To end a Facebook Live on your phone, tap Finish. That stops the broadcast straight away and Facebook uploads the video to your profile, Page or group as a post. If you're streaming from OBS or other streaming software, stop the stream in that software. Facebook will also end any live video itself once it hits the time limit, which is eight hours for most accounts.
Ending a live is one tap, but what happens next catches people out. The replay doesn't stay forever unless you keep it, and a stream can be cut off by Facebook with no warning if it runs too long. Here's how each route works and what to do once you've stopped.
End a Facebook Live on iPhone or Android
Facebook's own steps for going live on the app finish with the same button on both iPhone and Android:
- While you're live, look for the Finish button on the broadcast screen.
- Tap Finish when you want to end your broadcast.
- Facebook stops the stream and uploads it as a post where you went live: your profile, your Page, a group or an event.
If you went live in a group or an event, the same Finish button ends it. You don't need to go back to your profile first.
End a live from a computer or streaming software
When you go live with streaming software such as Open Broadcaster Software or Streamlabs OBS, the software is what sends the video to Facebook. Facebook's setup steps have you paste a Server URL and Stream key into the software, then start streaming from the software. So to end it cleanly, stop the stream in the same software you started it from.
Facebook says that after your stream ends, the video stays as a post on Facebook where it was shared. One thing worth knowing if you use a persistent stream key: Facebook allows only one live video at a time with a persistent key, and anyone who has the key can stream to your post. Don't leave it lying around in a shared document.
Why Facebook ended your live for you
If your broadcast stopped on its own, the time limit is the most likely reason. Facebook's live-streaming guidelines set it out clearly:
| Situation | What Facebook says |
|---|---|
| Standard limit | Eight hours per stream, from phones, computers, streaming software and the API |
| Premium partners, gaming creators and media organisations | Some are approved for longer streams, typically up to 12 hours. It isn't automatic |
| Reaching the limit | Facebook ends the stream automatically, with no grace period |
| Events longer than the limit | Plan breaks: end the stream and restart it, and tell viewers in advance |
So if you're running a long workshop or a fundraiser, don't wait for Facebook to pull the plug at the worst moment. Pick a natural break, tap Finish, and start a new live a minute later. Letting your viewers know a restart is coming keeps most of them with you.
What happens to the video after you end it
When you go live, the video automatically uploads to your profile, Page or group once the stream has ended. You can share it again afterwards like any other post, to your Feed, your story, a group, a Page you manage or a private message.
Here's the catch that most people miss. Facebook's guidelines say live videos are available for replay for up to 30 days after the broadcast. Live content that isn't saved, downloaded or turned into reels is deleted automatically 30 days after the session ends. If the replay matters to you, download it or clip the best moments into reels within that window.
If you'd rather remove the replay yourself, my guide on deleting a Facebook Live video walks through it on a computer, the Android app and a Page.
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Before your next live
A few checks save you from ending a broadcast early by accident. Your account must be at least 60 days old to go live, and a Page or professional mode profile needs at least 100 followers. To go live from a Page, you need Facebook access or task access to create content. In some countries, teens under 18 also need to switch on live broadcasting in their Teen safety settings first.
If you're streaming with software, I've explained where to find your Facebook stream key and the settings that go with it. And if you're new to all of this, start with my step by step guide to going live on Facebook.
My advice
Tap Finish yourself rather than closing the app or losing signal, so the broadcast ends tidily and the replay posts straight away. Then, the same day, decide whether you want to keep it. A live that took you an hour to deliver shouldn't vanish after a month because nobody downloaded it.
This guide is part of my Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How do I stop a Facebook Live?
Tap Finish on the broadcast screen in the Facebook app. If you're using streaming software such as OBS, stop the stream in the software.
Does Facebook end a live video automatically?
Yes. Facebook ends streams automatically when they reach their time limit, which is eight hours for most accounts, with no grace period.
Where does my live video go after it ends?
Facebook uploads it automatically to your profile, Page or group, where the broadcast happened, and you can share it again from there.
How long does a Facebook Live replay stay up?
Facebook says live videos are available for replay for up to 30 days. Live content that isn't saved, downloaded or turned into reels is deleted automatically after that.
