How to Add Someone to Your Instagram Live (Guests Explained)

Going live with a guest makes a broadcast feel like a conversation. A client interview, a Q and A with a supplier or a catch-up with a co-creator is far more interesting than one person talking to the camera. The good news is that Instagram has this built in, and its help centre explains it plainly.

The steps below follow Instagram's help page for inviting guests. Instagram changes its icons often, so I'll describe what the page says rather than guess at button pictures. If an icon looks different on your phone, look for the one linked to guests or join requests.

What you need before you invite a guest to your Instagram Live

• Your own account has to be allowed to go live. Instagram says only users with a public account with 1,000 followers or more can start a live video.
• The person you want must follow you. Instagram says the guest accounts must be following the person who is live in order to be invited.
• You can invite up to three guests using Live Rooms, according to the help page.

If the person you want isn't following you yet, ask them to follow first. It's a rule from Instagram, not a glitch.

Inviting a follower to join your live room

Instagram's help page gives these steps for the Instagram app on Android and iPhone:

1. Tap Create at the top, or swipe right anywhere in Feed.
2. Swipe to Live at the bottom.
3. Tap the icon the help page shows for starting your live.
4. Once you're live, tap the icon for your room requests. Here you'll find requests to join your room.
5. Tap the icon to invite your followers to your live video.
6. Choose the follower and tap Invite.

Instagram notes that if a guest accepts the invitation, they'll appear in your live room, and you'll also see if they've chosen to decline.

How guests ask to join your Instagram Live instead

Joining isn't only by invitation. Instagram says you can also ask to join someone else's live, and the host sees those requests in the same place. If you're the viewer who wants to appear on someone's broadcast, the help page says:

1. While watching the live, select the icon for joining.
2. Tap Send request.
3. If your request is accepted, you'll receive a notice that you're about to join the live room.

The page adds that you may automatically be asked in the comments section whether you want to request to join the live room. If you haven't watched a live before, my guide to calling someone on Instagram explains the difference between a call and a broadcast.

Removing a guest from your Instagram Live room

If a guest needs to leave, or you want to end their segment, Instagram says to tap X in the top right of their video frame. That removes someone who joined your live room.

Putting a moderator in charge of your Instagram Live chat

Guests are for the conversation. A moderator is for keeping the comments in order. Instagram says that when you start a live, you can assign one moderator to manage your viewers and comments. The moderator must be a different account from a co-host and must be tuned in to the live to be assigned.

1. Tap Options in the top right of your live.
2. Tap Add moderator.
3. Search for the account, or tap Add next to a suggested one.
4. Tap Confirm.

Instagram says the moderator will get a notification and has to accept first, and that they can resign at any time. A moderator can report a comment, remove someone from the live video, or turn off commenting from one account. That's helpful for a business showing products to a big crowd.

Planning a guest segment on your Instagram Live

A little preparation makes the invite smoother. These are ideas rather than Instagram rules:

• Message your guest beforehand so they're ready to accept when the invite arrives.
• Agree two or three topics, so the conversation doesn't wander.
• Decide who greets viewers and who answers questions.
• Tell them they can leave whenever they like, and show them how to do it.

Afterwards, it's worth checking how the broadcast landed. My guide to reading your Instagram dashboard numbers explains what the numbers on your account mean.

What your followers see when you add a guest to your Instagram Live

Once a guest accepts, Instagram says they appear in your live room, so viewers watching your broadcast see them alongside you. The help page doesn't describe a delay or a set layout, so I won't promise one. What it does tell you is that you stay in control: you can send the invitation, see who accepts or declines, and remove someone with the X in the corner of their frame.

For a business, that control matters. Before you invite anyone, think about what you want customers to take away. A supplier talking through how a product is made, a happy client sharing their experience or a colleague answering questions can all work, as long as your guest knows the plan and is comfortable being on screen.

If you can't add someone to your Instagram Live

• Check they follow you, because Instagram requires it.
• Check that you haven't already invited the maximum number of guests.
• Make sure your app and phone software are up to date.
• Remember that you may not be able to go live at all if you've previously posted something removed for going against the Community Standards, or if your account is newly created.
• Instagram's page also says that features can roll out gradually, so the option may not be on your account yet.

If the problem persists, use Report a problem from Help in the app so Instagram can look into it.

If you want the full set, start at the Instagram Help: 81 Guides to Followers, Hashtags, Money, Accounts and Fixes.

Frequently asked questions

How many people can I add to my Instagram Live?

Instagram says you can invite up to three guests to join your Live using Live Rooms.

Why can't I invite someone to my Instagram Live?

Instagram says guest accounts must be following the person who is live. Check they follow you, and that your own account is allowed to go live.

Can someone ask to join my Instagram Live?

Yes. Instagram says viewers can ask to join a live they're watching by sending a request, and you can accept it.

How do I remove a guest from my Instagram Live?

Tap X in the top right of their video frame. Instagram says this removes someone who joined your live room.

Can another account manage the comments on my live?

Yes. You can assign one moderator, who must be a different account from a co-host and must be tuned in to the live.