How To Save Streams on Twitch - For Users & Creators 2025
Summary: This tutorial explains every practical way to save Twitch streams under Twitch’s 2025 rules. No matter you are a subscriber, or creator, you want to save your own Twitch streams, or others, this content will give you some tips.
I am a fan club member of a game streamer. I want to save his live clips and distribute them to some overseas social media so that more people can get to know him and see his wonderful highlights. However, Twitch itself does not have this function to save other people's streams, so I found some tools on Reddit and GitHub, and conducted actual use tests. I would like to share them with you here.
How to Save Twitch Streams: For Creators
1. Twitch streams archive rules for Creators
Twitch does have a built-in VOD (replay) feature, which is supposed to save videos for people to watch later. But, you should know that these replays don't stick around forever. They get deleted automatically after a while, and how long they last depends on what kind of account the streamer has:
- ⏰7 days: for those not participating in the partnership or membership program
- ⏰14days: for those join the Affiliate program
- ⏰60 days: for Twitch partners (Partner) and Twitch Turbo/Prime members
In the past, people found a trick to save the entire live streams as a highlight, because the highlight clips would not expire. But in 2025, Twitch adjusted its policy: the total length of each account's highlights and uploaded content is limited to 100 hours, and the excess will be automatically deleted. This way of saving your twtch live streams is no longer valid.
So, if you're a streamer, you're now stuck with two choices: either use the official VOD method and hope people watch it in time, or just use a recording tool to save it yourself while you're live.
2. Operation steps
After you finish a stream, Twitch will auto-generate a VOD for you and your audience. If you also check the "Always publish replay" box, the replay will just go public automatically right after your stream ends.
This method is for the Twitch streamers and creators out there who want to save their own stuff.
Step 1: Log into your Twitch account, click your profile icon in the top right, and pick "Creator Dashboard" from the menu that drops down.
Step 2: Click on 'Setting', then 'Stream'. Scroll down until you see 'VOD setting' and just flip the switch for 'Store past broadcasts'.
Step 3: After you do that, all your future streams will be saved automatically in your account (for a little while, at least).
It is important to note that this method is not applicable for preserving past broadcasts (VOD) or short clips;
If you wish to save Twitch stream videos without the constraints of time, we recommend you use OBS to record locally to ensure that you have the original video files on hand. At the same time, regularly export the best content to YouTube or hard disk to prevent precious footage from being lost due to deadlines or unexpected policies (such as the 100-hour limit).
How to Save Twitch Streams: For Users
For fans like me, if you want to download streaming video on Twitch of your favorite creator, the official features are pretty limited. Twitch doesn't give you a download button for other people's VODs, and you can only make tiny 60-second clips.
If you want the whole stream or at least a big chunk of it, you have to use a third-party tool or some kind of screen recorder. Below, I'll show you 2 ways I tested for downloading replays and recording live streams.
Method 1: Save Twitch Channel Streams and Replays with StreamFab
If you have a certain foundation in coding, you can use YT-DLP open source software, which is safe and free. But coding learning is really a pain for me, so I have to pay for convenience and choose some tools available on the market which can directly download Twitch clips to MP4.
This method is suitable for PC users who wish to save high-quality, lossless Twitch videos.
- Save streams on Twitch in lossless 1080p with AAC 2.0 audio track.
- Save Twitch streams as compatible MKV or MP4 format.
- Save 60fps Twitch videos to enhance your offline watching.
- Support batch mode to save multiple Twitch streams to save your time.
Follow the steps to save Twitch streams with StreamFab Twitch Downloader:
Step 1: After downloading and installing Streamfab, open it. Click on the "Live Streaming" section and select "Twitch."
Step 2: Sign in to your twitch account via the username and password, and then browse the required video and play it.
Step 3: Click the download button on the right corner, and choose the output resolution and video codec. Then, confirm 'Download Now' or add to the queue for later downloading.
Method 2: Save Twitch Live Streams with RecordFab
If you want to save the content of the live streams (for example, the host has not finished the live broadcast or is worried that the playback will be deleted after the broadcast), you can choose to directly record the live broadcast. The principle is equivalent to recording the screen content while watching.
RecordFab automatically obtains raw data from Twitch streaming media, and only records the Twitch live streams themselves. Some operations on your interface, pop-ups, etc. will not be recorded. I like this very much
This method is suitable for PC users who aspire to save HD Twitch livestreams.
- Save Live streams and channel streams on Twitch easily.
- Record Twitch streams via the in-built browser which will not disturb your operation on other interface.
- Save Twitch live streams even you run the software in a minimized window.
- 1x-2x speed to save Twitch streams to enhance the efficiency.
Follow the steps to save Twitch streams and Live streams with RecordFab:
Step 1: Install and launch RecordFab on your Windows computer; select the Twitch service and log into your account.
Step 2: Locate the Twitch streams you wish to save. You will observe the status bar below indicating "Video Detected." Then, click the Start button to initiate the recording.
Step 3: Select the desired output resolution and speed; once you have verified the settings, click "Confirm." The saved Twitch streams can be found in "My Files."
If you are a mobile user, you can also use the screen recording function of your phone to record Twitch live broadcasts, but you cannot turn off the screen or switch applications during the recording process, otherwise it will stop. After recording, the video will be saved in the album. But you need to pay attention that long-term recording is a huge test for power and storage.
A few minutes of short clips are fine, but it is very inconvenient to try to record a live broadcast of more than an hour. For long sections of content, it is recommended to record them on a computer or wait for playback before downloading.
FAQs
It is generally allowed for an individual to download someone else's public live broadcast video for non-commercial purposes. For example, I just want to cut some clips of the Creator I love so that more people can know him. It is totally ok.
Conclusion
Twitch doesn't keep stuff forever anymore. That 100-hour cap they have now means good streams can disappear a lot faster than you'd think. For streamers, the best plan is probably a 3-step thing: always turn on VOD saving before you go live, record your own stream locally with OBS (this gives you the best quality anyway), and then remember to download or move your finished videos to a hard drive or cloud storage.
For viewers like me who just want to save our favorite moments, we have to rely on a good downloader or record it as it's happening. If you get the right settings, pick the right tools, and make a habit of backing things up, you can keep enjoying Twitch content your own way, even after it's gone from the site.
