Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 2.9 billion monthly active users as of the second quarter of 2022. On Facebook, users can post status updates, photos, videos, and more to share with friends, family, and followers. One common question that many Facebook users have is whether or not Facebook loops videos that are posted to the platform.
What does it mean for a video to “loop” on Facebook?
When a video “loops” on Facebook, it means that once the video ends, it will automatically start playing again from the beginning rather than stopping. The video will continue to loop indefinitely unless the user stops playback manually.
Some key things to know about video looping on Facebook:
- Looping only occurs when viewing the video directly on Facebook, such as in the News Feed or on a user’s Profile. If a Facebook video is viewed externally or embedded elsewhere, it will not loop.
- Videos must be uploaded directly to Facebook. Links to YouTube or other external videos cannot loop when posted on Facebook.
- The person who uploaded the video controls whether or not it loops. Viewers cannot control looping settings.
- Videos can only loop on the Facebook website and mobile apps. Facebook videos do not loop on third-party apps or sites that integrate Facebook content.
So in summary, a looping Facebook video will replay over and over again seamlessly when watched directly on the Facebook platform. The video uploader decides if this feature is enabled.
Can any video be set to loop on Facebook?
Not all videos can be set to loop when posted to Facebook. Here are the requirements for videos to loop:
- Video must be uploaded directly to Facebook, not linked from another site
- Video can be up to 8 hours long
- Video file size must be under 1GB
- Supported video formats include MP4, MOV, and WMV
- 360-degree videos are not eligible to loop
- Videos with sound can only loop if they have no audio or the audio plays seamlessly on a loop
So in summary, fairly short videos uploaded directly to Facebook in a seamless format are eligible to be set as looping. Long or choppy videos, those with distinct audio, and 360 videos cannot loop due to the disjointed experience this would create.
How to make videos loop on Facebook
If a video meets Facebook’s requirements to loop, users can set videos to replay automatically when configuring the post settings. Here is how to make Facebook videos loop:
- Upload the video directly to Facebook that you want to loop
- Write your post and include the video as normal
- In the video settings below the post, toggle “Loop Video” on
- The video will now replay continuously when people view your post
The “Loop Video” option must be deliberately selected each time for each video you want to loop. Toggling it on once does not mean all future videos will automatically loop. Users must enable it every time for each post.
| Video Type | Looping Supported? |
|---|---|
| Uploaded to Facebook | Yes |
| Linked to YouTube | No |
| 360-degree video | No |
| Over 1GB file size | No |
This table summarizes what types of videos can and cannot loop on Facebook based on the requirements discussed earlier. Direct uploads to Facebook are the only eligible videos that can be set to replay continuously.
Why people use video looping on Facebook
There are a few key reasons why people may want to use video looping for their Facebook posts:
- Drawing attention – A looping video can attract more attention as people scroll through the news feed
- Highlighting product demos – Retail brands often loop product demo videos to showcase items more thoroughly
- Maximizing views – Videos seen for 3+ seconds are counted as views, so looping inflates view counts
- Creating hypnotic effects – Some looping artistic or musical videos can have a mesmerizing quality
Brands and public figures tend to use looping videos most frequently to capture viewer attention and highlight videos they want watched in their entirety. But regular users may also opt to loop a video if they want it to stand out in their friends’ feeds.
Best practices for looping Facebook videos
If you want to use video looping for your Facebook posts effectively, here are some best practices:
- Keep videos short – Under 30 seconds is ideal
- Use minimal branding – Brand logos should appear briefly or not at all
- Pick seamless demos – No distinct beginning or end to the video
- Add text overlays – To emphasize key information
- Test different lengths – See if 10 seconds performs better than 30 seconds
- Monitor engagement – Track actual video views, not just Likes/Shares
Following these tips will help your looping videos maintain viewers’ interest and get your desired messages across. Always analyze looping video performance and fine-tune your approach over time.
Potential downsides of looping videos
While looping videos can help increase visibility of Facebook posts, there are some potential disadvantages:
- Can annoy viewers if video length is too long
- Inflates view counts disingenuously
- Reduces opt-in viewership as autoplay is enforced
- Mesmerizing effects may seem spammy
- Less video information reaches viewers Looping limits info
To maximize results while avoiding pitfalls, use concise videos that highlight your key message minimally and seamlessly. Do not try to artificially boost views with overly long looping videos. Take a quality over quantity approach.
Facebook’s policies on looping videos
Facebook does have some policies regarding proper use of video looping:
- Content must follow all Community Standards as usual
- Videos should not mislead or trick viewers
- Excessively repetitive or annoying looping is prohibited
- Misleading or artificially inflating view counts is not allowed
- Looping videos should offer value to viewers
Failure to follow these policies may result in Facebook removing looping abilities from your Page or account. Make sure any looping videos provide useful content to audiences.
Conclusion
In summary, Facebook does allow for video looping, which causes videos to replay continuously when watched directly on Facebook. Not all videos are eligible, such as external links or 360-degree videos. Eligible videos must be uploaded to Facebook and intentionally set to loop. Brands often use looping to highlight product demos or maximize views. When used appropriately, looping can increase engagement, but overly repetitive or long videos may annoy viewers. Follow Facebook’s looping policies and focus on concise, useful looping content for best results.