Creating and Publishing 360 Photos on Facebook

360-degree photos are a powerful way to share immersive experiences on Facebook. Unlike regular photos, these let viewers explore the entire scene—left, right, up, and down—making them far more engaging. Because of this immersive quality, they naturally attract more attention, more interaction, and can help boost engagement, which is great for content creators and businesses looking to increase reach or monetization.

To upload or edit 360 photos on Facebook, you can follow Facebook’s official instructions here.

How to Create 360 Photos

There are a couple of ways to create 360 photos, and each has its pros and cons.

Using Dedicated 360 Cameras

There are several specialized cameras designed specifically for 360 photography, such as:

• Insta360
• Ricoh Theta
• GoPro Max

These cameras are great for high-quality, seamless 360 photos. However, they can be expensive. Prices usually range from $200 to $500 or more, depending on the features and image quality.

Using Mobile Apps (Recommended)

If you're looking for a free way to create 360 photos, mobile apps are a great option. There are apps available that help you take multiple pictures and then stitch them together into a 360 photo.

While many of these apps are free to download, most of them require in-app purchases or monthly subscriptions to access the full features needed to create proper 360 photos. Plus, not all apps stitch the images accurately.

After testing several apps, I found one that stands out: 360 Photo Cam. It is completely free, doesn't require a subscription, and does a great job with stitching.

Download links for 360 Photo Cam:

• iPhone – App Store
• Android – Google Play Store

How to Use the App:

1. Open the app and tap the + icon to create a new 360 photo.
2. Follow the on-screen directions to slowly move the camera and capture multiple images.
3. The app will process and stitch the images into a 360 photo.
4. Tap the ... below the final image to download it to your device.

Note: The photo's Exif data (metadata) may not be properly set, which can prevent Facebook from recognizing it as a 360 photo.

To fix this, use this free online tool: Exif Fixer.

• Upload your 360 photo
• Download the corrected version with proper metadata
• Now you can successfully upload it to Facebook as a 360 photo.

The only drawback is that the app adds a small watermark at the top and bottom of the image. However, this is a minor tradeoff for such a useful free tool.

👉 See a sample 360 photo created with this app on Facebook

Creating 360 Photos Using Panoramas

Another simple option is using a panorama. If you upload a panoramic photo that's wider than 100 degrees, Facebook may automatically convert it into a 360 photo. This method is quick and doesn't require any stitching or third-party apps.

You can also choose to display the photo as a regular image instead if you'd like.

👉 See an example of a 360 photo created from a panorama

Comparison: 360 Photo vs Panorama Uploads

Both options work well, but they have their differences:

• 360 Photos (from apps or 360 cameras):
  • Full immersive experience (360x180 degrees)
  • Viewers can look up, down, and all around
  • Better for detailed storytelling
  • May require Exif correction
• Panoramas:
  • Easier to create using a phone's camera
  • Limited view (horizontal only)
  • Facebook auto-detects as 360 if wide enough
  • No need for stitching apps

Publishing Issues from iPhone App

When I tried to upload 360 photos or panoramas using the Facebook iPhone app, they were not recognized as 360 content. I also tested the mobile browser, but it didn’t work either.

However, uploading the same images from a desktop browser worked perfectly—Facebook correctly identified and displayed them as 360 photos.

It’s unclear whether Android devices have the same issue. If you’re experiencing problems, try uploading from a desktop instead.

Final Thoughts

Creating and sharing 360 photos on Facebook is a fun and engaging way to bring your experiences to life. Whether you’re using a high-end camera or a free mobile app, there’s a method that fits every need and budget.

If you have any questions, suggestions, or need help with any part of the process, feel free to leave a comment below—I’d love to hear from you!