Facebook has come full circle in the last decade. The company continues to offer new features and functions, making it a one-stop shop for casual users, businesses, and even streamers. One of these features, Facebook Live, is used by people all over the world for a variety of reasons. If you have Facebook mobile or use the web browser on a computer, you can go live and share video content with your family and friends.
This article will teach you how to go live on Facebook and we’ll teach you some helpful tips along the way.
How to go live on Facebook
As mentioned above, there are a few ways to go live on Facebook. We will cover each platform in this section.
How to go live on Facebook – Mobile App
Fortunately, the iOS and Android versions of the Facebook app are quite similar. If you’re using a mobile device to go live, follow these steps:
- Open Facebook on the home screen and tap Live.
- If this is your first time trying to go live on this device, Facebook will ask you for some permissions to access your camera, audio, etc. Grant those permissions to move forward. Note: These options will vary depending on your operating system.
- If you’re ready to start streaming, tap Go to live at the bottom of the screen.
Going live on Facebook is really quick and easy. But there are also many options to customize your live video. Let’s review them:
- Manage privacy – At the top of the screen you can manage who can view your live stream. If there are some friends or family members you want to exclude, you can do so by tapping TO: [People icon].
- Add filters – In the upper left corner you will see a magic wand. Tap it to add filters. Filters make your live stream more fun and engaging.
- Turn on the lights – Centered at the top is the lightning bolt icon. This icon provides illumination if lighting is poor.
- Flip the camera – The top right corner contains the camera rotation icon. Use it to switch between your phone’s rear camera and selfie camera.
- Add friends – Under Go to live You will see a person icon with a ‘+’ next to it. Tap here to invite friends to join your Live on their Facebook accounts.
- Sell your things – Also at the bottom, the second icon from the left, you will see a shopping bag. If you are hosting a virtual shopping party, you can list your products here. Note: You will need to post them to your page before this feature is available.
- Organize a fundraiser – The third icon at the bottom of the screen allows you to add a charity. This is perfect for those philanthropists who want to hold virtual fundraisers.
- More settings – Finally, you will see the Further icon (three horizontal lines). Tap here to add descriptions and tags, check in somewhere, or invite friends.
Now that we’ve covered the app version of Facebook Live, let’s move on to the browser.
How to go live on Facebook – Web browser
If you prefer to use a desktop computer for your live stream, you’re in luck. Similar to the instructions above, going live on Facebook is pretty simple in a web browser. That is how:
- Visit the Facebook website and log in. From the home page click live video.
- If you want to go live right now, check the menu on the right to make sure your live video is going live in the right place. Then touch Set up live video.
- On this page you can choose to use your webcam or you can upload a live stream from another platform (Discord, Twitch, YouTube, etc.). Click Webcam to broadcast live on Facebook. Or copy your flow key to go live on another platform and broadcast to Facebook.
- If you choose the Webcam option, the web browser will need permission to access your camera and microphone. Tap Allow.
- Tap Go to live when you’re ready to start streaming.
- When you’re done recording, tap the option to end your live stream.
Note: If you plan to broadcast to Facebook from another platform, you will need to paste the flow key in the interface of that platform to get started.
You can also set a live event. This is the perfect solution for anyone who wants to maximize the number of viewers on their friends list or host a party of sorts. Scheduling a live event is simple. All you need to do is use the menu on the left to select a date, time, cover photo, title, etc. Then, invite members. Other users can RSVP or let you know they won’t be attending when an invitation is sent.
You will receive reminders and updates leading up to your live event.
Frequent questions
There are many interesting features to learn about with Facebook Live. Read on as we answer some of your most frequently asked questions.
Can I live stream pre-recorded content?
While Facebook has policies against streaming pre-recorded content, the company makes exceptions if the content is properly labeled as “pre-recorded.”
How do I download my Facebook Live video?
If you’ve posted a video to Facebook Live, you can download it to your computer or phone to keep it forever. All you need to do is go to your timeline, open the video in full screen and tap the three dots icon in the top right corner. Then click Download video.
The video will download to your device, where you can watch it or repost it if you wish.
How can I improve my Facebook Live video?
There are many things you can do to make sure your Facebook live stream reaches as many people as possible. First, make sure your Facebook Live video is longer than 3 minutes. Facebook prioritizes its videos by length, so a video that is less than three minutes long won’t appear at the top of the list.
Next, schedule your live stream during a time that works for your target audience or use the Invite feature we mentioned above to attract more users.
Another trick to increase your views is to use attractive hashtags and captions. For example, if your goal is to sell your products, a free giveaway in captions can attract more users.
Lastly, adding more friends to your live stream can help increase your audience. If you want to share great memories with your friends, this is definitely the way to go.
How do I add auto-generated captions to my Facebook Live video?
Subtitles are a great way to reach more viewers. While some Facebook users need subtitles to view content, others prefer to watch it silently. If you are in a web browser, all you need to do is click Settings and touch Viewer. Move the switch next to Activate automatically generated subtitles so that it turns blue. Now you have subtitles.
