To go live from a phone, open Facebook’s composer, choose Live video, prepare your audience and description, then tap Go live. For a desktop broadcast with screen sharing, graphics, or camera switching, use Facebook’s current Live Producer guidance and a streaming-software or external-hardware setup. To build an audience, make broadcasts predictable, tell followers when you’ll be live, and manage comments while you’re on air. Facebook’s menus can change, so confirm the labels in your current app.
Choose the setup that fits your broadcast
| Setup | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Facebook mobile app | Quick broadcasts using a phone | Fewer production controls than a desktop setup |
| Desktop with streaming software or external hardware | Screen sharing, graphics, camera switching, tutorials, or gameplay | Requires additional setup and equipment or software |
Meta’s current mobile instructions confirm the composer-to-Live-video-to-Go-live path, though the cited help page focuses on adding effects. Meta’s desktop announcement documents the broader production workflow, but it dates to 2017; use Facebook’s current Help Center or Live Producer for up-to-date desktop steps.
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Go live from the Facebook mobile app
- Open the Facebook app and tap the composer labeled What’s on your mind?
- Choose Live video. Review available settings for audience, description, and any effects or other options you want to use.
- Check your framing and sound, then tap Go live when ready.
- When you finish, end the broadcast in the app. If you want to keep the recording, save or transfer it before Facebook’s retention deadline.
The precise wording or placement of controls may differ as the app changes. Confirm your audience setting before starting, especially if you intend the broadcast to be public rather than limited to friends or another audience.
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A desktop workflow is useful when the broadcast needs a computer screen, overlays, multiple camera angles, or more controlled production. Meta’s 2017 announcement described desktop and laptop broadcasts with streaming software or external hardware, including screen sharing, graphics, and camera switching. Treat those examples as workflow context, not a guarantee that old menu paths remain current.
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- Open Facebook’s current Live Producer or Help Center instructions and select the current desktop broadcast workflow.
- Choose a streaming-software or external-hardware setup if your production needs it; follow its current connection instructions in Live Producer.
- Set up the sources you need, such as a camera, screen share, graphics, or additional camera angles, and check the preview before broadcasting.
- Confirm the destination and audience settings shown in Facebook, then start the broadcast using the current Live Producer controls.
Facebook does not require a particular accessory for every live stream. A phone tripod can help stabilize mobile framing; a compatible external microphone can help when clear speech matters; and a USB webcam can be an option for a desktop setup. These are optional equipment ideas, not tested or endorsed requirements.
Prepare the broadcast and invite viewers
Give people a reason to return
Pick a repeatable subject and a schedule viewers can remember. Tell followers what the broadcast will cover and when it starts. A consistent format helps people decide whether to tune in, but no schedule or posting pattern guarantees reach.
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Help interested followers find the stream
Facebook lets people manage notifications for live videos from a Page, including options for all notifications or highlights. Encourage viewers who want updates to follow the Page and review its live-video notification settings. You can also invite relevant contacts to follow a Page or profile using Facebook’s invitation feature. Facebook says follower-led invitations to follow a profile require professional mode.
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Make the viewing experience easy to follow
- Use a clear description that tells viewers the subject and what they can expect.
- Check camera framing and audio before going live; keep the phone or camera steady.
- Explain the topic at the start so viewers arriving after the broadcast begins can follow along.
- Watch comments when possible, acknowledge useful questions, and have a moderator help if the chat is busy.
Moderate comments during a Page live video
Facebook’s Page access guidance describes live-chat controls for community managers. Depending on a person’s Page role and access, moderation actions can include:
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- Deleting or reporting a comment.
- Suspending a viewer from commenting for 15 minutes.
- Banning a viewer from the current or all Page live streams.
- Pinning a comment.
Assign moderation responsibility before a busy broadcast and make sure the person has the necessary Page access. Available controls depend on role and access; do not assume every Page user can perform every action.
Save and manage the replay
Meta’s policy, effective February 19, 2025, gives new Facebook Live broadcasts a 30-day window in which they can be replayed, downloaded, or shared before automatic removal. If you need a recording beyond that period, download or transfer it before the deadline. For legacy archive deletions, Meta said it would notify people and provide a 90-day window after notification to download or transfer affected videos.
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Why you may not be able to go live
Facebook’s current minimum account-age or follower-count requirements for going live are not established here, so avoid relying on exact thresholds from older or third-party pages. If the Live option is missing or a broadcast cannot start:
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
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- Confirm you are using the intended profile or Page and have the Page access needed to publish.
- Review Facebook’s current Help Center or Live Producer instructions for the workflow available to your account.
- If you are trying to monetize the broadcast, check the current monetization interface for program availability, supported country, and qualification criteria.
Monetization: check current eligibility in Facebook
Meta described Live-related monetization programs such as Stars, in-stream ads, paid online events, and fan subscriptions in a March 2021 post. That historical description does not establish which programs are currently offered to a particular creator, country, or account, or what qualifications apply now. Check Facebook’s current monetization interface before planning around a feature or eligibility rule.
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Troubleshoot common live-stream problems
| Problem | What to check |
|---|---|
| Live video option is missing | Check the account’s current eligibility notice, selected profile or Page, and the latest Facebook Help Center guidance. |
| You cannot start a Page broadcast | Confirm that your Page role and access allow you to publish or use the relevant Live controls. |
| Chat becomes difficult to manage | Ask a person with suitable Page access to moderate; use available comment controls such as deleting, reporting, suspending, banning, or pinning. |
| You need the replay after it disappears | Download or transfer the recording within the 30-day period for new broadcasts. |
| A monetization option is unavailable | Verify current program access and qualifications in Facebook’s monetization interface rather than using historical criteria. |
Or let it run in the cloud
For a different use case—keeping a pre-recorded video live on YouTube 24/7—StreamNeo runs the stream from the cloud, not from a camera or Facebook Live. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key, and go live. Nothing has to stay on at home; uploaded video streams as made, up to 4K 60fps, at one price per slot; and StreamNeo automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream. The first day is free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. Start the free day at StreamNeo registration.
Quick Recap
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