How to Go Live on LinkedIn: Access, Requirements, Setup
LinkedIn Live isn't switched on for every account. Here's who can go live on LinkedIn, whether to host from your profile or a Page, how LinkedIn Events and custom streams fit together, and a step-by-step setup for your first broadcast.
To go live on LinkedIn, your profile or Page first needs LinkedIn Live access, which LinkedIn grants based on criteria such as audience size, account standing and location. You then create a LinkedIn Live event, pick a broadcast tool or a custom stream, connect it with the details LinkedIn provides, and start the broadcast at the scheduled time.
That's more setup than most platforms ask for. LinkedIn Live has generally relied on external broadcast software rather than a built-in camera button, and it's organized around scheduled events. Here's how to get from "Can I even do this?" to a working first broadcast.
Key takeaways
- Access depends on criteria LinkedIn sets, such as audience size and account standing.
- Broadcast as yourself from your profile, or as a company from a Page you administer.
- Most broadcasts start as a LinkedIn Live event, with registration and a start notification.
- The video comes from a supported broadcast tool or a custom stream any RTMP encoder can feed.
Who can go live on LinkedIn at the time of writing
LinkedIn Live started as an application-only feature. LinkedIn has since described access in terms of eligibility criteria, and the list has changed more than once, so confirm the details in the LinkedIn Help Center's article on LinkedIn Live eligibility.
The criteria LinkedIn has commonly listed are:
- Audience size: a minimum number of followers and/or connections, commonly cited as more than 150.
- Good standing: a history of following LinkedIn's Professional Community Policies.
- Location: being in a region where LinkedIn Live is offered.
The criteria apply to members and Pages individually, so check both if you plan to broadcast as a company. A quick test: start creating an online event. If no LinkedIn Live format is offered, you probably don't have access yet.
Profile or Page: who should host the broadcast
Where you broadcast from decides who gets notified and whose name sits on the replay.
- Your profile suits founders, consultants, recruiters and subject experts. The broadcast reaches your connections and followers.
- A company Page suits product launches, customer education and anything the company wants to own long term. You'll need an admin role that lets you create events and post as the Page, and the Page itself has to meet LinkedIn's criteria.
Many teams combine the two: the event lives on the Page, and the presenters are listed as speakers and share it with their own networks. That pairs the brand's archive with the personal reach that often travels further on LinkedIn. Decide before you create the event, because the organizer is chosen at that point.
Creating your first LinkedIn Live event, step by step
Labels in this flow change from time to time, so follow the wording on screen.
- Start an event from your profile or Page and choose an online format that uses LinkedIn Live.
- Fill in the essentials: a specific title, date, start time and time zone, a description of what attendees will learn, and a cover image.
- Choose how you'll broadcast: a supported third-party broadcast tool, or the custom stream option for any RTMP-capable encoder.
- Publish and share the event so people can register in advance.
- Before the start time, open the event's stream settings, copy the stream URL and key into your encoder, and send a test feed.
- Confirm the feed looks right on the event page, then start on time.
The stream key works like a password for that event; see how to keep a stream key secure.
Settings and habits that suit a professional audience
For a custom stream, conservative settings work best: H.264 video, AAC audio at 128–160 kbps, a 2-second keyframe interval and a constant bitrate, at 720p or 1080p and 30 fps. Around 4,500–6,000 kbps suits 1080p30, but check LinkedIn's current recommended settings, and remember that a single broadcast has a maximum length.
A few habits help with a work audience:
- Schedule for your viewers' working day in their time zone, and publish the event at least a week ahead.
- Open with context, because people join late from the feed, and restate the topic every so often.
- Make slides readable on a phone and add captions for people watching without sound.
- Name commenters when you answer them; it turns a presentation into a conversation.
Going live on LinkedIn from OBS or a playlist with StreamHouse
StreamHouse can't grant LinkedIn Live access; that still comes from LinkedIn. Once your event has a custom stream, add a LinkedIn Live destination, paste the event's stream URL and key, and choose your source:
- A recorded session: upload it to your media library, add it to a playlist and schedule the start for the event time. It runs in the cloud, so no laptop has to stay awake. Playlists loop, so plan to stop the stream when the session ends.
- A live presenter: send one OBS feed to StreamHouse and it relays it to LinkedIn, plus YouTube or Facebook if you add them, while your connection carries only one stream.
Teammates can run the broadcast through roles such as stream manager, with no shared password. See how LinkedIn Live streaming works in StreamHouse.
Frequently asked questions
Why don't I see the option to go live on LinkedIn?
Usually the profile or Page doesn't meet LinkedIn Live's current eligibility criteria, or you lack an admin role on the Page. Check the LinkedIn Help Center's eligibility article, confirm your account is in good standing, and try again later, since eligibility can change as your audience grows.
How long can a LinkedIn Live broadcast last?
LinkedIn caps the length of a single broadcast, commonly documented as four hours. That makes it a place for scheduled sessions rather than an always-on channel. Check the current limit in LinkedIn's help pages, and split a long conference day into several events.
Do I need a third-party tool to go live on LinkedIn?
You need something that sends the video: a broadcast tool that integrates with LinkedIn, or any encoder that accepts a custom stream URL and key, such as OBS or a cloud streaming service. LinkedIn has generally not offered a built-in camera option for Live.
Can StreamHouse get my account approved for LinkedIn Live?
No. Eligibility is decided by LinkedIn, and no outside service can grant it. Once you have access and a custom stream key for an event, StreamHouse can send a recorded session or your OBS feed to LinkedIn, alongside destinations like YouTube.
