Livestream To Instagram Using Castr

Streaming Live to Instagram and other platforms using Castr

Govinda Sunil avatar
Written by Govinda Sunil
Updated over a week ago

There are 2 ways to livestream to Instagram. The methods are:

Using Instagram Live

How to switch to a Professional Account

You will need a Professional account to use Instagram Live and vMix. You can change your existing account to Professional by doing the following-

  1. Go to Instagram.com and log in.

  2. Click More and then Settings. These are in the bottom left of the screen.

  3. Select Account type and tools and then switch to Professional account

  4. Then you’ll need to agree to the new account conditions and complete the application.

Once completed you’ll then be able to live stream to Instagram Live.

Recommended Settings for Instagram Live

  • 9×16 aspect ratio (recommended but not required)

  • 720p @ 30 fps (note: 30 fps is recommended, but Live Producer can also support 60 fps if desired. When using 60 fps, the Live Producer preview screen will still display 30 fps. This is normal and we are currently investigating how to correct this.)

    • Resolution: 720×1280

    • Video bitrate range: 2,250–6,000 Kbps

    • Alternatives (supported but not recommended): 480p @ 30 fps, 360p

How to livestream to Instagram Live from Castr?

  1. Login to Instagram and click on Create button and select Live video

  2. Add a title to your stream and then select your audience

  3. Copy the Stream URL and Key into Castr's destination

  4. Now set up your encoder and start streaming to Instagram Live.

Connecting via Yellow Duck

Note: Yellow Duck is an application that allows you to stream videos to Instagram Live from a Mac or PC. You can stream from Castr, OBS, SLOBS, or other streaming software to Instagram.

However, please note that Castr does not affiliate with or endorse Yellow Duck. Therefore, you may use the app at your own risk.

Firstly, make sure you have downloaded the Yellow Duck desktop app. Go to this link to download the app for free.

  1. Open the Yellow Duck app, then log in to your Instagram account

  2. After signing in, the app will provide you with an RTMP URL and Stream Key

Important: Your stream key will expire in a few minutes. So as soon as you’re logged in to Instagram, you will have a few minutes to start your stream. It’s best to have your video streams set up and configured beforehand.

3. Use these RTMP details to add Yellow Duck as a Custom Platform in Castr

4. Click Create Platform to finish adding Yellow Duck and start streaming to Instagram

If you need more information on how to use Yellow Duck, check out our blog.

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