Facebook Live allows users to broadcast live video streams to their Facebook friends and followers. Here are some quick answers to common questions about accessing Facebook Live streams:
How do I watch a Facebook Live video?
To watch a live video, you need to be friends with or following the person who is broadcasting. Live videos will appear at the top of your News Feed while they are happening. Simply click on the live video to expand it and start watching.
Where can I find live videos on Facebook?
Live videos will appear in the following places:
- At the top of your News Feed if someone you follow is broadcasting live.
- On the left-hand side of your homepage under “Live Videos” if any of your friends are broadcasting live at the moment.
- On a person’s profile page under the “Posts” tab if they have a live broadcast.
- In Facebook Groups if someone in a group you’ve joined is streaming live.
How do I know when my friends are broadcasting live?
There are a few ways to know when your friends are live streaming on Facebook:
- You will get a notification at the top of your News Feed when a friend starts broadcasting live.
- Their profile picture will have a red “Live” badge on it anywhere the live video is displayed.
- Their live video will appear at the top of your News Feed while it is happening.
- You can turn on notifications for a specific person by following their posts.
Can I watch Facebook Live videos on mobile?
Yes, Facebook Live is available on both iOS and Android mobile apps. To watch a live video on mobile:
- Open the Facebook app on your phone.
- Tap on a live video from your News Feed or a notification.
- Rotate your phone to landscape mode to make the video go full screen.
How do I share or save a Facebook Live video?
During a broadcast, you can share the live video with friends in a few ways:
- Tap the “Share” button below the video and share to a friend’s timeline, in a group, or through a Facebook message.
- Use the “Invite Friends” option to invite friends to watch the live stream with you.
- Tap the three dots next to “Share” and select “Save Video” to save it to your camera roll.
After a live broadcast ends, the video will be saved on the broadcaster’s timeline where you can continue sharing or saving it.
How do I turn on notifications for live videos?
You can turn on notifications so you are alerted any time certain friends go live by following these steps:
- Go to the profile page of the person you want to get notifications from.
- Under their cover photo, click “Following” and choose “See First.”
- Toggle “Live Videos” to on.
Now you will be notified whenever that person starts broadcasting live!
Can I watch live videos on my desktop?
Yes, you can watch Facebook Live streams straight from your desktop computer. There are a couple ways to find live videos on desktop:
- Live streams from your friends will appear at the top of your News Feed.
- Go to the broadcaster’s profile page and check for a live video.
- Use the left-hand “Explore” menu and click “Live Videos” at the top.
Simply click on any live video to expand it to full screen and start watching!
How do I control the volume of a Facebook Live video?
As you’re watching a live stream, you can control the volume in a few ways:
- Drag the volume slider left or right below the video player.
- Use the volume buttons on the side of your phone.
- Hover over the video player on desktop and click the volume icon to mute/unmute.
You can also go into your device’s Settings app to adjust the overall system volume.
Can I comment on a live video?
Yes! Interacting with a Facebook Live video is a big part of the experience. You can comment in several ways:
- Tap the “Comment” icon below the video to open the comments.
- Start typing your comment in the box that pops up.
- Tap “Post” when you’re done to share your comment publicly.
The broadcaster will be notified when you comment. They can respond back to you live!
How do I share my screen during a broadcast?
If you want to go live and share your screen, follow these steps:
- Tap “Live” at the top of your News Feed or profile.
- Give your live stream a title.
- Tap “More” then toggle on “Share Screen.”
- Select the screen you want to share.
- Tap “Go Live.”
Your screen stream will now be shared with your viewers! You can stop screen sharing at any time.
How do I go live on Facebook?
Going live and broadcasting video to your Facebook friends is easy! Just follow these steps:
- Open the Facebook app on your phone.
- Tap on “Live” at the top of your News Feed.
- Give your live stream a title at the bottom.
- Tap “Go Live.”
- Your live video will now be broadcasting for your friends to see!
You can add filters, switch cameras, invite friends and more during your broadcast. Have fun!
Can I watch live videos on my TV?
If you want to watch Facebook Live streams on your TV, you have a couple different options:
- Use AirPlay or Casting – Stream videos from your iOS or Android device to your smart TV.
- Use a streaming device – Devices like Roku or Fire TV often have Facebook apps with live stream capabilities.
- Use web browser – Pull up Facebook on your smart TV’s web browser to watch videos.
- Screen mirroring – Mirror your mobile device or computer screen directly on your TV.
Refer to your TV and device instructions for exact methods on screening mirroring and casting. This allows you to watch live videos on the big screen!
Can I broadcast live videos from my computer?
Yes, you can go live on Facebook from your desktop or laptop computer. Here’s how:
- Go to Facebook in your browser and click on your Page or Profile picture.
- Click on “Live Video” in the left menu.
- Give your live stream a title and description.
- Click “Go Live.”
- Select the source you want to broadcast from – camera, screen, etc.
- Click “Go Live” and your live video will begin!
