Meta is at it again!
The company has announced a significant change that affects all school Facebook pages: Facebook Live videos will no longer be archived on the platform for longer than 30 days. But even more pressing: Starting in the summer of 2025, all of your existing Facebook Live videos will be permanently deleted!
Why is this happening? Let’s be real: Facebook must be dealing with massive data storage challenges. Can you imagine how many videos are sitting on their servers right now?!
While this change makes sense from their perspective, it creates an urgent need for schools to take action. The good news is that this is a fairly simple process, and it won’t take you very long to complete the steps. Let’s go through it!
Why Your School Should Care
Many school districts – especially public schools – have specific record retention policies that require maintaining communications. This could include live streams on your Facebook page(s). I recommend that you talk to your legal team to understand your specific obligations.
Beyond any legal responsibilities, it’s also best practice to maintain documentation of your past content that has been created on your school’s behalf. These videos captured moments in history, from graduation ceremonies to hallway walk-throughs, and could be valuable for future reference.
What Your School Needs to Do
It’s probably going to be easiest to watch a video walk-through of how to download your videos for posterity. I’ve created a short video to help you out!
Prefer written instructions? Here you go!
Step-by-Step Guide to Download Your Facebook Live Videos
1. On a computer, log in to Facebook as your school page
2. Navigate to Settings
3. Scroll down to “Your Information.”
4. Select “Download Your Information.”
5. Configure your download:
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- Select HTML format
- Choose your resolution preference
- Select “All Time” for the date range
- Deselect all options except “Live Videos”
- Click “Request Download”
6. Facebook will email you when your download is ready
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- You’ll have 4 days to download your files
- Files will come as a zip folder
- Extract the files to your preferred storage location (local drive or cloud storage)
Pro Tip: The downloaded package includes a “Start Here” page that organizes all your videos. While this feature is currently available, I’m unsure if it will work after Facebook’s deletion date.
Moving Forward: Your New Facebook Live Strategy
For future Facebook Live videos, create a monthly reminder to download and save your videos. This new 30-day retention policy means that regular archiving needs to become part of your social media routine!
Checklist for Facebook Live Archiving
✅ Check your email for Facebook’s deletion notice
✅ Download all existing Facebook Live videos before the date given
✅ Consult with your legal team about retention requirements
✅ Set up a monthly archiving system
✅ Store videos securely (cloud or local storage)
Bonus Tip
Have you ever had a live video on your personal Facebook account? Make sure you download those videos, too!
You can do this through the Meta Account Center. Go to Account Settings, and then click “Your Information & Permissions” and “Download Information.”
Need More Social Media Support?
At #SocialSchool4EDU, we’re here to help you navigate these changes and keep your school’s social media presence vibrant. Join our Membership Program for ongoing support, training, and tips to make your school’s social media shine!
