Facebook Live allows users to broadcast live video streams to their followers on Facebook. When a Facebook Live video ends, it does not disappear completely – the video remains viewable as a regular video on the user’s Facebook page or in their video library. However, there are some important factors that determine how long a Facebook Live video remains available to view after the live broadcast ends.
Do Facebook Live videos get deleted automatically?
Facebook Live videos do not get deleted automatically immediately after the live broadcast finishes. The video will remain visible on the user’s Facebook page for some time so that people who missed the live broadcast can still watch the video recording.
However, Facebook does delete old Facebook Live videos after a certain period of time:
- If the video is less than 15 minutes long, it will be available for 1 day after the live broadcast ends.
- If the video is between 15 minutes and 4 hours long, it will be available for 14 days after the live broadcast ends.
- If the video is longer than 4 hours, it will be available for 60 days after the live broadcast ends.
So unless the user deletes it manually, a Facebook Live video will remain viewable for 1 day to 60 days after the live stream ends, depending on the length of the original broadcast.
Can you repost an old Facebook Live video?
Yes, users can share and repost old Facebook Live videos even after the original broadcast ends.
To repost a Facebook Live video:
- Go to your Facebook Video library
- Find the Facebook Live video you want to repost
- Click on the 3-dot icon next to the video
- Select “Share” or “Embed”
- Choose where you want to share or embed the video – your timeline, page, group or a website.
This will allow you to share the Facebook Live video again wherever you want. The video will not replay as a live broadcast, but as a normal video.
Can you download your Facebook Live videos?
Yes, Facebook allows users to download their own Facebook Live videos:
- Go to your Facebook Video library
- Find the Facebook Live video you want to download
- Click on the 3-dot icon next to the video
- Select “Download”
This will download the video file to your computer or mobile device. You can then save the video and re-upload or share it anywhere, even after it disappears from your Facebook library.
Do Facebook Live videos disappear if you delete them?
Yes, if a user deletes their Facebook Live video from their library or page, it will disappear and no longer be viewable or accessible.
Some important points about deleting Facebook Live videos:
- When you delete a Facebook Live video, it is permanently deleted.
- Other people who shared your live video will also lose access to it if you delete it.
- If you previously shared the video to your timeline after the live broadcast, that shared post will remain, but the video will not be viewable.
- Deleting a Facebook Live video does not delete any comments on the video.
So in summary, yes – deleting a Facebook Live video will make it disappear forever, unless someone has downloaded it.
Can you limit who can view your Facebook Live videos?
Yes, Facebook provides options to control who can view your Facebook Live videos:
- Public: Anyone on or off Facebook can view your live video.
- Friends: Only your Facebook friends can view your live video.
- Friends except…: Friends except specific people you exclude.
- Specific friends: Only certain friends you select.
- Only me: Only you can view the live video.
You can set the privacy when you start a live broadcast or change it later for the video recording. This allows you to limit who can watch the full video after the live stream ends.
Do Facebook Live videos have geolocation data?
Yes, Facebook Live videos contain geolocation data showing the approximate location where the video was recorded.
- This location data is visible to anyone who watches the Facebook Live video.
- On mobile devices, location services must be enabled to broadcast live videos with geotags.
- On desktops/laptops, location data is based on your IP address and internet provider location.
- You can disable location services for all videos in Facebook settings.
So Facebook Live videos do reveal location info unless you specifically opt-out. Keep this in mind if you want to hide where your video was filmed.
Can you see analytics for your Facebook Live videos?
Yes, Facebook provides metrics and analytics for Facebook Live videos to see performance:
- Peak live viewers – most viewers at one time
- Total reach – total views during live + on recording
- Total live views
- Average view duration
- Comments, reactions, shares
- Demographics data
These analytics are available in Facebook Insights for the video post or in Creator Studio > Videos. This data remains available even after the video disappears, to assess performance.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Facebook Live videos remain viewable for 1-60 days after the live broadcast ends.
- Users can repost, share, embed and download live videos.
- Deleting a Facebook Live video makes it disappear forever.
- You can control privacy settings for who can view the recording.
- Videos contain location data and insights are available after it ends.
So Facebook Live videos do not simply “disappear” right after going live, but they are ephemeral in nature compared to permanent posts and vanish after a limited time.