Facebook Live allows users to broadcast live video streams on Facebook. It offers an interactive way for individuals and organizations to connect with their audiences in real time. One common question people have about Facebook Live is whether the videos get saved after the broadcast ends. The short answer is yes, Facebook Live videos do get saved by default.
Saving Settings for Facebook Live Videos
When you start a Facebook Live broadcast from your profile, page, or group, the video will be saved to your timeline or page’s videos tab after the broadcast ends. You don’t have to do anything extra for the video to be saved.
There are a few settings related to saving Facebook Live videos that you can adjust:
- Save video – This is enabled by default. Unchecking this will prevent the video from being saved after the broadcast.
- Expiration – You can set an expiration time for saved videos to be deleted after a certain period of time, such as 24 hours or 7 days.
- Privacy – Adjusting the privacy settings determines who can view the saved video. You can make it public, limit it to friends or a custom list, or private.
These settings can be accessed in the Facebook Live producer dashboard and adjusted both before you go live and during the broadcast.
Where Facebook Live Videos are Saved
Finished Facebook Live videos are saved and can be accessed from a few places:
- Video tab on your profile or page – All previous live broadcasts are housed here.
- Timeline or page timeline – The video will also post to your timeline like any other video.
- Video Library – All videos you’ve shared, including lives, are available here.
When viewers see your archived live videos, they will have a label indicating it was a Facebook Live video along with the date it was originally broadcast.
Benefits of Saving Facebook Live Videos
There are a number of benefits to having your Facebook Live broadcasts saved by default:
- Increased exposure – Even if someone misses the live broadcast, they can still watch the full video later.
- Evergreen content – The content stays relevant and can be viewed at any time.
- Analytics – You can view detailed analytics on your archived videos to see total views, demographics, engagement, etc.
- Repurpose content – Download and reuse clips or highlights from your live videos.
Downloading Facebook Live Videos
If you want to download and save the full video file from a Facebook Live broadcast, you have a couple options:
- Use a third-party Facebook video downloader – There are various websites and browser extensions that allow you to download Facebook videos.
- Use the download button – There is a download button on desktop that lets you download the MP4 file. This is not available on mobile.
Here are some specific steps for downloading your Facebook Live videos:
- Go to the video from your timeline, page, or video library.
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Select “Download” which will download the MP4 file to your computer.
You can then upload the video file to another platform or edit it on your computer.
Deleting Facebook Live Videos
If you ever need to remove a Facebook Live video, it’s a simple process:
- Go to the video from your timeline, page, or video library.
- Click on the three dots in the upper right corner.
- Select “Delete” to permanently remove the video.
Consider downloading a copy before deleting if you think you may want the original video file. Once deleted from Facebook, the video will no longer be available for viewing.
Limits on Storage for Facebook Live Videos
Facebook does limit how many live videos and total video minutes can be stored based on the type of account:
| Account Type | Max Storage Duration | Max # of Videos |
|---|---|---|
| Personal Profile | 60 days total | 50 videos |
| Page | 60 days total | 50 videos |
| Group | 60 days total | 50 videos |
Once you reach these limits, older videos will start being deleted automatically to make room for new ones. To retain videos for longer, you’ll need to download them.
Conclusion
Facebook Live videos automatically get saved to your timeline and video library by default when you end the broadcast. This allows people to replay and watch the full video on demand. You can download Facebook Live videos to retain the original file, and delete individual videos if needed. There are storage limits based on account type, so downloading broadcasts you want to archive indefinitely is recommended.