Instagram launches feature to help go Live with up to three users

Instagram has announced a feature called Live Rooms, that enables to go live with multiple guests. The early tests for this feature were done in India and now it has been rolled out broadly.  

Instagram believes with Live Rooms creators have more opportunities to have conversations with their followers, and to expand their reach and use cases for Live, such as starting a talk show or a podcast, hosting a jam session, or co-creating with other artists, leading to more Q&As with those they’re going Live with, or simply hanging out with friends.

Ajit Mohan, Vice President, and Managing Director, Facebook India, said, “Creators are at the forefront of pushing culture and creativity on Instagram and we’re constantly innovating to help them express themselves better. This year in particular has seen extensive use of Live, and as physical distancing norms continue, Live will remain an invaluable feature to bring friends, families, and audiences together, and foster meaningful conversations. From the launch of Reels to the testing and rollout of Live Rooms, India is playing a crucial role in the way products are being designed for the future.”

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The early test for 'Live Rooms' took place with a few creators in India, including Shereen Bharwani, Manav Chhabra, and Rohina Anand Khira. Manav shared his experience, “I’m happy and proud to have been part of the early testing of 'Live Rooms'. It’s great to see the inputs from our experience in India, shape a feature that could one day be used globally. Also, this multi-participant chat format is so versatile; I already have a few ideas of how I’m going to use this.”

How to use Live Rooms

To go Live

• Tap the plus sign in the top left-hand corner of your stories tray or click the “Create” plus icon in the top right of the home navigation bar
• Note: you can also swipe left when you’re on your main Instagram home screen!
• Scroll to and tap the Live camera option at the bottom
• Use the menu on the left to add a title if you so choose
• Tap the circular button to go live

To add guests to your live stream

• While you’re already live, tap the Camera/Rooms icon
• Now, you’ll see people that have requested to join your Live. You can also search for your guest’s name to send them a request to join your Live.
• Simply tap on the guest’s handle to add them
• Note: You can add all three guests at one time, and you can also add guests at a later time