Since February 19, 2025, Facebook has implemented a new policy regarding live videos. All live videos are now automatically deleted 30 days after they are broadcast. This measure raises many questions for content creators, businesses, and users alike.
Why Is Facebook Deleting Live Videos After 30 Days?
A Need to Optimize Storage and Costs
Facebook hosts billions of videos, which represents a significant storage cost. By deleting live videos after 30 days, the platform reduces its server needs and optimizes its resources. This decision echoes that of Dailymotion, which deletes videos that haven’t been viewed for over a year to streamline its storage.
A Strategy to Promote Short-Form Content
Video remains a key driver of engagement. Facebook prioritizes Reels and short videos, which are more effective at capturing attention. By limiting the lifespan of live videos, the social network encourages creators to produce shorter, more impactful content.
A Fight Against Obsolete Content
Live videos are often designed for real-time consumption. After several weeks, they often lose their relevance. By automatically deleting these videos, Facebook improves the quality of available content on its platform.
Consequences for Users and Creators
An Impact on Content Strategies
Many creators and businesses use live videos to interact with their audience and create lasting content. The 30-day deletion policy forces them to rethink their strategy. They must now save their videos elsewhere or repurpose them into clips to extend their impact.
A Necessary Adaptation for Community Managers
Community managers need to adapt to this new rule. They must anticipate live video deletions and encourage rapid sharing. They can also offer replays on other platforms like YouTube or Twitch.
A Loss of Content for Users
Some users enjoyed rewatching live videos months after they were broadcast. With this new policy, they must be more mindful of publication dates and save videos they wish to keep.
How to Bypass This Limitation?
Save Videos Locally
Creators can record their live videos on their device or an external cloud after broadcasting. This allows them to republish the videos later on other platforms.
Repurpose Content into Clips
Turning a live video into multiple short clips maximizes its impact. These clips can be shared as Reels, Stories, or traditional posts.
Use Other Replay Platforms
Creators can also upload their live videos to YouTube, Vimeo, or their own website. This helps extend the content’s lifespan and reach a broader audience.
Conclusion
The deletion of live videos after 30 days is a strategic decision by Facebook. It aims to optimize storage, promote short-form content, and enhance content relevance. However, it requires adjustments from creators and businesses. It is essential to adopt new distribution and content preservation strategies to increase visibility on Facebook. By anticipating these changes, users can continue to benefit from live videos while adapting to the platform’s new requirements.
