Instagram is rolling out Live Rooms, a feature that will let a group of up to four users live stream together. This is an upgrade from Instagram's previous limit, which only allowed a maximum of two users to go live at a time.

Instagram Live Rooms Makes Way for More Live Content

Instagram announced the addition of Live Rooms in a post on the About Instagram blog. The platform hopes that Live Rooms will bring more types of live content to Instagram, and that includes podcasts, jam sessions, talk shows, and more. According to Instagram, Live Rooms will soon become available to users around the world.

Instagram Live Rooms videos
Image Credit: Instagram

Instagram Live rose in popularity due to COVID-related lockdowns in 2020, and the platform took advantage of this surge. It rolled out shopping features for Live, turning some videos into QVC-esque shopping channels, and even introduced a way for creators to sell badges to viewers.

With Instagram Live Rooms, none of these features will really change. Viewers will be able to buy badges from the stream's host, and can also interact with any shopping or fundraiser features. Instagram noted that it's currently working on implementing moderator controls and audio features, which will be rolling out "in the coming months."

How to Start a Live Room

The process of creating a Live Room is fairly straightforward. If you want to be ready on the feature's release date, here's how to create a Live Room on Instagram:

  1. Download the latest version of Instagram, and open the app.
  2. Swipe left on your screen, and choose the Live option from the carousel at the bottom of the screen.
  3. Add the title of your stream, and select the Rooms icon.
  4. From there, you can opt to go live with people you invite, or with people who have requested to live stream with you.
Instagram Live Rooms Invite
Image Credit: Instagram

You can add up to three other people to your stream. In case you only start with two other people, you can always add a third mid-stream. And if you ever encounter a rude viewer, Live Room hosts will have the ability to report or block comments, as well as use comment filters.

Instagram Joins the Group Chat Frenzy

Live group chat features are popping up on almost every social media app. While Twitch has Squad Streams, Twitter is testing Spaces, and Clubhouse is built solely on live audio-based conversations. There's even a rumor floating around that Facebook is building its own audio chat app that may work just like Clubhouse.

Instagram most recently took inspiration from the short-form video trend to create Reels, and now it's hopping on the wave of yet another trend: live conversations.