All about Instagram Live

Instagram Live enables you to share what you’re up to right in the moment. You can express your off-the-cuff thoughts in real time – making videos feel authentic and relatable. You can choose to go Live to all your followers, or your Close Friends list to share your thoughts or what you’re doing in real time with just your closest friends. Here’s everything you need to know about Instagram Live, including ways to make the most of your broadcasts and how to keep it positive. Let’s dive in!

How to use Live?

Setting up a Live broadcast is simple and straightforward.

• Open the Instagram app and tap the plus icon in the bottom center of your home screen
• Swipe to the “Live” mode at the bottom of the screen
• Customize your settings, such as the title of your live video and audience
• Tap the “Start Live Video button to begin your live broadcast.” You can also schedule a live in advance so people can view the Live details and get reminders before you go live.
• Interact with your viewers through comments, likes, and other features during the live video
• You can choose to add up to 3 co-hosts to go live with you, but you must follow each other. To add a cohost, tap the “Add people” icon in the bottom right once you’ve started a live. Search for the username of person you want to invite as a co-host, then tap Send Request. If your co-host accepts the invitation to join, they’ll appear in your live room.
• When you’re ready to end your livestream, tap the “End” button, and that’s it.

Instagram will notify all your followers or Close Friends depending on the audience you select that you’re live, allowing them to join by watching and commenting on your livestream. After you finish your broadcast, the video will be stored in your archive (if you have Live archives turned on from profile settings before you go live), but you can choose to save it to your camera roll or share it as a reel on your profile.

Why go Live?

Sharing experiences with others in real time offers an opportunity to connect with your followers and give them a glimpse into your world. Here are some benefits of going Live:

Enjoy real time interactions: Feel seen and heard when you get rewarded with seeing comments, questions, and reactions from followers in real time – creating a more interactive and dynamic experience.

An opportunity for authentic connection: Live videos offer a genuine connection with your community. You can showcase your personality, share behind-the-scenes moments, and add a personal touch to your content.

Saving for later: After the Live has ended, you can share a replay of it to your Instagram profile and feed.

Some tips to make the most of going Live

Whether it’s a birthday celebration, a foray in the kitchen, or a travel adventure, going live on Instagram allows you to bring your friends and followers along for the ride and make them feel like they’re right there with you. Here are some tips to make captivating content and get the most out of going live.

Plan your content: Sometimes you might just want to share your current mood. Other times you might want to share a new song you’ve been working on or something else that’s been in the works. In those instances, it’s a good idea to have a clear idea of what you want to share to stay focused.

Promote your live broadcast: Inform your followers in advance so they can set reminders and join your live.

Engage with your viewers: Interact by responding to comments and questions while live to make viewers feel connected and heard.

Be authentic: Show your true self and let your personality shine. Authenticity builds a stronger connection with the people you love.

Fun features to check out

Instagram Live offers a range of features to make your live videos more engaging and memorable for followers:

Filters and effects: Add a creative touch to your live videos with Instagram’s filters. Enhance the visual appeal of your broadcast and experiment with effects like boomerang and superzoom to add to the intrigue.

Invite co-hosts as guests: Invite up to 3 friends to join your live broadcast as co-hosts. This opens up opportunities for interviews, discussions, and shared experiences.

Create a fundraiser: Raise or donate money to your favorite causes in real time with all your friends and family. To learn more go here.

Share your live video: Once your live video ends, you can share it on your profile as a reel. This is great for those who missed the live broadcast and can help your content reach more people.

Add images to your live stream: By adding images, you can create visual queues for viewers, which can help provide added context on what you’re sharing.

Keep it positive

We take your safety very seriously and want you to feel comfortable whenever you share on Instagram. During a live, viewers who share a comment similar to others that have previously been reported as offensive will receive a warning to keep their comments positive.You can also disable all comments by tapping “…” in the comment field after your live starts.

Now that you know the steps to go Live and how to make the most of your broadcasts, you’re ready to create memorable moments by sharing what’s on your mind in real time. To learn more about the latest from Live go here. Need help with Instagram Live or any other feature? Go to our Help Center here.