  3. Step 3

    privacy and security

    Select “Clear browsing data.”

  4. Step 4

    clear browsing data

    In the browser history menu, tick the box labeled, “Cookies and other site data” and make sure the other boxes are not selected. Set the time range to, “All time” so that all potentially broken cookies are caught.

  5. Step 5

    Press, “Clear data” and then, as you would with other browser errors, restart your PC. Finally, re-open Chrome as well as the video you were trying to watch and see if the error persists.

8. Enable Hardware Acceleration

Hardware acceleration is a browser setting that allows it to run more efficiently on your PC and can give a better browsing experience. It is also required for some video formats to play correctly in your web browser.

  1. Step 1

    Open the settings on Google Chrome.

  2. Step 2

    settings advanced

    Find the “Advanced” drop-down tab on the left-hand side of the screen.

  3. Step 3

    advanced system settings

    Navigate to the now visible “System” section.

  4. Step 4

    hardware accellerations settings

    Toggle on hardware acceleration if it is currently disabled.

  5. Step 5

    Close and open your browser to trigger the change or restart your PC. Now go to Twitch and see if the error has been resolved.

Conclusion

The 4000 error has a few different causes and as a result, there are quite a few ways to fix it. We hope that we were able to resolve this issue for you with one of the fixes in our article. If you’re still having trouble, feel free to hop in our discord and our community will be able to help you further.

Whether you needed to remove audio hardware like your external speakers, re-launch the web version, or clear your cache, we hope that you were able to get past the error message so that you could get back to enjoying the live video streaming platform. If you still find that you continue to have issues, you may need to reach out to Twitch support.

About the Author

Emrys

Emrys is a games development student and Twitch streamer from the UK. In his streams, he shares his love for video games and their craft. Outside of streaming, he loves gaming with his partner.

Back to top