To invite a guest to your Instagram Live, start a Live from Create, open the guest option in the live screen, pick one of your followers and tap Invite. Using Live Rooms you can have up to three guests, and every guest has to follow you before you can invite them.
Bringing someone else into your live changes the feel of it straight away. An interview, a joint demo or a chat with a regular commenter is often more watchable than one face talking to a phone. Who does what depends on which side of the screen you're on, so start with the side that fits you.
Which side are you on?
| If you're... | What you do |
|---|---|
| Hosting and want to bring someone in | Invite one of your followers from the guest option in your live screen. |
| Hosting and someone asks to join | Look in the same guest area, where requests to join your room show up. |
| Watching and want to join | Send a request and wait for the host to accept it. |
Inviting a follower as the host
- Tap Create at the top, or swipe right anywhere in Feed.
- Swipe to Live at the bottom and start your broadcast.
- Open the guest option in the live screen. Requests to join your room appear here too.
- Tap to invite one of your followers.
- Tap Invite.
If they accept, they appear in your live room alongside you. If they decline, you'll see that too, so you're not left waiting and wondering.
The two rules that decide who can join
First, guests must already follow you. You can't invite someone who isn't a follower, so if you've lined up a guest, ask them to follow your account before the live starts. Second, the cap is three guests when you're using Live Rooms. Plan around that number if you're running a panel.
Removing someone is simple: tap the X in the top right of their video frame. It's worth knowing where that is before you start, rather than looking for it while you're live.
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Joining someone else's live as a viewer
If you're watching and want to be brought on, select the join option and tap Send request. You may also see a prompt in the comments section inviting you to request. You'll only be added once the host accepts, and if they do, you'll get a notice that you're about to join the live room.
What to do before you hit Live
Message your guest beforehand, check they follow you, and agree roughly when you'll bring them in. It saves an awkward minute of searching on air. For the broadcast itself, the guide to going live on Instagram step by step covers the basics, and what viewers see when they watch a live is useful if you want to know how the room looks from the audience's side. There's also a wider explainer on how guests work on Instagram Live if you'd like the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
How do I join someone else's Instagram Live as a guest?
While you're watching, select the join option and tap Send request. If the host accepts, you'll get a notice that you're about to join the live room.