You can invite viewers, add reactions, and control your stream from the desktop Live Producer. Have fun!
Can I watch live videos offline?
Unfortunately, you cannot watch a Facebook Live video without an internet connection. Live streams must be viewed in real-time as they are happening. This allows you to interact with the broadcaster through comments and reactions.
However, after a live video ends, it is saved to the broadcaster’s Timeline where you can watch it later offline. But you will not have the live interactive experience when viewing the saved video.
Why can’t I find certain live videos?
There are a few reasons you may not be able to find or access someone’s live video stream on Facebook:
- You are not friends with the broadcaster or following their public updates.
- The broadcaster has restricted who can view their live videos.
- The live broadcast already ended so it is no longer streaming.
- The broadcaster encountered a technical issue that cut the stream short.
- There is an issue with your internet connection.
Make sure you are friends or connected with the broadcaster so their live streams appear in your feed. And keep in mind live videos disappear after they finish.
How do I turn off notifications for live videos?
If you no longer wish to be notified every time a friend goes live, you can disable live video notifications by following these steps:
- Go to your Facebook Settings.
- Click on “Notifications” in the left menu.
- Turn off notifications for “Live Videos.”
- Unfollow specific Pages or people to stop getting notified from them.
This will stop most live notifications from appearing. However you may still see some live streams directly in your News Feed.
Can I watch live videos on a private/hidden profile?
In order to view Facebook Live videos, your profile visibility must be set to public or friends. Private and hidden profiles cannot stream or view live videos.
This is because live videos are designed to be a social, public experience. Broadcasting and interacting live requires a public profile other users can connect with.
If you want to access live videos, consider adjusting your profile visibility in the audience selector settings. You can change it back after watching.
What happens when a live video ends?
When a Facebook Live broadcast ends, a few things happen:
- The live video disappears from the top of News Feeds as it is no longer “live.”
- A recording of the full broadcast is saved to the broadcaster’s Timeline.
- Viewers receive a notification that the live video has ended.
- Users can now watch the recorded video on-demand from the broadcaster’s Timeline.
- Interactions like comments remain visible below the saved video.
So the live broadcast is essentially converted to a normal video after it finishes streaming. The broadcaster can delete it if they choose.
How long can a Facebook Live video be?
Facebook allows you to broadcast live for up to 4 hours at a time. After 4 hours, the live video will automatically end.
There is no limit to how many times you can go live in a day. You can start a new broadcast immediately after finishing one.
When you end a live video yourself, it can be any length up to 4 hours. Facebook saves the full video recording to your Timeline.
Can I download my live broadcasts?
Yes, you can download your own live videos from Facebook to keep a copy by following these steps:
- Go to your Page or Profile.
- Click “Videos” in the left menu.
- Select a live video from the list.
- Click the three dots at the top right.
- Select “Download” and choose video quality.
This will save a copy of your live broadcast to your device’s downloads folder. You can edit and re-share it.
Can I save someone else’s live video?
To save someone else’s Facebook Live broadcast, you will need to download it while it is still live. There is no way to download videos after a broadcast ends.
To download a live video:
- Tap the “Share” icon below the video.
- Choose “Save Video.”
- The live broadcast will now save to your camera roll.
Downloaded live videos can only be viewed personally on your device and cannot be reshared. Save any videos you want before they disappear!
How do I control who sees my live video?
When you go live on Facebook, you can control the privacy settings to restrict who can view your broadcast:
- Public – Anyone on or off Facebook can see your live video.
- Friends – Only your friends list can view your live stream.
- Specific friends – Choose which friends can access your live video.
- Only me – Keep your live video private and hidden from everyone.
Adjust the audience selector before tapping “Go Live” to control live video privacy. You can change it while live too.
How do I find live videos on Facebook Watch?
Facebook Watch is home to live and recorded show episodes from creators. To find live content:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the Watch icon.
- Browse categories like Gaming, Popular Shows, or Music.
- Look for the red “Live Now” badges on shows that are streaming live.
- Tap a live episode to start watching the broadcast.
You can also search for your favorite show pages and follow them to get notified when new episodes air live!
Can I reuse my live stream as a normal video?
Yes, once your Facebook Live broadcast ends, the video is saved to your Timeline as a normal, on-demand video. You can reuse and re-share it just like any other video.
To reuse a live video:
- Go to your videos page or profile.
- Find the video in your timeline or video manager.
- Click the three dots at the top right.
- Select “Embed” or “Share” to reuse that video.
Any live broadcast you want to reuse later should be downloaded or shared while it’s still processing after the stream ends.
Conclusion
Facebook Live is an exciting way to share real-time videos and connect with your friends and followers. With the ability to broadcast from your phone or computer, interact with viewers live, and control your privacy settings, live streaming makes it easy to share experiences and engage your audience.
Now that you know how to access and watch live videos, as well as go live yourself, you can fully utilize Facebook’s streaming capabilities. Enjoy creating and viewing live content!