Facebook Live allows you to broadcast live video straight from your Android phone to your Facebook page or profile. Going live on Facebook is a great way to connect with your audience in real time, share what you’re doing, or even host a Q&A or tutorial. Setting up and starting a live video broadcast is easy to do right from the Facebook app on your Android device.
What You Need to Go Live on Facebook from Your Android Phone
To get started with Facebook Live on your Android phone, you’ll need:
- The Facebook app installed on your Android phone. You can download it for free from the Google Play Store.
- A Facebook account. If you don’t already have one, you can sign up for a free personal Facebook account.
- A strong internet connection. Use a WiFi network whenever possible for the best broadcast quality.
- Optional: a tripod or stand to keep your phone steady during the broadcast.
Granting Permissions for Facebook Live
The first time you go to use Facebook Live from your Android device, you’ll need to grant a few permissions to allow access to your phone’s camera and microphone:
- Open the Facebook app and tap on the Live icon at the top of your News Feed. It looks like a red video camera.
- A pop-up will appear asking for permission to access your microphone and camera. Tap OK to allow access.
- You may also get a request to allow Facebook to record audio, photos and videos. Tap Allow to enable this.
These permissions will allow Facebook to utilize your phone’s camera and mic for live broadcasting. You only have to grant them once – after that, you’re all set.
Starting a Facebook Live Broadcast
Once you’ve granted the necessary permissions, going live on Facebook from your Android is simple:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the Live icon at the top.
- Tap Go Live.
- Your phone’s camera will open with a view of what you’re broadcasting. Tap Start Live Video when you’re ready.
- Your live video will instantly start broadcasting. You’ll see live viewer comments on the right side of your screen.
- Tap End Live Video when you want to finish broadcasting.
Additional Options for Going Live
When you first tap Go Live, you have a few options:
- Go Live: Starts broadcasting immediately using your phone’s rear camera.
- Create Live: Customize your broadcast before going live. You can add a description, change the camera or audio source, and more.
- Schedule Live: Schedule a live broadcast for later. Great for events, announcements, etc.
The Create Live option gives you additional controls:
- Change Camera: Switch between your front and rear cameras.
- Add a Description: Give your broadcast a title that viewers will see.
- Change Audio Source: Use an external mic plugged into your phone instead of the built-in mic.
- Go Live To: Choose to broadcast to your Profile, Page, or Group that you manage.
- Invite Friends: Select friends to invite to view your live video.
Take advantage of these options to customize your broadcast before going live.
Interacting with Viewers During a Facebook Live Broadcast
One of the coolest things about Facebook Live is being able to interact with your viewers in real time. As you broadcast live, you’ll see comments from viewers popping up on the right side of your screen.
You have a few options for engaging with viewers:
- Reply to comments: Tap on a comment to open up a text box where you can type a reply back to the viewer. Everyone watching will see your response.
- Pin a comment: Long press on a comment and choose Pin to pin it to the top so it stays visible. Useful for highlighting an important question.
- Heart a comment: Double tap a comment to give it a heart and let viewers know you appreciate them engaging.
Actively respond to viewer comments and questions to create an interactive, engaging live video experience.
Going Live with a Guest
Want to go live with a co-host or guest? Facebook makes it easy to add someone to your live broadcast using the Add Guest option.
Here’s how to go live with a guest:
- Before going live, tap the Add Guest option at the bottom of the screen.
- Choose Invite Friends and select the friend you want to add from your friends list.
- They’ll receive a notification inviting them to join your live video.
- Once they accept, their video stream will start broadcasting in split screen alongside yours!
You can have up to 6 total people broadcasting together in a multi-guest live video on Facebook. Great for interviews, collaborations, or just hanging out.
Sharing Your Live Video After Broadcasting
Your live broadcast will only be viewable in the moment to those watching it live. But there are a couple ways to share the recording of your live video after you finish broadcasting:
- Share the video: When you end your live broadcast, you’ll have the option to share a recording of it to your Timeline, a friend’s Timeline, a Page you manage, or a Group.
- Save the video: Tap the More Options button (3 dots) next to your live video to access the option to download the full recording to your phone or save it to your Facebook videos.
The video will then be available for viewing like a normal recorded video, and you can choose to delete it at any time. Sharing your live broadcast as a post after you finish streaming is a great way to increase your reach and views.
Changing Facebook Live Video Privacy Settings
By default, your Facebook live streams are visible to the public. But you can change your privacy settings to control who can view your current and future live videos:
- Go to the Settings menu in the Facebook app and tap Privacy Shortcuts.
- Tap Who Can See Your Future Posts to change the default audience.
- Tap the dropdown box next to Live Videos and choose from public, friends, friends except…, only me, and other custom options.
You can update these settings at any time based on who you want to be able to watch your live broadcasts moving forward.
Best Practices for Engaging Facebook Live Videos
Here are some tips for creating interesting, engaging Facebook Live streams from your Android phone:
- Go live consistently at set times so fans know when to tune in, such as every Tuesday at 5pm.
- Promote your live videos ahead of time on your other social media channels to drive viewers.
- Interact with viewers by responding to comments and questions to keep them engaged.
- Have good lighting so viewers can see you or what you are presenting clearly.
- Hold your phone horizontally for a widescreen viewing experience.
- Use a tripod or stand so your video doesn’t shake or move around.
- Switch between front and rear cameras for different perspectives.
- Invite guests like experts or influencers to join your live video and collaborate.
Experiment with different types of live content to see what resonates best with your audience. From live demos to Q&As to behind-the-scenes footage, Facebook Live is the perfect platform for unfiltered, real-time connection.
Conclusion
Going live on Facebook from your Android phone is an easy, powerful way to engage your followers in real time. With just a few taps in the Facebook app, you can broadcast live video for your audience to watch and interact with.
Use the tips in this guide to get started creating great live content, customizing your broadcasts, and actively engaging with viewers. Have fun going live and seeing first-hand how Facebook Live can benefit your brand, business, or personal profile.