Bad news for smaller creators: Instagram has quietly raised the bar on who gets to go Live. You will need to have at least 1K followers to go live now.
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Over the past few weeks, some users have seen this new message pop up in their feed:
“Your account is no longer eligible for Live. We changed requirements to use this feature. Only public accounts with 1,000 followers or more will be able to create live videos.”
Instagram’s update means that if you don’t have at least 1,000 followers, and your account isn’t public, you’ve lost access to one of the most powerful tools for real-time connection: IG Live.
So… why the change?
Meta hasn’t provided an official explanation. But there are a few likely reasons:
- Cost: Live-streaming infrastructure isn’t cheap — especially when it’s used by small accounts with just a handful of viewers.
- Safety: Raising the threshold may be a way to curb abuse, including the spread of inappropriate content via throwaway accounts.
- Quality control: Limiting Live to creators with real audiences could help boost the overall quality (and perception) of live content.
- Platform consistency: TikTok has a similar rule — requiring 1,000 followers to go live. YouTube also sets age and eligibility requirements.
The change also follows Instagram’s April update that raised the minimum age for going Live to 16 — aligning with YouTube’s recent policy shift.
What does this mean for creators?
For small creators, especially those just starting out, this is a major setback. IG Live has long been a low-barrier way to connect with niche communities, test ideas, or share unfiltered moments in real time. Now, those creators are being nudged toward more traditional growth before gaining access to real-time broadcasting.
For now, video calls are still an option. But they don’t offer the same reach, discoverability, or spontaneity that made IG Live so powerful.
And for Instagram? It’s another step toward professionalizing the creator experience but at the cost of accessibility and grassroots engagement. Going Live used to be something anyone could do. Now, it’s a milestone to earn. Whether that raises the quality, or just raises the barrier to entry, remains to be seen.