Tech Quintal

How to Livestream on Facebook

Facebook Live

So, you want to start a Facebook live stream? That’s commendable! The feature, which launched in April 2016, can be fun and engaging. But it can also help you connect with your audience, invite and interview people, or boost your business. After you begin a Facebook livestream, the viewers can like and comment with a very slight delay, and you can reply instantly, both in text or by audio and video. Best of all, you don’t need much, just a half-decent web camera or a smartphone you already have, and an Internet connection. After that, just follow the steps below to learn how to livestream on Facebook.

To livestream on Facebook on mobile app

  1. Launch the Facebook mobile app (Android/iOS) and sign in.
  2. If you are on the News Feed, you can tap on the camera icon in the top left corner.
  3. If you are on your profile, tap on the What’s on your mind? textbox. Select the Go Live option from the list.
  4. If you get a prompt saying Facebook Would Like to Access the Camera, tap on OK or Allow.
  5. You will transition to a Camera screen with additional options, but you won’t be live yet.
  6. Tap on the LIVE option in the bottom left corner. You still won’t go live, don’t fret.
  7. Tap on To: in the top left corner to open the Live Settings screen.
  8. For the first time, we suggest selecting Only me, Post, and Story. This will allow you to test the stream since only you can see it.
  9. Go to the main screen by tapping on the Back button (<).
  10. Now tap on Tap to add a description… and write a compelling one that will nudge your audience into tuning in.
  11. Tap on the icons to the right of the description to tag people in the live stream, add location, or an activity. All of this, if you make the stream public, can help the Facebook algorithm attract the right viewers.
  12. Optional. You can switch between front-facing and back cameras by tapping on the camera with the rotating arrows icon in the upper right corner.
  13. Tap on the Start Live Video button.
  14. Everything seems right? Stop the livestream by tapping Finish.
  15. Then, tap on To: and select Friends or Public instead of Only me. Tap on Start Live Video again.
  16. When you are done, you can choose to Delete or Post the video so it stays on your timeline. Alternatively, you can tap on Save video to save it for your eyes only.

How to go live on Facebook on desktop

If you have a camera and a microphone connected to your computer, you can do it from there. Here’s how.

  1. Visit Facebook in your browser and log in.
  2. Click on the Live Video option below What’s on your mind, *name*?
    *name* will be replaced by your name on Facebook.
  3. If you don’t see it, click on the textbox itself.
    1. Click on More (···) next to Add to Your Post.
    2. Click on Live Video.
  4. Write a description in the textbox. (Say something about this live video…)
  5. Click Next.
  6. Click on Allow when your browser prompts you to accept the use of your camera and microphone.
  7. Check everything before clicking on Go Live in the bottom right corner.
  8. You can access the options by clicking on the down arrow (˅) on the live stream post.

And there you have it, those were the instructions to livestream on Facebook. Make sure your Internet connection, camera, and microphone are solid. Also, the streaming time limit for mobile devices is 4 hours, while on your computer you can stream up to 8 hours at a time.

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