Why and how to connect Amazon Prime and Twitch
Amazon Prime and Twitch are both owned by Amazon, so linking them takes a few clicks and gives you benefits on both platforms. When you connect them, your Prime membership unlocks free channel subscriptions on Twitch — you get one free tier-one subscription per month to any streamer you choose. You also get exclusive emotes, a free monthly game, and ad-free viewing on Twitch if you have Prime Video.
The connection happens through your Amazon account. If you already have Prime Video or Prime shipping, you are already signed into Amazon — you just need to tell Twitch which Amazon account is yours. The whole process takes about two minutes and requires no passwords to be entered twice.
Key Takeaways
- Connecting Prime to Twitch gives you one free tier-one channel subscription per month, exclusive emotes, and ad-free viewing.
- You need an active Amazon Prime membership (either Prime Video or Prime shipping counts) and a Twitch account to make the connection.
- The connection happens on Twitch's website or app by going to your account settings and selecting Prime Gaming.
- Once linked, your free monthly subscription renews on the same date each month, and you can change which channel you subscribe to anytime.
What you need before you start
You need two things: an active Amazon Prime membership and a Twitch account. Your Prime membership can be Prime Video alone, Prime shipping, or Prime Gaming (which includes both). If you are not sure whether you have Prime, go to amazon.com, sign in, and look for "Your Prime membership" in the account menu — it will say active or expired.
Your Twitch account can be brand new. You do not need to have watched streams or followed anyone. If you do not have a Twitch account yet, go to twitch.tv and click "Sign Up" in the top right, then choose to sign up with your email or with your Amazon account directly. Signing up with Amazon is faster because it skips the password step.
How to connect on a computer
Go to twitch.tv and sign in with your Twitch account. In the top right corner, click your profile icon (a small circle with your username or avatar). From the dropdown menu, click "Settings."
On the left side of the settings page, click "Connections." You will see a list of services you can connect to Twitch — Amazon Prime Gaming will be near the top. Click the "Connect" button next to it.
Twitch will ask you to confirm that you want to connect your Amazon account. Click "Authorize" or "Connect" (the exact wording changes, but the button is always in the same place). You will be taken to an Amazon sign-in page if you are not already signed in. Sign in with the Amazon account that has your Prime membership.
After you sign in, Amazon will ask for permission to share your Prime status with Twitch. Click "Allow" or "Agree." You will be sent back to Twitch, and the connection is complete. The "Connect" button will now say "Connected" or show a checkmark.
How to connect on a phone or tablet
Open the Twitch app and tap your profile icon at the bottom right of the screen. Tap "Settings" (the gear icon). Scroll down and tap "Connections."
Find "Prime Gaming" in the list and tap "Connect." You will be taken to a sign-in screen. Sign in with the Amazon account that has your Prime membership. After you sign in, tap "Allow" when Amazon asks for permission to share your Prime status.
You will return to the Twitch app, and the connection is done. If you are already signed into Amazon on your phone, the process skips the sign-in step and goes straight to the permission screen.
What happens after you connect
Once your Prime membership is linked, you will see a purple "Prime Gaming" badge next to your username on Twitch. You will also see a "Prime Gaming" section in your account settings showing that the connection is active.
Your free monthly subscription appears in your account as a benefit you can use anytime. You do not have to use it right away. When you find a streamer you want to support, go to their channel and click "Subscribe." You will see an option to use your Prime Gaming subscription for free instead of paying. Click that option, and the subscription is applied to that channel.
Your free subscription renews on the same date each month. If you subscribed on the 15th, your next free subscription becomes available on the 15th of the next month. You can change which channel you subscribe to whenever you want — just unsubscribe from one channel and subscribe to another using your free tier.
Troubleshooting a failed connection
If the connection does not go through, the most common reason is that you are signed into Twitch with one Amazon account but trying to connect a different Amazon account. Sign out of Twitch completely, then sign back in using the same Amazon account that has your Prime membership. Then try connecting again.
If you see an error saying your Prime membership is not active, check amazon.com to confirm your membership has not expired. Prime memberships renew automatically, but if your payment method failed, the renewal may have been blocked. Update your payment method on Amazon, and the connection should work.
If you are still stuck, sign out of both Twitch and Amazon, close your browser completely, and start over. This clears temporary data that sometimes causes connection problems. If the issue persists after that, the problem is usually on Amazon or Twitch's end, and waiting a few hours often fixes it.
What you can do with your Prime subscription
Your free monthly subscription gives you the same benefits as a paid tier-one subscription: your name appears in the chat with a special badge, the streamer gets a cut of the subscription fee (though you paid nothing), and you unlock channel-specific emotes if the streamer has them set up.
A tier-one subscription does not give you access to exclusive streams or special content — that depends on what the individual streamer offers. Some streamers have perks set up for subscribers, and some do not. Check the streamer's channel page to see what benefits they offer before you subscribe.
You can also use your Prime membership to watch ad-free on Twitch if you have Prime Video. This is separate from the subscription benefit — it is automatic once you connect your accounts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my Prime subscription on multiple channels?
No, your one free subscription per month goes to a single channel. You can change which channel you subscribe to anytime, but only one channel can have your free subscription active at a time. If you want to support multiple streamers, you would need to pay for additional subscriptions.
What happens to my subscription if my Prime membership expires?
If your Prime membership lapses, Twitch will automatically cancel your free subscription. You can still watch Twitch, but you will see ads again and lose the subscription benefits. Once you renew your Prime membership, you can reconnect it to Twitch and use your free subscription again.
Do I have to use my free subscription every month?
No. Your free subscription renews each month whether you use it or not. If you do not subscribe to anyone in a given month, the benefit straightforward carries over to the next month — you do not lose it.
Can I connect multiple Amazon accounts to one Twitch account?
No, you can only connect one Amazon account to your Twitch account at a time. If you want to switch to a different Amazon account, you have to disconnect the current one first, then connect the new one.
Will connecting Prime to Twitch share my watch history with Amazon?
Connecting the accounts lets Amazon and Twitch share your Prime membership status and subscription information, but it does not automatically share your watch history between the two platforms. You can control what data is shared in your privacy settings on both sites.