How to Go Live on Facebook (Phone, Computer and Pages)

Going live is the closest thing Facebook has to standing in a room with your audience. People can ask questions, react in real time and get a feel for who you are, which is why I often tell small-business owners it's worth more than a dozen polished posts. The first broadcast feels nerve-racking, but the buttons themselves are simple.

This guide follows Facebook's Help Centre articles Go live on Facebook, How to Go Live on Mobile and About Facebook Live Producer. Menus vary by app version, and Facebook tweaks the live tools often, so a button on your screen might be labelled slightly differently.

Can you go live on Facebook yet? The account requirements

Facebook's main Go live article lists a few conditions before the option appears:

• You can broadcast from your personal profile, a group, an event or a Page.
• Your Facebook account needs to be at least 60 days old.
• A Page, or a profile using professional mode, needs at least 100 followers.
• To go live as a Page, you need Facebook access or task access that lets you create content.
• In some countries, people under 18 have to turn on live broadcasting in their teen safety settings first, and younger teens need a parent or guardian's permission.

If you don't see the live option at all, one of these is usually the reason.

Go live on Facebook from your phone

Facebook's mobile help article describes the same steps for iPhone and Android:

1. Open the Facebook app and go to where you want to broadcast: your profile, a Page, a group or an event.
2. Tap Live under the box where you'd normally write a post.
3. Write a short description so people know what the broadcast is about.
4. Check your camera, sound and who can see it.
5. Tap Start live video.
6. When you've finished, tap Finish.

When it ends, the broadcast is saved as a video post on your profile, Page or group, so people who missed it can still watch.

Go live on Facebook from a computer with Live Producer

On a computer, the live tools sit in Live Producer. Facebook's help page says Live Producer is only available on desktop and lets you go live now or schedule a broadcast for later, using your computer's camera or streaming software.

1. Go to your Feed and click Live video, or go straight to facebook.com/live/producer.
2. Choose whether to go live now or create a scheduled live video.
3. Pick where you're broadcasting to: your profile, a Page, a group or an event.
4. Choose your video source, such as your webcam.
5. Add a title and description.
6. Click Go live.
7. End the broadcast with the end or finish button when you're done.

Facebook recommends Google Chrome for broadcasting from a computer, so switch browser if the camera won't load.

Facebook Live with OBS or other streaming software

If you want overlays, several cameras or screen sharing, Facebook's help article on streaming software explains the setup. You create the broadcast in Facebook, copy the server URL and stream key it gives you, and paste them into your streaming software. Facebook names Open Broadcaster Software and Streamlabs as examples. Its help page also warns never to share your stream key, because anyone who has it can broadcast to your post.

Going live on a Facebook Page, group or event

Where you broadcast	Who usually sees it	What you need
Your profile	Whoever your audience setting allows	Account at least 60 days old
A Page	The Page's followers and the public	Facebook access or task access, at least 100 followers
A group	Members of the group (or the public for a public group)	Membership and permission from the group's settings
An event	People interested in the event	Usually the event host

Going live inside an event is handy for online workshops. Set the event up first, choose Online and Facebook Live, then broadcast into it on the day. My guide on creating an event on Facebook walks through that part.

Timing matters for Pages too. A broadcast when your followers are online gets more live comments, and I've shared my thinking on the best time to post for a small-business Page.

Before you press the Facebook Live button

• Use Wi-Fi if you can. Facebook's troubleshooting article names a weak connection as the most common cause of failed broadcasts.
• Charge your phone or plug it in.
• For a Page, try a test broadcast first. Facebook's troubleshooting page describes an option to publish as a test so only people who manage the Page can see it.
• Prop the phone on something steady and check the light is in front of you, not behind.
• Switch your phone to its quiet focus mode so calls don't interrupt the broadcast.
• Have a simple plan: a welcome, three points, a question for viewers and a close.

Short clips from your Facebook Live broadcast

Once the broadcast is saved, you can take your own recording of it, trim a short highlight in any video editor on your phone and post it as a reel. It's a quick way to reach people who'd never sit through the whole thing. I've covered the steps in my guide on making a reel on Facebook.

If the Facebook Live option is missing or the stream fails

• Check the requirements above: account age, Page followers and your Page access.
• Update the Facebook app, then restart it.
• Allow Facebook to use your camera and microphone in your phone's settings.
• On a computer, try Chrome and allow camera access when the browser asks.
• If you're streaming from software, create a fresh stream key and paste it again.
• If you're in a group, ask the admin whether live videos are allowed.

Frequently asked questions

Why can't I go live on Facebook?

Facebook's help page says your account needs to be at least 60 days old, and a Page or professional-mode profile needs at least 100 followers. Teens in some countries also need to switch on live broadcasting first.

Can I go live on Facebook from a computer?

Yes. Facebook's desktop tool is Live Producer, which works only on a computer and lets you use your webcam or streaming software.

Can I schedule a Facebook Live?

Yes. Live Producer lets you create a scheduled live video instead of going live straight away.

Does a Facebook Live video stay on my Page after it ends?

Yes. It's saved as a video post on your profile, Page or group, so people can watch it later.

Can I go live in a Facebook group?

Yes, if the group allows it. Open the group and tap Live under the post box.