Livestreamed prerecorded video … sounds like an oxymoron, right? But believe it or not, information technology is possible — and can be beneficial — to livestream prerecorded video on Facebook, YouTube, or elsewhere. And in that location are enough of reasons why you might want to practise it. This post will comprehend both why and how to livestream prerecorded video and even covers some specific platform guidelines you should know.

Why would you want to stream prerecorded video?

Hither are just a few of the many reasons and benefits:

  • Combine live and prerecorded segments: You may want to stream a mostly live testify that includes a prerecorded opener, stop credits, or just a segment you shot before.
  • Add commercials/sponsor messages: You may desire to sell advertising spots to sponsors of your live prove then whorl their commercials right into your livestream.
  • Comment on prerecorded video: Yous may want to play a prerecorded video alongside your live commentary — to analyze sports plays, movie trailers, or anything else!
  • Engage with viewers in real time: You may want to devote 100% of your attention to the chat going on in the comments, which can exist tough when y'all're also filming in real fourth dimension.
  • Edit or shorten your video earlier your stream: You lot may desire to stream an edited or shortened video of something that happened earlier. For example, a lengthy tutorial might piece of work better with some fourth dimension-lapse footage.

What types of prerecorded video are immune on Facebook Live?

Before we get into how to livestream prerecorded video on Facebook, it'southward important to bear on on what'southward allowed. According to Facebook Live policies, there are a couple of types of prerecorded videos that you're not immune to stream:

  • Misleading prerecorded footage: You're not allowed to mislead people into thinking that prerecorded footage is really occurring in real fourth dimension.
  • Unmarked prerecorded footage: All prerecorded footage that you stream to Facebook must be marked equally prerecorded whether with graphics or disclaimers. (I recall it's safety to assume that annihilation that's plain prerecorded — countdowns, openers, credits, commercials — doesn't demand a special marking.)

So basically as long equally you're not misleading people nearly what's prerecorded footage and what isn't, you're in the articulate.

How to stream prerecorded video on Facebook

To livestream prerecorded video to Facebook, you lot're going to need a third-political party streaming software or encoder, like Switcher Studio , which runs on iPhones and iPads. An encoder is a tool that lets y'all have video, turn it into a streamable format, and then stream information technology to the destination of your choice (in this case, Facebook).

If y'all don't notwithstanding accept a Switcher Studio business relationship, go ahead and start a free trial and and so download the app on your iPhone or iPad and log in so you can follow along with these steps.

  1. Add the prerecorded video to your Photo Library (if it'southward non already in there) on the iOS device running Switcher.
  2. Link your Facebook account to Switcher Studio and prepare upwards a Facebook stream to your folio, group, or contour according to these instructions.
  3. Open the Switcher Studio app and tap the bluish + button at the bottom of the Sources/Production panel.
  4. Tap Video, then tap Photograph Library. (You may exist prompted to select the photos/videos that you desire to give Switcher Studio access to. Select the prerecorded video you'd like to stream and tap Washed.)
  5. Now that the video shows up amidst your accessible media, tap the video once again, adjust any video properties you'd similar, and so tap Done.
  6. The video will at present show upwardly as a source in your Sources/Production panel.
  7. If you want to start your stream with the prerecorded video, simply tap the video's thumbnail to roll the prerecorded video and then immediately tap the large red get-alive push button. If you want to play your prerecorded video midstream, tap the go-live push button whenever you're gear up to starting time streaming and then tap the video'south thumbnail whenever y'all'd like to whorl it in.

How to livestream prerecorded video to Facebook or YouTube

How to stream prerecorded video on YouTube

Knowing that people wanted a style to livestream prerecorded video, YouTube introduced YouTube Premiere, which lets you upload a prerecorded video and schedule it to air at a certain time. If that's what you'd similar to do, check out our web log post on how to apply YouTube Premiere to schedule a video.

That said, YouTube Premiere isn't exactly the same as livestreaming prerecorded video. But as with Facebook, you will need a third-political party encoder or streaming software like Switcher Studio, which runs on iOS devices, if you want to livestream prerecorded video to YouTube.

Normally y'all cannot livestream to YouTube from a mobile/iOS device unless you lot have 1,000 followers, just Switcher bypasses this restriction. You tin can livestream from Switcher Studio to YouTube from a mobile device no thing how many followers you have, as long equally you've enabled livestreaming on your YouTube account.

If you don't yet have a Switcher Studio business relationship, go alee and start a free trial, subscribe to a program (YouTube streaming isn't available on trials), and then download the app on your iPhone or iPad and log in then you lot can follow along with these steps.

From there, the steps for livestreaming prerecorded video to YouTube are almost identical to the to a higher place steps for Facebook, but hither's the breakdown again.

  1. Add the prerecorded video to your Photo Library (if it's not already in at that place) on the iOS device running Switcher.
  2. Link your YouTube account to Switcher Studio and prepare a YouTube stream on your channel according to these instructions.
  3. Open the Switcher Studio app and tap the blue + button at the lesser of the Sources/Production panel.
  4. Tap Video, then tap Photo Library. (Y'all may exist prompted to select the photos/videos that you desire to give Switcher Studio access to. Select the prerecorded video yous'd similar to stream and tap Done.)
  5. Now that the video shows up amid your accessible media, tap the video once more, adjust whatever video properties yous'd like, and then tap Done.
  6. The video volition now evidence up as a source in your Sources/Production panel.
  7. If y'all want to start your stream with the prerecorded video, simply tap the video's thumbnail to curl the prerecorded video and and so immediately tap the large carmine go-live button. If you want to play your prerecorded video midstream, tap the become-alive button whenever you're ready to start streaming and then tap the video's thumbnail whenever you'd like to whorl it in.

Brand the near out of your prerecorded video

It'due south also worth noting that you can use Switcher'due south Multiview Templates to show your prerecorded video alongside live footage — for case, if you lot want to provide commentary or roll in a commercial without cutting away from what's happening in real time.

Prerecorded video is just one manner to amp upwards the quality of your livestreams. Y'all tin can also add branding, text, titles, remote guests, and more. If you're ready to accept your livestreams to the adjacent level with easy live-production tools, get-go your 14-day free trial of Switcher Studio today