How to Go Live on Instagram | A Simple Guide for New Creators

What is Instagram Live

Instagram Live is its real-time video feature that lets you broadcast and connect instantly with followers. Viewers can comment, react, and ask questions during a live stream. Businesses and creators often use it for product demos, Q&A sessions, and event coverage.

The usage of Instagram Live has jumped 38% in the past year, and more than 100 million people tune in daily. Also, engagement on live videos is roughly ten times greater than regular posts, and brands using them see around a 70% increase in interaction.

How to go live on Instagram on a phone

Here's how to go live on Instagram using your phone, in four clear steps:

STEP 1
1. Sign in and provide permissions to Instagram

Install & open Instagram on your iOS or Android phone and log in to your account. Make sure your account is at least 30 days old and that the app has permission to use your camera and microphone.

STEP 2
1. Set up your live stream

From the home feed, swipe left or tap the "+" at the bottom, then choose "Live" from the options. Click the four icon on the left to add a title (optional), select your audience (everyone, close friends, or practice mode), and tap the "Settings" gear to set the camera settings.

STEP 3
1. Go live

Tap the big "Live" button on the screen. Instagram will run a quick connection check before starting your broadcast. Your followers (or selected audience) receive a notification and can join, comment, and react in real time.

STEP 4
1. End the live stream

Tap the "X" in the top corner when you're done, then confirm by selecting "End Live." Afterward, you can download the live stream video to your camera roll, share it to your story or feed, or delete it.

How to go live on Instagram with someone

Below are the steps on how to go live on Instagram with a partner:

STEP 1
1. Start the live stream

Open Instagram on your phone, swipe left or tap "+," and select "Live." Add a title (optional), check your settings, and tap the big "Live" button. Your broadcast will begin after a brief connection check.

STEP 2
1. Invite a guest to join

Once live, tap the icon with two side-by-side person icons or the "+" button at the bottom. You'll see a list of viewers or can search for a username. Tap "Invite" next to their name. Up to three guests can join, and they appear in split-screen once they accept

STEP 3
1. Interact with your guest and audience

Chat naturally and engage your audience. Pin comments, answer questions, and manage participants. To remove a guest, tap the X on their video.

How to download Instagram Live videos

Now that you know how to go live on Instagram, you may be curious if you can download the video afterward. Well, the platform doesn't let viewers download live streams directly. But as the host, you can save your own Instagram Live immediately after ending the broadcast using the "View Live to Archive" option. You can also go to Settings > Archive to access and download the video within 30 days.

After downloading, you can use Pippit to fine-tune every aspect of your video and repurpose it for any project.

Fine-tune your Instagram Live videos after downloading with Pippit

Pippit is an AI video editor for creators, marketers, and small businesses that is useful for repurposing your Instagram Live. You can turn your raw streams into Reels, highlight clips, or tutorial videos. Pippit also offers features like one-click video generation, AI avatars and voiceovers, smart cropping for stories, filters, transitions, background removal, auto-captions, and text overlays. Not only that, but you can also transcribe your live video to text to export the script or translate and add as captions on your video.

3 easy steps to edit Instagram Live videos with Pippit

If you want to refine your Instagram Live videos into clean, scroll-stopping content, follow these three quick steps on Pippit:

STEP 1
1. Upload your video

First, sign up for a free account on Pippit, click "Video Generator" in the left panel, and choose "Video Editor" under "Popular Tools." Then, simply drag & drop your video or hit "Click to Upload" to bring it in from your PC. You can also import your IG Live video from Your Phone, Drive, and Dropbox.

STEP 2
1. Edit the video

Once your video is in, place the playhead on the scene you want to remove and click "Split." You can then simply select the scene and press "Delete" to remove it.

Go to "Text" to overlay your message or open "Elements" to add stickers, clips, or effects. You can also click "Quick Cut" to transcribe the audio and overlay captions on your video in any language.

If you want to replace the background, click "Smart Tools" in the right menu panel and select "Remove Background." You can then choose "Auto Remove" or pick "Chroma Key" to remove the specific color. After that, go to "Background" and choose a solid color, blur, or format backdrop, or place a picture or another clip in the background. To resize the video, click "Crop" or "Auto Reframe," select a size, and hit "Apply." You can also use the "AI Color Correction," "Stabilize," and "Reduce Image Noise" options under the "Basic" menu.

STEP 3
1. Export and share

Finally, click "Export" and pick "Download" or "Publish." Select the format, resolution, frame rate, & quality, and hit "Export" again to save to your device or schedule the video to your connected social accounts.

Key features of Pippit for editing Instagram Live videos

1
1. Advanced video editing space

Pippit's editing dashboard lets you split, crop, and merge video files easily by dragging them along the timeline. This is helpful when trimming long Instagram Live videos into shorter, engaging sections. You'll also find a wide range of animations and filters to match your video's tone or style. The audio library in the editor gives you access to royalty-free background music and sound effects. You can also adjust audio settings for volume, fade in/out, and sync with your visuals perfectly. For touch-ups, Pippit includes smart tools like face retouching and camera tracking that keep the subject centered as they move. You can also stabilize shaky clips, reduce image noise, and apply AI-based color correction to improve lighting and tone automatically.

