Grande first performed at the "IHeartRadio Theater at the L.A Honda Stage" on August 22, 2014. She performs the song for the second time at the 31st annual MTV Video Music Awards on August 24, 2014. She then went on to perform it on several television shows, including "America's Got Talent" on August 27, on "Today" on August 29, and on "The X Factor Australia" on September 8. She also performed it at the iHeartRadio Music Festival on September 19. She performed a half acoustic, half upbeat version of "Break Free" on "Saturday Night Live" on September 27, 2014. Grande once again performed "Break Free" at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards on November 9, 2014, opening up the show along with her other single "Problem". Grande performed the song at the American Music Awards on November 23, 2014. "Break Free" was part of Grande's set list for One Love Manchester, a benefit concert held on June 4, 2017, for the victims of the Manchester Arena bombing.