You can download a Facebook Live video you hosted at any time within 30 days of the broadcast, and you should, because Facebook deletes live content that isn't saved, downloaded or turned into reels 30 days after the session ends. For a full backup of your own videos, you can also use Facebook's Export your information tool.
Most people searching for this want one of two things: a copy of their own live, or a copy of someone else's. They're very different jobs, so I'll take them in turn. The deadline is the part you can't afford to miss.
The 30 day rule for Facebook Live videos
Facebook's live-streaming guidelines include a section on storage and replay that changes how you should treat every broadcast:
| What Facebook says | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| Live videos are available for replay for up to 30 days after the broadcast | Viewers can catch up for about a month |
| Creators may download the full live video file at any time within the 30 day window | This is your window to keep a copy |
| Highlight tools can turn key moments from a live into reels | Reels are a way to keep the best parts in front of people |
| Live content not saved, downloaded or converted to reels is deleted 30 days after the session ends | Do nothing and the video goes |
Facebook's own advice is to retrieve any content you want to keep before that deadline. I'd go further: download it the same day you go live, while you still remember.
Download your own Facebook Live video
When your stream ends, Facebook uploads it to your profile, Page or group as a post. That post is your starting point. Open it while you're logged in to the account that hosted the live, and use the download option Facebook gives creators inside the 30 day window.
If you want everything in one go, or the download option isn't showing, Facebook's Export your information tool is the reliable route. On a computer:
- Click your profile picture in the top right, then click Settings and privacy.
- Click Settings.
- Click Accounts Centre, then click Your information and permissions.
- Click Export your information, then click Create export.
- Select the profile you want to export from, then select Export to device.
- Choose the information you want, a date range, the format and the media quality, then click Start export.
A few details from Facebook's help article are worth knowing before you start. Pick the HTML format if you just want to watch your videos: you get a ZIP file with an index page you open in your browser, plus folders holding the images and videos you asked for. High quality video makes the file much bigger, so check your storage first. And when the export's ready, you have four days to download it from Available downloads before it expires.
I've covered the export tool in more depth in my guide to downloading your Facebook data, including choosing a narrow date range so you're not waiting for years of photos.
Can you download someone else's Facebook Live?
Facebook's help articles describe downloading for the creator of a live video, not for viewers. So the clean way to get a copy of someone else's broadcast is to ask them. If they hosted it, they can download the full file within the 30 days and send it to you.
If you only want to watch it again, you don't need a download. The replay sits on the host's profile, Page or group, and you can share the post to your Feed, your story or a private message to find it easily later. Just remember the replay itself may disappear after 30 days if the host hasn't kept it.
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I'd steer clear of random download sites and browser add-ons that ask you to paste Facebook links. If you're tempted by one, read my notes on installing a Facebook video download extension safely first.
My advice
Treat every live like a recording you'll lose unless you act. Download the full file within a day or two, save the best moments as reels, and keep the master copy somewhere other than Facebook. That one habit turns a one-off broadcast into content you can reuse for months.
For the rest of the series, see the Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
How long have I got to download a Facebook Live video?
Facebook says creators may download the full live video file at any time within 30 days of the broadcast. Live content that isn't saved, downloaded or turned into reels is deleted automatically 30 days after the session ends.
Can I download all my Facebook videos at once?
Yes. Use Export your information in Accounts Centre, choose Export to device, pick the information and media quality you want, then start the export. You get four days to download it once it's ready.
Can I download a Facebook Live that someone else hosted?
Facebook's help articles describe downloads for the creator. The simplest route is to ask the host, who can download the full file within the 30 day window.
What format should I choose when exporting my Facebook videos?
HTML is easiest to view: you get a ZIP file with an index page and folders containing your images and videos. JSON is for moving your information into another service.
