How To Find Lives on Instagram: Can I Watch Them on Demand?

Instagram might not be the king of livestreaming on social media; that title belongs to Twitch. However, Instagram Live is still a popular video content type among content creators who want to connect with their fans. So, tons of influencers go live on Instagram and talk to their followers regularly.

Craving to watch some entertaining Lives starring your fave creators for a more interactive experience with them? Let’s talk about how to find Lives on Instagram in this quick guide!

How To Find Lives on Instagram Among People You Follow

If you’re interested in looking for Lives to binge-watch, you’re probably most curious about people you already follow. Wondering how to find live streams on Instagram from the creators you love? It’s simple! All you have to do is look at the Instagram Stories bar at the top of your app’s home screen.

When people go live on Instagram, their profile pictures will have a “Live” badge and a colorful circle around them. Then, they go to the very top of the Story pile, making it easier to spot ongoing live streams. Tap the profile photo of whichever account’s Live you want to see, and watch away!

How To Find a Live on Instagram Through Notifications

Another way to easily find Lives among those you follow is by turning on your Instagram notifications for certain users. That way, every time they go live, Instagram sends you an alert right away. That means you can hop on and watch your favorite influencers’ Lives as soon as they’re broadcasted!

Want to know how to see Lives on Insta through notifications? Here’s how to do it, step by step:

1. Open Instagram and head to the profile of the account whose Lives you want to be notified about.

2. Tap the notification icon at the top of their page. It should look like a bell with a checkmark on it.

3. A pop-up will appear with a list of content by type. This menu allows you to filter content for which you want notifications. From that menu, tap Live videos.

4. Switch on the toggle labeled Get all notifications.
   

5. Tap the back arrow and turn on notifications for other content types you want alerts about for that page

And that’s it! Learning how to find a live video on Instagram becomes easy when you have these notifications on!

How To Find Live Videos on Instagram Without Following Someone

Here’s the good news, though—you don’t need to follow someone to see if they’re live. You can just check on it manually on their profile.

Just use the search bar to look for their profile and visit their page. Then, take a look at their profile photo. Even if you don’t follow them, you should see the colorful ring around their profile picture if they’re Live. If it is, feel free to tap on it and watch their Live, even as a non-follower!

How To See Top Lives on Instagram

YouTube has a section of the app that shows the top videos on the platform. X, on the other hand, has a trending topics section. But how do you see the top Lives on Instagram?

The cold, harsh truth is that you simply can’t. Instagram doesn’t have a section that shows you the most popular Lives at any given moment. And it kind of makes sense why. The social media platform prioritizes feed posts and Reels more. So, the algorithm will show you the most popular posts but not the most-watched Lives.

Plus, livestreaming on Instagram is more for content creators and brands who want to connect with their followers. It’s more casual, personal, and relationships-based. That’s why the interface makes it super easy to spot on the Stories bar if someone’s Live. That’s more than enough for Lives to serve their purpose.

Where’s the “Live Now” Section on Instagram?

Back when IGTV was still a thing on Instagram, people could sift through something called the “Live Now” page. It was a section of the app you could access on your mobile device that showed you ongoing live streams. You also used to be able to access the page by tapping the “Watch more” button after streaming a Live.

But now that Instagram has officially retired IGTV, the “Live Now” page has disappeared, too. Since then, looking for Lives from random accounts and brands on the app has been incredibly challenging.

This is because Instagram shifted its focus from livestreaming to its flagship formats, like Reels and aesthetic photos. That’s why instead of an IGTV section, we now have the much-loved Reels tab. It’s also why the death of the “Live Now” section was inevitable.

How To Find Lives on IG Easier Without the Live Now Section

With the “Live Now” page gone, it’s harder to find Lives, especially if people you follow aren’t fond of livestreaming. But don’t worry—there are things you can do to make it easier for you to discover and watch Lives. Here are some clever tips for how to find Instagram Lives faster:

• Follow content creators known to go Live to talk to their fans regularly. And don’t forget to turn on your livestream notifications for your fave ones!
• Search relevant hashtags related to topics you want to watch Lives about. Then, follow brands and accounts that appear. That way, you can easily find Lives about topics that pique your interest.
• Ask your followers for Live recommendations. Do this on your Stories and cross your fingers that someone sends cool live streams your way.

Don’t Dwell on Other People’s Lives; Focus on Yours and Grow Your Fanbase!

Instead of stressing about how to find Lives on Instagram, focus on hosting your own live streams! Answer their questions and never hide Live comments. Speak to them candidly. Talk about your personal life. These strengthen your relationship and emotional connection with your followers.

Another way to connect with people and reach a wider audience is through Path Social. We use organic promotional strategies to ensure your content captivates your niche audience. So, you get more fans, more likes, and more fame!

We’ve done it for creators like Margene Beaver, and we’ll do it for you, too! Build your Instagram community with Path Social.

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