Facebook will mass delete numerous old live videos.
Meta will send notifications 90 days in advance before deleting old videos.
Starting February 19, Facebook will implement a change to its storage policy regarding live stream recordings. From that date on, videos from live broadcasts will be automatically deleted after a period of 30 days. Users who conduct a live stream after this change will need to download their videos to prevent them from being deleted at the end of the month. Another available option is to share the recordings on their profile through Reels, though this requires trimming the clips to a 90-second time limit.
Meta has communicated that this modification is based on viewing analysis, which shows that most views of live videos occur within the first few weeks of their publication. Additionally, they aim to align their storage policies with industry standards in order to provide a better experience for live streaming on the platform.
All recordings of streams that exceed 30 days will also be deleted, although users will receive notifications via email and in the app before their files are permanently erased. After the notification, individuals will have a 90-day period to download or transfer the videos, and the deletion process is expected to take place in phases over the coming months.
To facilitate the safeguarding of videos, Facebook provides various download tools. Users can request a bulk download that includes all their videos within a customized date range. It is also possible to transfer videos directly to cloud services like Dropbox or Google Drive.
If users wish to keep only certain videos, they can find them in the Activity Log by filtering for "Your live videos." Another option is to access the Videos tab or the Live tab on the Meta Business Suite profile or page, select the desired video, and choose to download it from the three-dot menu.
Finally, if users are unable to complete these processes on time, there will be an option to request an extension, allowing them to extend the safeguard period of the videos by six months. This request can be made by opening the notification, clicking "learn more," and selecting "defer."