How To LiveStream On Facebook

LiveStreaming is now an unavoidable part of daily life. Whether it’s the LiveStreaming of news, a concert, your friend’s random thoughts, or a business’ latest ad campaign or product launch, there are thousands of LiveStreams happening all around the world at all times. 

To learn how to LiveStream on Facebook from your smartphone or desktop device, simply follow our step-by-step tutorials below. For all other information, or if you have further questions regarding the topic, then please refer to our FAQ section below.

How to LiveStream to your Facebook profile, Page, Group or Event (iOS/Android)

1. On your smartphone, open up the Facebook app and sign into your profile
   
2. From the News Feed, tap “What’s on your mind…?”; alternatively, navigate to the Group, Page, or Event you wish to broadcast from via the left-hand sidebar, and once there tap “What’s on your mind…?”
   
   1. Note: On a Page, instead tap the ‘Live’ button, located next to ‘Create’, then skip to Step 5 of this tutorial
      
3. Next, tap the three horizontal dots representing the ‘More options’ icon
   
4. From the drop-down menu, select ‘Live Video’
   
5. Your front-camera will now open, and you can write a description about your broadcast, choose a background filter (if you like), set the audience options, as well as turn the camera to rear-facing.
   
6. Once happy with your settings and ready to go Live, simply tap ‘Start Live Video’
   
7. You can see how many people are watching your broadcast via the number next to the ‘eye’ icon in the top-left. You can also invite other users to watch your LiveStream or apply filters and so on, via the icons along the bottom of the screen.
   
8. To end the broadcast, tap ‘Finish’ in the bottom-right
   

How to LiveStream to your Facebook profile, Page, Group or Event (desktop)

1. From your computer, open up Google Chrome (it must be Chrome you use), navigate to the Facebook website, and then sign into your profile
   
2. At the top of the News Feed, left-click “What’s on your mind…?”; alternatively, navigate to the Group, Page, or Event you wish to broadcast from via the left-hand sidebar, and once there click “What’s on your mind…?”
   
   1. Note: On a Page, instead click the ‘Live’ button, located next to ‘Create’, then skip to Step 5 of this tutorial
      
3. Next, left-click the three horizontal dots representing the ‘More options’ icon
   
4. From the drop-down menu, select ‘Live Video’
   
5. Your web camera/connected camera will now open, and you can write a description about your broadcast, choose a background filter (if you like), set the audience options, as well as turn the camera to rear-facing.
   
6. Once happy with your settings and ready to go Live, simply click ‘Go Live’
   
7. You can see how many people are watching your broadcast via the number next to the ‘eye’ icon in the top-left. You can also invite other users to watch your LiveStream or apply filters and so on, via the icons along the bottom of the screen.
   
8. To end the broadcast, left-click ‘End Live Video’
   

And there you have it! Whether on your smartphone or computer, going Live (AKA ‘LiveStreaming’) on Facebook has never been easier. If you’d got any further questions, why not check out our FAQs down below.

FAQs

What is LiveStreaming and why would I want to LiveStream on Facebook?

LiveStreaming has taken the media world – in fact, the entire world – by storm in the last decade. With the advent of 4G and 5G mobile data roaming providing faster connection to the internet than ever, and with smartphone cameras capturing images at strikingly impressive resolutions, we now all have the ability to stream our live surroundings to our social media accounts at any time.

Facebook LiveStreaming is a function which allows Facebook users to start broadcasting live to their profile, Page, Group, or Event. In essence, this broadcast can be anything you like it to be (provided it doesn’t breach Facebook’s user agreement/terms and conditions), but must utilise the cameras attached to the broadcast device you’re using (from an iPad, to Android smartphone, to PC or laptop).

Users LiveStream an incredibly diverse range of content. Musicians may LiveStream a jam session, whilst music journalists might LiveStream a local gig. Business owners could LiveStream a tour of their premises and an introduction to their wares, whilst service providers could broadcast live to discuss the range of services they provide. Non-professional Facebook users might simply LiveStream themselves talking about nothing in particular, whilst educators may wish to deliver a lecture to their audience.

How do people engage with my LiveStream?

Viewers can engage with LiveStreams by commenting and sending likes and emoticons. These will appear to all viewers, as well as to you, the streamer. The comments section becomes a live chat room for all (including yourself) to discuss whatever it is you’re broadcasting. 

Who can watch my LiveStream on Facebook, and can I make my Facebook LiveStreams private?

LiveStreams are given higher organic reach preference by Facebook, and are broadcast to your profile, Page, or to a specific Group or Event (this is up to you). Anyone with access to said Page, Group, or Event can watch your LiveStream. In a sense, therefore, you can make your LiveStream available to as small a group as you like, depending on the outlet you select (thus giving you a fairly assured sense of privacy).

LiveStreaming to a Page gives you the greatest control over your audience (as well as over a range of other features, such as the tools available in the Creator Studio). By LiveStreaming to a Facebook Page, you are able to restrict the audience by age and geography. Thus, you could broadcast specifically only to 50-60 year olds in Ghana, if you wanted. No one else would be able to see or access your LiveStream.

You can also invite specific Facebook users (friends, employees, customers of yours) to come and watch your LiveStream by using the buttons built into the LiveStream feature, both before and during the stream.

Has the LiveStream function changed now that Facebook is called Meta?

No, thankfully live streaming remains as accessible as ever. Facebook itself (the app) remains Facebook. In fact, it was only the parent company Facebook which changed its name to Meta. Thus, the name change shouldn’t affect any of the day-to-day operations or functions available to you on Facebook.

What happens to the footage after I finish my LiveStream on Facebook?

Facebook actually records your LiveStream in full whilst it’s happening. Once you end the LiveStream, Facebook will ask you if you wish to save the recorded footage (complete with audio), and whether you’d like to then share the LiveStream broadcast onto your Facebook feed.

Doing so can generate a lot of additional reach and engagement, since those who might have missed your LiveStream will be able to tune into it at their own leisure. It also means you can spend more time promoting the content, and even editing it for use elsewhere, on other platforms.

Perhaps you might wish to cut smaller promo clips from the overall footage to use in promotion and publicity for your business or brand.