Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced significant changes to how live videos are stored on the platform. Starting February 19, 2025, new live broadcast videos will only be available for replay, download, or sharing from Facebook Pages or profiles for 30 days before they are automatically deleted. This marks a departure from Facebook’s previous policy of indefinite storage for live videos.
Why the Change?
Facebook explained the reason for this update in a blog post, stating that the majority of live video views occur within the first few weeks of broadcasting.
“Because most live video views occur within the first few weeks of broadcasting, we’re updating how long live videos can be stored on Facebook.
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,” the company said.
Deletion of Older Live Videos
As part of this transition, all live videos older than 30 days will be permanently deleted.
“The deletion process will take place in waves over the coming months, and we are providing new tools for people to download their old live videos before they are gradually deleted,” Facebook stated.
To prevent sudden loss of content, Facebook will notify users via email and in-app alerts before their archived live videos are removed. Once notified, users will have 90 days to take action—whether by downloading, transferring, or converting their live videos—before they are permanently erased.
“Once received, you will have 90 days to choose what to do with your old live content: download to your device, transfer to your cloud storage, or convert to a new reel,” Facebook clarified.
New Tools for Downloading Live Videos
To ease this transition, Facebook has introduced several tools for users to download and retain their live videos:
- Single Download: Users can download individual live videos by selecting a video from their profile, opening it in full-screen mode, clicking the options menu (“[…]”), and choosing “Download video.”
- Bulk Download: Users can download multiple live videos from the Activity Log by selecting “Your live videos,” choosing a date range, and clicking “Create File.”
- Cloud Storage Transfer: Facebook provides an option to transfer live videos directly to cloud storage services such as Dropbox or Google Drive. Users can select “Transfer live videos,” choose their preferred destination, and tap “Save.”
Converting Live Videos to Reels
To preserve select moments from live broadcasts, Facebook is introducing an option to convert live videos into reels.
“If you would like to keep your favorite moments from your live videos on your page for more than 30 days, you can clip shorter moments from your live video and share them as reels on Facebook, giving them a home on your profile page for friends, family, and community to enjoy,” Facebook stated.
Extending the Deletion Timeline
Facebook is also offering users a one-time extension of six months before their live videos are permanently deleted. To activate this extension, users must follow these steps:
- Tap the notification received about live video deletion.
- Select “Learn More.”
- Choose “Postpone the deletion.”
- Tap “Postpone” to confirm.
If no action is taken within the extended six-month period, the old live videos will be permanently removed from the platform.
With these changes, Facebook is moving towards a more streamlined approach to live video content management, aligning with industry trends and optimizing the user experience.
