Meta, the parent company of Facebook, has announced a major policy change that will affect all users of the platform’s Live video feature. Starting February 2025, Facebook will automatically delete live videos 30 days after their broadcast—both from users’ profiles and Meta’s servers.
The social media giant confirmed the update in a statement issued earlier this year, noting that the change is intended to streamline content storage and encourage more dynamic content sharing.
“Starting from February 2025, live broadcasts will be kept on your Facebook Page or profile for 30 days after they’ve been published,” the statement reads. “After 30 days, you’ll no longer be able to access your broadcast and it’ll be automatically removed from your Page or profile and deleted from Meta servers.”
Users Will Receive Email Notifications
Facebook users will be notified of the policy change via the email address linked to their account. Once notified, they will have up to 90 days to download their past live videos.
To save content before it’s deleted, users can:
- Select their past live videos.
- Choose a date range.
- Download them to their device or upload to cloud storage.
Optional 6-Month Extension Available
Meta offers users the option to postpone the deletion for an additional six months—but this extension can only be used once per video.
“If you need more time, you can postpone the deletion for six months,” Meta clarified. “Note: You’ll only be able to postpone the deletion of your live videos once.”
Exemption for Memorialized Accounts
Videos from memorialized accounts—Facebook profiles of deceased individuals—are exempt from this deletion policy. Content shared by these accounts will remain visible to the audiences with whom it was originally shared.
Encouraging Clips and Reels
During the 30-day retention period, users are encouraged to:
- Share replays or create reels from their broadcasts.
- Delete or download videos before the deadline if needed.
This change aligns with Meta’s broader efforts to promote ephemeral and short-form content, as seen with its push for Reels and Stories.
