How do you upload a 360 photo to facebook?
At the moment you can load only one 360 degree photo (aka virtual reality photo) to Facebook at a time.
Facebook has developed a facility for you to upload, store and display panoramic (360 degree) photos and videos on your timeline and page.
The technique for uploading these super images is pretty straightforward and is exactly the same as for regular pics. The Facebook system automatically detects uploaded 360 photos based on the metadata that your camera has inserted into the image file. You can upload a 360 photo to Facebook in the identical manner that you would normally upload any other kind of picture. Don’t forget that when uploading a panorama – if it is wider than 100 degrees then Facebook will convert it automatically to a 360 photo. It is possible to upload just one single 360 image at a time.
Generally, cameras create .jpg (JPEG) images but Facebook accepts several file formats for uploading (.jpg .jpeg .bmp .png .gif .tiff files). Whether you have a collection of inspirational photos of landscapes or a favorite wedding / family gallery, you can either shoot the pictures using a 360 degree panoramic camera or use stitching software to compile the individual frames into a single image file for uploading and storing.
Check that the photograph file format is one of those on the list and try to keep the image size below 15MB. That is the maximum file size that Facebook allows you to upload. You can easily shrink the picture file size by using one of the free online services, such as a JPEG optimizer that compresses and resizes your digital photos or the Yahoo! free Smush facility. There are many photo compression programs that convert your image file size (photo reducer). Use these to convert your panoramic 360 pics for uploading to Facebook so as to meet the requirements.
Of course, you may still have difficulty in getting your pics uploaded. If so, take a look in your Facebook Support Inbox. People who have been previously warned for posting or uploading abusive or offensive content may have been blocked from uploading more images temporarily. If so, Facebook support will have sent you a message explaining exactly why that was. If you still cannot upload any photographs then raise a ticket with the support desk and report your problem.
If the upload does not work you should attempt to try uploading an original file of the photo and not an edited version. Image editing software such as Photoshop or iPhoto can change certain attributes in your image file that could cause the upload to fail at the first attempt. Also ensure that you are using the latest browser version and the correct version of Adobe Flash. Sometimes, issues with uploading photos to Facebook are caused by old version of Flash still being on your computer. You need to clear all older components and download the latest version of Flash from the Adobe site.
Wide-angle photography is another name for panoramic photography that produces 360 degree photos and videos. The technique captures a much wider perspective of the subject (like landscapes) into you photograph or video. You can use ultra-wide lenses or stitch multiple photos together with software such as AutoStitch or Photoshop.
If your photo or video was taken using a spherical camera (360 camera) system, then it probably added 360 metadata to the image file. That is a pre-requirement for uploading 360 photos to Facebook to your timeline. Cameras that do not add this special 360 metadata to your image file need some extra work before uploading images. You have to manually add the metadata information and then upload it just like any other photo or video file.
Unlike panoramic 360 photos, which can be stitched together from individual frames, 360 videos are generated with camera systems that record simultaneously the full 360 degrees of the viewfinder scene. What’s more, people viewing the video are able to rotate and pan the perspective of a 360 video, which enables them to view it from different angles. This kind of video has the words 360 video in the bottom left-hand corner and are can be viewed on Android devices, on iOS devices and on computers. Uploading either 360 videos or 360 photos to Facebook is really easy if you observe the basic requirements regarding metadata and the maximum file size.
The way to load the photo into Facebook is to add a photo to the status box, or just to simply load a photo on someone’s Facebook wall.
Facebook will show you an icon and 360 degree on the photo once Facebook have recognised it as a 360° photograph.
Simply press “upload”, and voila, your 360° photograph is on Facebook.
We have seen the following anomalies when loading 360° photos to Facebook:
You can’t load more than one 360° image to Facebook at a time
If you try to move 360° image from your wall to a Facebook album, it loses its 360°-ness
You can’t load 360° photos directly into a Facebook album
The biggest drawback about loading 360° photos to Facebook is that it is very difficult to share with someone:
Firstly, you must be friends with someone on Facebook before they will see the 360° photos that you have loaded
Secondly, they must actually be on Facebook (and be logged in)
That is why we have developed this website so that you can easily upload your 360° photos without having to be on Facebook. This is a great alternative method to host and show your 360 photos.