Here's how to find and use Facebook Live: a comprehensive guide

Facebook Live is great for building a brand presence or having real-time interactions. Find out how to use the feature with our detailed guide.

• You can post a live video on Facebook by tapping the "Live video" shortcut.
• You can also visit the Video section of Facebook to find any live videos you may have in mind.
• Additionally, live videos may also appear in people's stories at the top of your newsfeed.

Live videos on Facebook are great for watching videos ranging from broadcasted events to a friend's beach view.

Depending on who you follow, live videos may appear at the top of your newsfeed. However, you may also want to discover programs that may be going on without your knowledge, search for a particular one you may have in mind, or even post one yourself.

To post live videos, you can use the "Live Videos" shortcut. To find live videos to watch, you can head to the "Video" section of Facebook, which contains all videos — both recorded and live streaming. You can then search for a video or filter your results to show only live shows.

Here's how to access, search for, and post live videos.

How to post a Facebook live video from desktop

1. Open Facebook on a desktop browser of choice.

2. At the top of your screen, select "Live video."

3. You will see options to "Go live" right away or to "Create a live video event," which allows you to notify your audience of a planned live video. With that option, Facebook will notify you with a reminder before it's time to go live.

4. Selecting "Go live" will prompt you to give Facebook permission to use your computer's camera and microphone. 

5. After you grant permission, your webcam should automatically connect and show you a preview of what you'll look like in the live video.

6. If it the video preview is not generating or you want to change the source of the video, you can choose "Webcam" or "Select streaming software" under "Select a video source" at the top of the screen.

7. Select "Go live" at the bottom left to start streaming your video to your Facebook network.

8. The settings above the "Go live" button let you choose where your live video ends up. Your options include posting on the timeline, on a Facebook business Page you manage, or into a Facebook Group.

9. The gray box lets you choose the audience for your video. Choosing "Friends" means that people must be friends with you on Facebook to see your video. You can also select "Public" (anyone on or off Facebook), a list of specific friends, or "Only Me," which keeps your live video private.

How to find live videos on Facebook on desktop

1. Open Facebook on your desktop computer.

2. Select "Video" from the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.

3. On the next screen, select "Live" from the menu on the left to see a feed of Live videos.

How to post live videos on Facebook on a mobile device

1. Open the Facebook app on your mobile device.

2. Tap the + (plus sign) icon at the top right. Select Live.

2. Select Video from the menu and tap Next.

3. A prompt will ask you to allow Facebook to access your camera. You will need to allow the access in order to post a live video.

4. On the next screen, you can adjust your visibility settings at the top (where it says "Friends" in the image below), preview how you look in the video frame.

5. When you're ready to go live, hit the blue "Go live" button.

How to find live videos on Facebook on a mobile device

1. Open the Facebook app on your phone or tablet.

2. Tap "Menu" at the bottom of your screen on iPhone or the top on Android. 

3. Tap "Video."

4. Tap "Live" and browse the feed of Live videos.