To save a YouTube livestream as a VOD, first check whether YouTube archived it: in YouTube Studio, open Content → Live. If you also need a file on your computer, download your own video from Studio when that option is available, or use Google Takeout for a bulk copy. For an important broadcast, make a separate local recording: YouTube warns that a stream longer than 12 hours may not be captured.
Find the livestream archive in YouTube Studio
- Sign in to YouTube Studio.
- Select Content in the left menu, then open the Live tab.
- Find the broadcast and open its details. If YouTube created an archive, it should appear in this list.
YouTube says it can automatically archive livestreams shorter than 12 hours, including encoder, webcam, and mobile streams. It also says 1440p and 2160p (4K) streams are automatically archived. But an archive is not guaranteed: YouTube Help cautions, “If your stream exceeds 12 hours, it may not be captured at all.” See YouTube’s archive guidance.
Change the archive’s visibility or delete it
Open the stream’s details, choose Visibility, select the privacy setting you want, and save. You can also delete the archive from its details. Treat deletion as permanent: YouTube’s confirmation flow warns that the video will be deleted.
Download your own livestream as a file
A channel archive and a local video file are different things. If you need a file to edit, store, or play outside YouTube, download the video if Studio makes that option available.
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- In YouTube Studio on a computer, open Content.
- Find the video, open its menu, and choose Download.
- Save the MP4 file and verify that it opens and plays before relying on it.
YouTube lists downloads at 720p or 360p, depending on video size, so do not assume the downloaded file will preserve the livestream’s original broadcast resolution. For a bulk copy of your uploaded videos, YouTube also points creators to Google Takeout. The download feature is for your own uploads, not videos belonging to other channels. YouTube’s download guidance says a Studio download may be unavailable if the video was removed, has a copyright or Community Guidelines strike, uses a pre-approved audio track, or has already been downloaded five times in the last 24 hours.
Make a local recording as a backup
For a documentary interview, event, or other broadcast you cannot repeat, do not rely only on the channel archive. YouTube Help recommends recording a local archive as a backup. Start recording in the streaming software or encoder you use for the broadcast, and check that the recording completes and plays. YouTube’s archive instructions do not specify recording controls or settings, so consult your software’s own instructions for the exact steps.
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A local recording uses storage on the computer or recording device. An external drive can be a destination if it has enough space for your files, but a drive by itself does not capture or encode the stream.
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