Quick Answer
To turn on your microphone and camera on Facebook on your iPhone, follow these steps:
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone.
- Go to the page where you want to post a video, like your News Feed or a Group.
- Tap the Photo/Video icon in the status box.
- Tap Live Video at the bottom.
- Tap the switch icon next to your name to turn on your camera.
- Tap the microphone icon to unmute your microphone.
- Once ready, tap Go Live to start broadcasting.
The microphone and camera toggles let you easily turn on or off your audio and video before going live on Facebook. Make sure to check that both are enabled before starting your live video.
Turning on Camera and Microphone in Facebook App
Here is a more detailed look at how to turn on your iPhone’s microphone and camera within the Facebook app:
Open Facebook App
First, launch the Facebook app on your iPhone as usual. The app icon looks like a white ‘f’ on a blue background.
Once the app opens, you’ll be taken to your News Feed. This is the central place where you can view posts and videos from friends, groups, and pages you follow.
Go to Posting Page
From your News Feed, navigate to the place where you want to post a video. This can be your own Timeline, a Group that you are a member of, an Event page, or a Page that you manage.
The key is that you need to access the status box where you can create a new post. This is where you’ll find the options for taking a live video.
Tap Photo/Video Icon
Within the status box, tap the Photo/Video icon. On iOS, this is represented by a camera icon above the text box.
Tapping it will open the media posting menu. This lets you select a photo/video from your camera roll or take a brand new picture/video directly within the Facebook app.
Tap Live Video
At the bottom of the posting menu, tap Live Video. This option looks like a video camera icon with the word “Live” next to it.
Tapping this will open the live broadcasting screen. This is where you can preview your camera feed and enable your microphone before going live.
Turn On Camera
By default, your camera will be off when you first enter the live broadcasting screen. To turn it on, tap the switch icon next to your name and profile picture.
Sliding the button to the right will activate your iPhone’s rear camera. You’ll now see a live preview of yourself in the broadcast window.
Unmute Microphone
Below your camera preview is a microphone icon. If it is crossed out, that means your mic is currently muted.
Tap the microphone icon to unmute your iPhone’s microphone. The crossed out icon will change to an enabled mic icon.
Now audio input is enabled. You can test it out by tapping the “What’s on your mind?” text box and saying something. You should see audio levels respond in real-time.
Tap Go Live
Once your camera preview looks good and your microphone is unmuted, you are ready to broadcast live!
Tap the large blue “Go Live” button at the bottom to instantly start streaming to your audience on Facebook.
The live icon will turn red to indicate that you are now broadcasting live. Tap it again to end your video.
Checking Camera and Microphone
Before starting your Facebook Live, it’s important to double check that your camera and microphone are properly enabled.
Here are some tips for verifying your video and audio:
Check Camera Preview
After enabling your rear camera, examine the live preview to make sure the image looks good. Check that:
- The image is in focus and the proper zoom level.
- The lighting is adequate – try moving to a brighter location if it’s too dark.
- You are framed properly in the shot – adjust your phone’s position if needed.
Take a few moments to tidy up the background behind you if needed. Testing out some poses can also help make sure you’ll stay in the camera’s field of view.
Do a Mic Test
With your microphone unmuted, do a quick audio test by tapping the text box and speaking out loud.
Verify that:
- Your voice is coming through clearly and at an adequate volume.
- There is not too much background noise interfering.
- The microphone icon lights up when you speak.
If the audio sounds echoey or muffled, try changing locations to improve sound quality. Speak at your normal volume so viewers can hear you clearly during the actual live video.
Check Video Format
Before broadcasting, double check that you’ve selected the proper video orientation. Tap the arrow icon in the top right corner to swap between portrait and landscape formats.
Choose landscape if holding your phone horizontally. Use portrait orientation if holding your phone vertically. Matching this to how you actually hold your iPhone will minimize awkward cropping for viewers.
Going Live
Once you’ve verified that your video and audio are working properly, it’s go time! Tap “Go Live” to start broadcasting to your audience on Facebook.
Here are some tips for your first live video:
Maximize Engagement
Keep viewers engaged by maintain eye contact with your iPhone’s front camera lens as you speak. Periodically read and respond to incoming comments on the live video.
Inviting viewers to ask questions or discuss specific topics is another great engagement tactic.
Avoid Distractions
Find a quiet location without too many distractions in the background. This not only looks more professional but minimizes interfering sounds.
Silence any notifications on your iPhone and let others around you know that you are live broadcasting. Keep the camera aimed at your face instead of panning around the room.
Watch Time
Check how long you’ve been streaming periodically. Facebook Live videos can only be up to 4 hours long. Most engaging live streams run between 5 to 30 minutes long.
Pay attention to declining viewer counts or comments as a sign to wrap up the video soon rather than stretching on too long.
Troubleshooting
If you are having issues getting your iPhone’s microphone and camera to properly work for Facebook Live, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Allow Facebook Access
Ensure that you have allowed the Facebook app access to both your microphone and camera in iOS settings. Go to Settings > Privacy > Camera > Facebook and toggle on access. Do the same for Microphone access.
Check Permissions
Tap the info (i) icon in the top right of the live broadcasting screen. Make sure that both the Microphone and Camera permissions are enabled here.
If not, tap to Allow access when prompted. This grants Facebook access to utilize your iPhone’s hardware.
Force Quit and Relaunch
If microphone or camera previews fail to load, try force quitting the Facebook app by swiping it up and away on the app switcher screen. Then reload the app and retry going live.
Rebooting your iPhone can also help clear any glitches if force quitting Facebook doesn’t resolve camera/mic issues.
Update Facebook App
Make sure you are running the latest version of the Facebook app from the App Store. Outdated versions may suffer from bugs that affect live video broadcasting, so updating can help resolve problems.
Check Hardware
Inspect your iPhone’s microphone and rear camera ports for any debris/damage that could prevent proper operation. You can use a soft brush to gently clear out any dust if the ports appear obstructed.
As a last resort, backing up your device and performing a factory reset will eliminate any software issues hindering camera and microphone functionality.
Live Video Best Practices
Here are some additional tips for creating compelling Facebook Live broadcasts:
Promote in Advance
Let your audience know you plan to go live by posting in your Facebook Group or Event ahead of time. Share specific details like the date, time, and what you’ll talk about to build anticipation.
Use Landscape Orientation
Hold your phone horizontally in landscape mode instead of vertically in portrait mode. This gives a widescreen cinematic feel that looks more professional for live videos.
Enhance Stability
Reducing shaky cam effects will result in cleaner looking video. Use a tripod mount or prop your iPhone against stable objects. If holding by hand, brace your arms against your body for support.
Monitor Lighting
Ensure you stay in consistent, bright lighting throughout the entire broadcast. Move around to keep the light source on your face, or add portable lighting if needed.
Interact with Comments
Having a co-moderator to monitor incoming comments allows you to better interact with viewers during your live video. The co-moderator can flag relevant questions for you to respond to live.
Pin Your Video
After finishing your live broadcast, you can “Pin” the video to the top of your profile feed so it remains easily accessible. This lets viewers replay or share the video later on.
Conclusion
Going live on Facebook from your iPhone is easy once you know how to turn on your camera and microphone properly within the app. Just open the Facebook app, tap the Photo/Video icon, select Live Video, enable your camera and mic toggles, then tap Go Live when ready to broadcast.
Checking your video/audio levels first and following some best practices will ensure your live streams look and sound great. Don’t forget to monitor comments and interact with viewers in real-time to boost engagement. With a few test runs, you’ll gain confidence live streaming to all your Facebook followers in no time!