How to Fix "Facebook Live: Something Went Wrong"

Nothing stops your big announcement, Q&,A session, or live event dead in its tracks like the vague Something Went Wrong error on Facebook Live. You've prepared your content, hyped up your audience, and now a spinning wheel and an unhelpful error message stand between you and your viewers. This guide provides a clear checklist of troubleshooting steps to get your stream back online, starting with the quickest fixes and moving to more specific solutions for your app, browser, and account.

Start with the Quickest Fixes First

Before diving into complicated settings, let's rule out the most common culprits. These three steps solve a surprising number of tech headaches and only take a few minutes to check.

1. Check Facebook's Service Status

Sometimes, the problem isn't on your end at all. Facebook, like any massive platform, occasionally experiences outages or technical difficulties that can affect services like Facebook Live. Wasting 30 minutes troubleshooting your own setup when the platform itself is down is a frustrating experience.

How to check:

• Visit a third-party status checker like Downdetector. A quick search for "Is Facebook down?" will give you instant results. These sites track user-reported issues in real-time.
• Check X (formerly Twitter). If there's a widespread outage, the conversation will be lively. Search for hashtags like #FacebookDown or #FacebookLive to see if other users are reporting the same problem.

If you see a spike in reports, the best solution is to wait it out. Grab a coffee, let your audience know you're experiencing technical difficulties, and try again in 15-30 minutes.

2. Check Your Internet Connection

Live streaming is incredibly demanding on your internet connection. It requires a stable and consistently strong upload speed. Many people focus on download speed (for watching Netflix or browsing), but for live video, upload speed is what matters. The "Something Went Wrong" error is often a consequence of Facebook's servers failing to receive a steady stream of data from your device.

How to troubleshoot your connection:

• Run a Speed Test: Use a tool like Speedtest by Ookla or fast.com. Pay close attention to your upload speed. For a solid 720p stream, you should have at least 3-5 Mbps of upload speed. For a 1080p stream, aim for 6-10 Mbps.
• Switch Between Wi-Fi and Cellular: If you're on Wi-Fi, try switching to your mobile data (5G, if available). If you're on mobile data, connect to a reliable Wi-Fi network. Sometimes one connection is simply more stable than the other.
• Move Closer to Your Router: Physical distance and obstructions like walls can weaken your Wi-Fi signal. Moving closer can give you the stability you need.
• Reboot Your Router: The classic "turn it off and on again" works wonders. Unplug your internet router and modem, wait 30 seconds, and plug them back in. This often clears up temporary connection glitches.

3. Restart Your Device and the App

This may sound simple, but a restart flushes out temporary software conflicts, memory glitches, and bugs that build up over time. It gives your device a clean slate.

• Completely close the Facebook app. On iOS, swipe up from the bottom of the home screen and swipe the app away. On Android, open the recent apps view and swipe it away.
• Restart your phone, tablet, or computer. Don't just put it to sleep, complete a full shutdown and reboot.
• Relaunch the app. Open a fresh session of the Facebook app or your web browser and try to go live again.

Dive Into App, Browser, and Permission Settings

If the quick fixes didn't solve the problem, the issue likely lies within your software settings or permissions. This is the most common place to find and fix stubborn "Something Went Wrong" errors.

Update Your Facebook App and Browser

Using an outdated version of the Facebook app or your web browser is a frequent source of errors. Updates often include critical bug fixes and patches that are necessary for features like Live to function properly.

• For the Mobile App: Go to the Apple App Store (iOS) or Google Play Store (Android), search for "Facebook," and tap "Update" if an update is available.
• For Your Web Browser: Make sure Chrome, Firefox, Safari, or Edge is updated to the latest version. Most browsers do this automatically, but you can typically find an "About" section in the menu to trigger a manual check.

Clear Your Cache and Data

Your app and browser store temporary files (cache) to load things faster. Over time, these files can become corrupt and cause conflicts. Clearing them out can resolve issues without affecting your personal data like photos or account settings.

