How to Go Live on Instagram with Meta Glasses

Going live on Instagram straight from your Meta Glasses offers your audience a unique, first-person point of view that’s impossible to capture with a phone on a tripod. It puts your followers directly in your shoes, whether you're showing them how to knit, decorate a cake, or tour a new city. This guide walks you through every step of setting up and launching a hands-free live stream while also sharing tips to make your broadcast look professional and feel authentic.

First Things First: Setting Up Your Gear for Streaming

Before you can start broadcasting your world, you need to make sure your hardware and software are ready to go. The setup is straightforward and usually only needs to be done once. Getting this right from the start means you can go live on a whim without fumbling with settings later on.

What You’ll Need: The Essential Checklist

You don't need a massive production studio, just a few key items. Make sure you have these ready:

• Meta Ray-Ban Smart Glasses: Your camera and microphone are built right into the frame. Be sure your glasses are fully charged before you plan to go live.
• Your Smartphone: Your phone acts as the relay station, sending your stream to Instagram. It also serves as your dashboard for viewing comments and engagement. Make sure it's also well-charged.
• The Meta View App: This is the official app for managing your glasses. Download it from the App Store or Google Play Store and make sure it’s updated to the latest version.
• The Instagram App: This might seem obvious, but be sure your Instagram app is also updated to its most recent version to ensure compatibility.
• A Stable Internet Connection: Live streaming is data-intensive. A strong Wi-Fi signal is best, but a reliable 5G or strong 4G/LTE connection will work, too. Poor connectivity will result in a laggy or pixelated stream for your viewers.

Connecting Instagram to Your Meta Glasses

Now, let's link your accounts so your glasses know where to send the live feed. This setup tells the Meta View app to use your Instagram account for broadcasting.

1. Open the Meta View App: With your glasses on and connected to your phone via Bluetooth, launch the Meta View app.
2. Navigate to Settings: Tap the settings icon in the app. This is usually where you manage your device preferences and connections.
3. Find "Hands-Free Live": Look for a section called 'Live' or 'Hands-Free Live'. Meta is constantly updating its UI, but it should be under a heading related to integrations or voice commands.
4. Add Your Instagram Account: Tap the option to add an account for going live. You’ll be prompted to sign in to your Instagram account and grant the necessary permissions. Just follow the on-screen instructions, and in a few seconds, your accounts will be linked.

Once you’ve done this, your glasses are primed and ready. You won’t need to repeat these steps unless you log out of Instagram or disconnect the account manually.

How to Go Live on Instagram With Meta Glasses: A Step-by-Step Guide

You’re all set up and ready to go. The real beauty of this feature is its 'hands-free' nature. You don't start the stream from your phone - you start it with your voice.

Step 1: Get Everything in Position

Put on your glasses and make sure they are connected to your phone. Have your phone nearby, maybe in your pocket or on a table where you can easily see the screen to monitor comments once you’re live.

Step 2: Use the Voice Command

This is where the magic happens. To initiate the stream, simply say the wake phrase followed by your command aloud and clearly:

_“Hey Meta, start a live video on Instagram.”_

You don't need to shout, just speak in a normal voice. The microphones on the glasses are designed to pick up your voice pretty well.

Step 3: Wait for Confirmation

After giving the command, you'll hear an audio confirmation in your ear, and a small LED light on the inside of the frame will start blinking to signal that you are now live. At the same time, your friends and followers on Instagram will get a notification that you've started a live video.

Step 4: Manage Your Live Stream

While the video and audio are streaming from your glasses, your phone becomes your control panel. Open the Instagram app on your phone, and you’ll see your own live stream. From here, you can:

• See viewer counts in real-time.
• Read comments as they come in.
• Pin a welcome comment or an important note to the top.
• Wave to new viewers who have just joined.
• Monitor your video feed to see what your audience sees.

This hybrid approach gives you the best of both worlds: a dynamic, first-person perspective from the glasses and full engagement control from your phone.

Step 5: How to End Your Broadcast

When you're ready to wrap up, you have two simple options:

1. Use a Voice Command: Just like starting, you can end with your voice. Say, _“Hey Meta, stop the video.”_ The glasses will give you another audio cue to confirm the stream has ended.
2. End from Your Phone: Alternatively, you can end the stream directly from the Instagram app on your phone by tapping the 'End' button, just like with a normal Instagram Live.

After ending, Instagram will give you the option to share your live video to your story, download it to your phone, or simply discard it.

Pro Tips for an Engaging Hands-Free Stream

Going live is simple, but creating a stream that people want to watch requires a bit of thought. Here are some strategies to make your hands-free broadcasts stand out.

Announce Your Live in Advance

Don't just go live out of nowhere unless it's a truly spontaneous moment. Let your audience know you’ll be broadcasting by posting about it on your Stories or Feed a few hours or even a day in advance. Use Instagram's countdown sticker in your Stories to build excitement.

Mind Your Movement

The biggest challenge with POV video is jerky movement. Your brain automatically stabilizes what you see, but a camera just records every bounce and quick head turn. Move slowly and deliberately. When you want to show someone something specific, turn your head and hold it steady for a few seconds. This avoids giving your viewers motion sickness.

Narrate Everything

Because you're hands-free, you can describe exactly what you're doing without stopping. If you’re cooking, say, “Now I’m adding a little bit of salt.” If you’re assembling furniture, explain which tool you're picking up and why. Your voice becomes the guide for your audience, making them feel like they're right there with you.

Plan for Battery Life and Stream Duration

Live streaming is demanding on battery life for both your glasses and your phone. Start with both devices fully charged. Currently, live streams from Meta Glasses are capped at 30 minutes. Keep this in mind and plan your content accordingly so you have time to say goodbye before the stream automatically ends.

Interact with Viewers

Keep your phone visible so you can scan comments. Acknowledge people by name. Asking questions in return is a great way to drive engagement. "Thanks for the question, Sarah! The brand of paint I’m using is..." This direct interaction makes your broadcast feel like a two-way conversation.

Creative Ideas for POV Instagram Live Streams

Now that you know how it's done, what should you broadcast? The possibilities are endless, but here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Behind-the-Scenes Tours: Give a tour of your office, studio, workshop, or event setup. Show your audience the mess, the process, and the people behind what you do.
• Live Tutorials & Demos: Perfect for bakers, crafters, artists, mechanics, or personal trainers. Your audience gets a true first-person view of your technique without a camera getting in the way.
• "Ask Me Anything" Sessions on the Go: Go for a walk in your neighborhood or hike a favorite trail and answer audience questions as you go. The dynamic background is far more interesting than just sitting at a desk.
• Unboxings and Product Reviews: Unbox a new product and give your genuine, first-person reaction. Your audience can see everything you see, exactly as you see it.
• Personal Shopping Experience: Retailers can offer a POV guided tour of their shop, picking out items for a customer or showcasing a new collection up close.

Final Thoughts

Broadcasting live from your Meta Glasses is a powerful, fresh way to create content that really feels personal. By following the setup steps and using these creative tips, you can give your audience an immersive experience that helps them connect with you and your brand on a deeper level.

After your stream ends, the conversation often continues in your comments and DMs. We originally built Postbase to solve this exact challenge. With our unified inbox, you can manage all of your messages from every platform in one organized place, making it easy to reply to every question and comment from your Live. Then, when you're ready to schedule follow-up content or share highlights, our visual calendar helps you plan a schedule that builds momentum, turning one great live video into a multi-day content win.