2
1. Smart crop and reframe

Pippit's Smart Crop tool resizes your videos for different Instagram layouts, such as Reels (9:16), Feed (1:1), or Stories. The Auto Reframe option detects the main subject and keeps it centered while cropping the frame, which saves you time manually adjusting each scene. This is especially useful for Instagram Live recordings where the camera might shift or zoom unexpectedly.

3
1. Quick cut to transcribe the video to text

The Quick Cut feature automatically listens to your video and generates text captions. These can be styled, resized, and placed anywhere on your video. It supports multiple languages and accurately picks up spoken content from live streams.

4
1. Auto-publisher and analytics

Pippit lets you publish your edited videos directly to connected social platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. Once the video is posted, you can also track engagement with built-in analytics, which shows you likes, reach, comments, follower growth, and more. This is especially helpful for small businesses and creators who want to manage everything in one place.

5
1. Remove background

The Remove Background tool gives you two easy options: Auto Remove for instant background deletion, or Chroma Key to target and remove a specific color (usually green screens). After removing the background, you can replace it with a solid color, a blurred backdrop, an image, or even another video clip. This helps improve visual clarity, especially if your Instagram Live had a distracting background.

Key considerations for streaming on Instagram Live

Before you go live on Instagram, it's worth getting a few things sorted. These steps affect how people watch, respond, and stay through your stream.

• Lighting and sound quality

If the light hits from behind or overhead during the live stream, your face goes dark, and the video turns uneven. You should place a soft light in front of you so your features stay visible. This improves facial clarity, which matters when using AR filters or camera tracking.

Now think about the audio. Loud fans, traffic, or an echo in a room can distract people. So, ensure you plug in a mic that cuts background noise and stays stable through the stream. Once the sound clips or breaks, people scroll away.

• Engage with your audience

Your viewers expect a response, not silence. When someone comments, try to mention their name or respond to their message out loud. This turns a passive watcher into someone involved.

• Prepare your content

If you go live without a plan, you will most likely start repeating yourself or drift off-topic. So, before tapping the button, outline what you want to say and in what order. Stick a few keywords near your screen or jot key points in your caption so you don't lose your place.

If you're showing a product, rehearse the flow. Practice where to hold things so they stay in frame. This way, your hands and voice stay in sync without slowing down or reaching off-screen.

• Check your privacy settings

Before you go live on Instagram, choose who sees your stream. You can go public, limit it to close friends, or pick certain followers. This changes the reach, so choose based on your topic.

• Promote your live stream

Let people know early about your Instagram live stream. You can post an Instagram story a day before with a countdown sticker or add a reminder post to your feed and tag anyone joining you on the stream.

• End the stream professionally

Don't vanish mid-sentence to end the Instagram live. Wrap up by mentioning your main point again or responding to one final question. Thank a few people who stayed active in the chat. A name-drop goes further than a general goodbye.

Conclusion

In this article, we've explored how to go live on Instagram with easy steps. We've also shared how to add someone to your stream. In the end, we discussed key considerations for streaming on the platform. Once your stream ends, your raw video can still do more. This is where Pippit steps in. You can trim out dull moments, add captions, change the background, and reframe for Reels or Stories. Head over to Pippit and start editing your videos to perfection.

FAQs

1
1. How to go live on Instagram on PC?

To go live on Instagram from a PC, you need a third-party tool since the platform doesn't support direct desktop streaming. Use broadcasting software like OBS Studio or Streamlabs, along with Instagram Live Producer, which is a feature available on desktop for professional streams. First, set up your camera and mic in the broadcasting software, then connect it using the RTMP URL and stream key from Instagram Live Producer. This gives you control over layout, transitions, and audio mixing, which is useful for interviews, webinars, or product demos. Once the live session ends, your recorded stream can still be used. Pippit lets you import that desktop-recorded video and break it into short-form clips. You can highlight key moments, overlay branded elements, or crop it for vertical formats. This way, your full stream becomes a steady stream of fresh content across Instagram formats.

2
1. What is the best time to go live on Instagram?

The best time to go live on Instagram depends on when your followers are most active. For most accounts, peak engagement happens between 6 PM and 9 PM on weekdays, especially Tuesday and Thursday. These time slots usually catch people after work or school. Use Instagram Insights to check your audience's behavior. You can look at the "Most Active Times" under the "Followers" tab. Once your timing strategy works, use Pippit to cut highlights from your download stream and schedule them as separate posts using its social media calendar. This way, your content stays active even after the stream ends. You can set clips to auto-publish at your next high-engagement window, so you stay visible without going live every day.

3
1. How to start Instagram Live?

To start Instagram Live, open the app, swipe left from your feed, and tap the Live option at the bottom of the screen. Add a title, choose your audience (public, close friends, or practice mode), and tap the Go Live button. Once you're live, you'll see viewer comments, reactions, and requests to join. You can pin comments, turn off interactions, or invite a guest from the viewer list. Understanding how to use Instagram Live also means knowing what to do with the footage after. With Pippit, you can take that raw video and turn it into multiple clips. For example, you can convert Q&A sections into short-form Reels, remove background noise, or overlay branded text. This way, each stream feeds your content calendar with minimal editing time.