• On an Android device: Go to Settings >, Apps >, Facebook >, Storage &, cache. Tap "Clear Cache." For more persistent problems, you can also use "Clear Storage," but be aware that this will log you out and reset your in-app settings.
• On an iOS device: iOS doesn't offer a simple "clear cache" button for individual apps. The most effective way is to uninstall and reinstall the app. Don't worry, all your account data is saved on Facebook's servers. Just delete the app and download it again from the App Store.
• On a desktop web browser (like Chrome): Go to Settings >, Privacy and security >, Clear browsing data. Make sure to select "Cookies and other site data" and "Cached images and files." You can set the time range to "All time" for a thorough cleaning.

Check Camera &, Microphone Permissions

This is a huge one. For Facebook Live to work, it needs explicit permission to access your device's camera and microphone. If you've ever accidentally denied these permissions, the stream will fail every time.

• On an Android device: Go to Settings >, Apps >, Facebook >, Permissions. Make sure both "Camera" and "Microphone" are set to "Allow only while using the app."
• On an iOS device: Go to Settings and scroll down to the app list. Tap on Facebook. Ensure the toggles for "Microphone" and "Camera" are turned on (green).
• On a desktop browser (like Chrome): When you try to go live, a prompt should appear asking for permission. If you've previously blocked it, click the lock icon in the address bar next to Facebook.com. From there, you can re-enable access for the camera and microphone.

Try Going Live in a Private or Incognito Window

If you're using a desktop browser, conflicting browser extensions are a common source of trouble. Ad blockers, privacy extensions, or even grammar tools can interfere with the scripts Facebook Live uses to run. An Incognito or Private window disables these extensions by default, making it a perfect testing environment.

If you can go live successfully in an Incognito window, the problem is one of your browser extensions. Go back to a normal window and disable your extensions one by one until you find the culprit.

Advanced Streaming and Account Troubleshooting

If you've worked through the steps above and are still blocked by the error message, it's time to check for deeper-level issues with your setup or account.

Check for Account Violations or Restrictions

In some cases, Facebook itself may have temporarily restricted your ability to go live. This can happen if you've recently violated Community Standards, even if the violation was minor or accidental. The livestreaming feature is often one of the first privileges to be paused.

How to check for restrictions:

• Go to your Facebook Profile or Page.
• Find your "Support Inbox" or "Account Status" in the "Help &, Support" section.
• This section will show any notices of violations or restrictions on your account. If you see a restriction related to Live video, it will tell you the reason and often the duration. Unfortunately, if this is the cause, you will have to wait for the restriction to be lifted.

Try a Different Device or Network

This is the ultimate test to isolate the source of the problem. If your live stream fails on your laptop over Wi-Fi, try going live from your phone using its cellular connection. If it works on your phone but not your laptop, you know the problem is with your computer's settings, browser, or hardware. If it fails on both devices across different networks, the problem is more likely with your Facebook account itself or a wider Facebook service issue.

Consider Using Streaming Software

For more professional and stable streams, especially from a desktop, many creators use third-party streaming software like OBS Studio (which is free), Streamyard, or Restream. These tools give you far more control and often bypass the quirky issues found when trying to stream directly through a web browser.

When you use software like this, you'll get a unique "Stream Key" from Facebook's Live Producer dashboard. You copy this key into your streaming software (like OBS), which then sends a stable, high-quality video feed directly to Facebook's servers. This can be a more reliable method than relying on the direct 'webcam' option in your browser.

Final Thoughts

That frustrating "Something Went Wrong" message on Facebook Live is almost always fixable by methodically troubleshooting your setup. By working through your internet connection, app settings, permissions, and account status, you can pinpoint the issue and get back to connecting with your community.

Once you've sorted out the technical side of streaming, managing a consistent content schedule is the next step in growing your brand. We've found that seeing our entire content plan on a visual calendar helps us keep track of live events, schedule promotional posts, and fill content gaps without getting overwhelmed. That's why we designed Postbase to make social media planning easy, allowing you to drag-and-drop posts and map out your strategy across all your platforms in one clear view.