To save your Twitch streams, open Creator Dashboard > Settings > Stream > VOD Settings on Twitch’s website and turn on Store past broadcasts before going live. After your broadcast, download the saved video through Video Producer or preserve it as a Highlight. You can also record a separate copy with your broadcasting software.
The short version
- Enable saving first: Turn on Store past broadcasts through Twitch’s web dashboard before your next stream.
- Download before expiration: Past broadcasts remain for 7, 14, or 60 days depending on your account benefits.
- Keep videos on Twitch: Highlights remain indefinitely within a combined 100-hour allowance for Highlights and uploads.
- Keep a separate copy: Record locally with your broadcasting software to save independently of Twitch’s VOD storage.
| Option | What it saves | Main limit |
|---|---|---|
| Past broadcasts | Future streams as Twitch VODs | Expire after your account’s retention window |
| Video download | An existing video on your computer | The video must still be available |
| Highlight | A whole available broadcast or selected portions | Shares a 100-hour allowance with uploads |
| YouTube export | An existing saved video on YouTube | Requires a connected YouTube account |
| OBS local recording | Your configured scene and audio | Recording must run during the broadcast |
| Clip | A moment up to 60 seconds long | Requires clipping permission |
Turn on saving before your next stream
On Twitch’s website, open Creator Dashboard, select Settings, then open Stream. Under VOD Settings, turn on Store past broadcasts. This enables saving for future broadcasts, including streams originating from a desktop, phone, or console.
Use the web dashboard even when you plan to stream from your phone, because Twitch’s VOD storage toggle is web-only. Complete this setup before starting your mobile broadcast. If older instructions send you to account settings under Channel & Videos, use Creator Dashboard > Settings > Stream instead.
To make saved broadcasts public automatically, turn on Always Publish VODs in the same VOD Settings area. Saving and publication are separate controls, so a recorded broadcast can remain unpublished. Check Excluded Categories if a saved broadcast does not appear publicly.
Preserve broadcasts before they expire
Ordinary Twitch accounts retain past broadcasts for 7 days, while Affiliates receive 14 days. Partners and broadcasters with Prime or Turbo receive 60 days. Download, export, or create a Highlight before that window ends.
The Turbo benefit applies to your own broadcaster account’s Turbo subscription. Buying a subscription to another creator’s channel does not extend your broadcasts’ retention. Keep Store past broadcasts enabled even when your account qualifies for the longer window.
Twitch cannot recover broadcasts that have expired or were never saved. If you want a copy beyond the retention period, save it while the video is available or record locally during the broadcast.
Download a saved stream to your computer
Open Creator Dashboard > Content > Video Producer and find the broadcast you want to keep. Open the video’s three-dot menu and select Download. Complete the download before the broadcast expires.
You can use the same menu to download saved Highlights and uploads as well as full past broadcasts. Channel owners and authorized editors can download through the web version of Video Producer. This gives you a file on your computer that you can keep independently of Twitch’s storage limits.
Keep a broadcast on Twitch as a Highlight
Open Creator Dashboard > Content > Video Producer. Filter the list to Past Broadcasts, find your video, and select Highlight. You need an unexpired broadcast and enough space in your Highlight storage allowance.
Set the segment’s start and end points to cover the portion you want to keep. Select the entire available broadcast to preserve the whole video, or choose a shorter segment. Enter the video’s details, then select Publish Highlights.
Highlights remain indefinitely, but they share a combined 100-hour storage allowance with uploads. Unpublished items count toward that allowance too. If you are running out of space, download the broadcast to your computer before it expires.
Export your saved stream to YouTube
First, open Twitch account Settings > Connections. Find YouTube, reveal Connect, and select Connect. Complete YouTube’s account authorization before returning to your saved videos.
Next, open Creator Dashboard > Content > Video Producer. Open the saved video’s three-dot menu and select Export. Channel owners and authorized editors can export an available video with a connected YouTube account.
YouTube requires account verification for uploads longer than 15 minutes, so complete that requirement before exporting a longer broadcast. Export before the Twitch video expires.
Record a local backup with OBS Studio
OBS Studio can record your configured scene and audio on Windows, macOS, and Linux independently of Twitch’s VOD storage. If you need the application, open the official OBS Studio download page and choose your operating system. Use your configured broadcast scene and audio sources for the recording.
In OBS, open Settings > Output and configure Recording Path and Recording Format. Choose the folder where you want the local video saved. OBS recommends MKV because it is more resilient when a recording is interrupted.
Before your broadcast, select Start Recording in Controls. When you finish, select Stop Recording. Your recording captures the sources configured in OBS, so those sources determine what the backup contains.
To start recording automatically with your stream, open Settings > General and check Automatically record when streaming. Configure the recording destination before starting your broadcast. Then start your Twitch stream normally through OBS.
If you need an MP4 afterward, open File > Remux Recordings. Select your MKV recording and choose Remux. This creates an MP4 copy while allowing you to use OBS’s recommended format during recording.
Save short moments as Clips
To save a moment up to 60 seconds long, open the live stream or VOD and select the clip icon. In the mobile app, tap the video first to reveal it. Adjust the selection, enter a title, and select Publish.
You need a logged-in account with clipping permission. During your own broadcast, you can also open Creator Dashboard > Stream Manager and select Clip That under Quick Actions. If the action is missing, add it through the Quick Actions panel.
To download Clips of your channel or Clips you created, open Creator Dashboard > Content > Clips. Find the Clip, select Share, and use Download Clips. Choose an available landscape or portrait version; portrait availability depends on the Clip’s generated formats.
Fix missing or unpublished broadcasts
If a broadcast is missing, check Store past broadcasts under Creator Dashboard > Settings > Stream > VOD Settings. The setting must be enabled before the broadcast starts. Turning it on afterward only helps with future streams.
Next, check Video Producer for the saved video. If it is there but does not appear publicly, check Always Publish VODs and Excluded Categories. Adjust those publication controls if you want future saved broadcasts to appear on your channel.
Finally, compare the broadcast’s age with your account’s retention window. Twitch cannot restore an expired broadcast, so check for a local recording you made during the stream. For future broadcasts, enable VOD storage and automatic local recording before going live.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Twitch support downloading all saved broadcasts at once?
Twitch provides individual video downloads rather than native bulk downloading. You need to download each saved video separately.
Can a moderator download broadcasts for me?
Moderator status alone does not provide Twitch’s editor download privilege. To assign that role, open Creator Dashboard > Community > Roles Manager, then select Add New, or Add a Role for the first assignment. Find the person, check Editor, and select Save.
Can I upload a locally saved stream back to Twitch?
You can upload supported H.264 video files if you are an Affiliate or Partner. Open Creator Dashboard > Content > Video Producer, use the upload button above the video list, and select your saved file. Uploads count toward the combined 100-hour allowance shared with Highlights.
Do vertical and 2K VOD versions get the same retention period?
Vertical and 2K VOD variants expire after 7 days, even when the horizontal or 1080p version qualifies for longer retention. Preserve those versions within that shorter window or record locally during the broadcast.
Do stream markers save a copy of the video?
Stream markers identify timestamps; they do not independently save video. As a broadcaster or editor, open Creator Dashboard > Stream Manager and select Add Stream Marker under Quick Actions, using + to add the action if it is missing. Alternatively, enter /marker followed by an optional description in your channel’s chat. Use the marker later in the Highlighter to locate the moment.