How to send live videos in Instagram Direct

Instagram for iPhone version 26.0 brought out a new, very useful capability for those times when you’d like to send your own or someone else’s live video broadcast to a friend or a group of friends through the app’s built-in messaging service, called Direct.

You can send your live video even if you’re currently broadcasting with a friend.

Before we get to it, be sure that your installed copy of the mobile Instagram app is at least version 26.0. Older editions do not support sending live videos in Instagram Direct.

How to send your live video in Instagram Direct

To send your own live video to one or more friends, do the following:

1) Launch Instagram on your iPhone.

2) Tap the Camera icon in the top-left corner of the screen or swipe right from anywhere in your feed to quickly launch the Instagram camera.

3) Tap Live at the screen bottom, then hit Start Live Video.

4) When you’re broadcasting, hit that Direct icon in the bottom-right of your live video.

TIP: If you’re broadcasting with a friend, you’ll also see this option.

5) Choose a friend or a group of friends to send the live video to, then tap Send at the bottom.

Your recipient(s) will receive your live broadcast in their Direct inbox, plus a notification.

Keep in mind that the recipient(s) can only view your video if you’re currently live.

If your live video ends, they’ll see a message saying the video has ended. Additionally, and you may have guessed this already, only your followers can see your live video in their Direct inbox.

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At this time, you can’t send replays of live videos in Direct. That being said, it’s worth reiterating that you are permitted to post a live video replay to your Story right after the video has ended.

How to send someone else’s live video in Instagram Direct

As a viewer, you can send someone else’s live broadcast to a friend via Direct, here’s how:

1) Launch Instagram on your iPhone.

2) Tap a live video broadcast in your feed that you’d like to share with others.

NOTE: When someone you follow shares a live video, you’ll see a colorful ring around their profile picture at the top of the feed and the word “Live”.

3) While watching a person’s live video, tap the Direct icon at the screen bottom, choose who you want to send the live broadcast to, then hit the Send button at the bottom of the screen.

As mentioned, any live video broadcast—whether yours or someone else’s—that you’ve sent to a friend or a group of friends will arrive in their Direct inbox.

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The ability to send live videos in real time is a great way to promote your content on Instagram. Heck, your friend may even be encouraged to join in the fun should they choose so.

Unless your Instagram account is public, only your followers can view your live video.

Disabling live video sharing

To disable this handy feature at will, do the following:

1) Tap the Profile icon, it’s the rightmost tab at the bottom.

2) Now tap the Settings cog icon near the top of your profile page.

3) Choose Story Settings from the list of options.

4) Disable the option to share live video broadcasts in Direct.

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