Facebook to Delete Live Videos After 30 Days, Introduces New Download Tools for Users
Facebook announced on Tuesday that live videos will now only be stored on the platform for 30 days before being permanently deleted, a major shift from its previous policy of indefinite storage. The change, which takes effect on Wednesday, brings Facebook’s live video retention policies closer to industry standards set by competitors like Twitch and YouTube.
What This Means for Facebook Live Users
- All live videos older than 30 days will be removed unless users take action.
- Users will receive a notification and have 90 days to decide whether to download, transfer, or convert their old live videos into reels.
- Facebook is offering a six-month deferral option, allowing users to extend the deletion deadline if they need more time to manage their content.
New Download Tools for Preserving Live Videos
To help users keep their content, Facebook is introducing bulk download options:
- Download live videos: Users can save their videos directly to their devices.
- Transfer to cloud storage: Users can send videos to Dropbox, Google Drive, or other linked services.
Why Is Facebook Making This Change?
In a blog post, Facebook stated that “these changes will align our storage policies with industry standards and help ensure we are providing the most up-to-date live video experiences for everyone on Facebook.” However, the company did not elaborate further.
How Facebook’s Policy Compares to Competitors
- Twitch stores past broadcasts for 60 days for Partners, Affiliates, and Prime streamers, but only 14 days for regular users.
- YouTube keeps live videos indefinitely by automatically converting them into standard videos, unless a user has disabled archiving.
What’s Next?
Facebook’s decision to limit live video storage marks a shift toward streamlined content management and temporary engagement-based video strategies. While the change may frustrate some content creators, Facebook’s new download tools provide options for saving and repurposing past live broadcasts.
Users should act quickly to save or transfer their live videos before the automatic deletions begin.
