Facebook Live Videos Will Be Deleted After 30 Days; Some Tips for Small Businesses

Facebook live videos are undoubtedly dominant over traditional videos. Most businesses, content creators, and individuals get benefits from them. These videos are for all types of users and are engaging, more connective, and authentic to bring more audience to your platform. 

Since it is cost-effective and presents an unfiltered and authentic perspective, it is more appealing to users than pre-recorded videos. Facebook live-streaming videos are also one of the most powerful methods for small businesses to build their audience. You don’t need to entertain your audience in real-time live video; you can also share a pre-recorded video as a live one. 

Facebook live videos had an indefinite storage period. However, on 20th February 2025, Meta announced a significant policy change regarding the storage period of livestream broadcast videos. According to this update, the storage time of Facebook live videos is reduced to 30 days, and these videos will be automatically deleted. 

Why Facebook Put a 30-Day Limit for New Live Videos?

This update will be deployed immediately, and live stream videos can be stored on Facebook profiles or pages for 30 days. After that, these videos will be deleted automatically. Meta wants to keep its audience updated with the latest live video experiences and will begin deleting videos older than 30 days. 

According to Meta the reason behind this change is the data that shows the live video views a few weeks after its broadcast. This change will not only improve consumers’ privacy by reducing the risk of prolonged video storage. Since Meta faces the financial burden of maintaining a large volume of video content, after this update Meta will be able to reallocate its resources toward other priorities.

 Meta will also notify users through email or in-app alerts before deleting Facebook live videos. Users will have 90 days to download or convert their videos into reels or shorts. There will also be an option to defer deletion for an additional six months. Facebook is introducing new tools to help users quickly download or transfer their old live videos.

This policy requires users, creators, and businesses to manage their content actively as their failure to download or transfer videos can cause a permanent loss of the content. Although this move is quite riskier and may push some creators to alternate platforms with unlimited content preservation, according to experts, it is a calculated move by Meta.

Facebook’s New Live Video Policy: What’s Changing?

Live videos are usually longer are storing them is expensive. Meta is removing these videos from its live servers to save storage space by deleting the content that nobody’s watching. Meta has already made changes to rationalize this approach. Businesses using Facebook Live need to come up with new strategies to effectively transform and use their old live videos before they get wiped off permanently. 

How to Download Facebook Live Videos

There are several tools that content creators and business owners use to download and save their videos indefinitely. However, there are some simple methods to download your live videos.

Downloading a Single Video

To download an individual live video from your Facebook Page find the Videos tab or Live tab on your profile or business page. If you can’t find this tab then click on More to see the Live Tab. Select the video you want to download and then open the full-screen view. Here click on this icon […]  and go to Download video. Select “Your Live Videos” and see the Facebook Live videos that are available to download.  

Downloading Bulk Videos

On your device, you can see a tab saying “Download Live Videos”. Click on it and select the location to download the videos. Tap on Create File and download a range of live videos according to their dates.

Transfering Live Videos

Along with downloading, Facebook allows you to transfer live videos. On your device enter into the download flow and tap on “Transfer Live Videos”. Click on “Where” and select a transfer destination. After that select your linked cloud storage provider and tap “Save”.

How Small Businesses Can Adapt to This Change?

These shifts are inevitable and a key to a successful business is to stay adaptive. That’s why, here are the steps you can take to align your strategies with this new landscape. 

Create a Plan for Your Facebook Live Stream

Before broadcasting your live video determine its objective, key message, and core brand objectives. Think of your targeted audience and the specific KPIs to educate them, and increase leads and CTAs. 

Practice your live videos in advance and come up with thoughtful considerations to represent your brand. The more practice you do the better you will become in conversing your message more naturally and engagingly. However, don’t over-practice it as it may seem scripted.

This strategy will reduce the time of live videos while delivering the key objectives to your audience. Afterward, it will be easier for to you download and convert these videos into useful Reels and Shorts. 

Promote Your Facebook Live Videos on Multiple Channels 

After downloading live videos and converting them to Reels, promote them on multiple channels. Inform your audience on other channels of time when you are about to go live. Then save the live videos and share its Shorts or Reels on those other platforms to maximize the number of views. If you are collaborating with an influencer then ask them to promote this live broadcast on their page to encourage more audience to watch this discussion. 

Conclusion

Facebook deleting your older Live videos must not impact your strategies. You need to look back and analyze how it performed and then practice the best way in your next videos. Create mindful content, save it, and share it with your audience to build authenticity and boost engagement.