Instagram Live Now Restricted to Users With Over 1,000 Followers: Here's What You Need to Know

Instagram has rolled out a significant policy change that limits who can use its Live Broadcast feature. Going forward, only public accounts with at least 1,000 followers will be allowed to go live on the platform.

This update, which is already active in India for both Android and iOS users, was first confirmed through Instagram’s official Help Centre. Users falling short of the threshold now receive a notification stating:

“We changed requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 followers or more will be able to create live videos.”

Why the Change?

Meta, Instagram’s parent company, has not issued an official explanation for the new restriction. As a result, questions are being raised about its potential impact on smaller creators, independent users, and small businesses. For many lesser-known influencers, Instagram Live was a key tool for real-time engagement and audience building. This update may significantly limit that opportunity.

Not the Only Platform With Live Restrictions

Instagram's move aligns with similar rules on other social platforms:

• TikTok also requires a minimum of 1,000 followers to access its Live feature.
• YouTube, on the other hand, has a lower barrier, allowing mobile live streaming for channels with just 50 subscribers, though with some limitations.

Additional Restrictions for Teens

Instagram had already placed age-based restrictions on Live usage. Users under 16 are blocked from using Live by default, unless explicitly enabled with parental permission — part of Instagram’s broader efforts around digital safety for minors.

What It Means for Users

If your account hasn’t crossed the 1,000-follower milestone and is not public, Instagram Live is now inaccessible to you. It’s unclear whether this policy is permanent or part of a limited rollout. For now, however, many users will find themselves locked out of the feature.