Every stream or broadcast can be recorded and saved as VODs on Twitch, but with the platform now deleting saved broadcast videos after a set time, streamers and their viewers may want to download any content they want to save.
VODs are a great way for viewers to catch up with their favorite streamers’ content if they miss the live broadcast. The video-on-demand recording also offers the option to rewind streams dynamically, a feature that has long been missing from live Twitch streams for the site’s general users.
Twitch has set a deletion time for most VODs: 60 days for partners, Prime subscribers, and Turbo users, 14 days for affiliates, and 7 days for other types of creators. This is why streamers and viewers need to back up their favorite content, and this is how to download VODs from Twitch as either a streamer or a viewer.
Twitch
Streamers wanting to download their own VODs on Twitch can do so in just a few steps from their Creator Dashboard without needing to jump through any additional hoops.
There are multiple ways to download broadcast recordings, but the easiest way for a streamer to download their own recording is to do so through directly through the official Twitch website. Streamers can simply navigate to their Creator Dashboard and then open their Video Manager. From there, they can manage their VODs and also other stream elements. After finding the specific VOD they want to download, streamers can click the three-dot menu and a drop-down menu will appear, which will feature the download option.
Twitch
Two things need to be noted before a streamer attempts to download their VOD. First, it’s essential to enable the “store past broadcast” option in stream settings, or these older streams won’t be saved. Once a streamer enables that option, any past broadcasts will appear as VODs. The second note to keep in mind is that Twitch natively only allows streamers to download their VODs individually, so they’ll need to use third-party alternatives for any bulk VOD downloads.
Viewers don’t have the native option to download VODs through Twitch, so they must use third-party tools to circumvent this limitation.
There are various third-party applications and even browser extensions that viewers can use to download any broadcast they want from the streaming platform. Streamers can also use these same tools to download VODs of other content creators. Some of those tools also allow bulk downloads, which makes them more convenient for streamers who want to download multiple of their own VODs.
Using the tools is simple as most only require the VOD URL, and once that address is provided, the tool does its work in allowing viewers to download any broadcast recording they want. It’s important to use a reliable tool, particularly when adding such a tool to one’s browser, as these extensions can be risky if users aren’t confident in their source.
Applications like TwitchDownload, UnTwitch, 4K Video Downloader are popular tools often used to download broadcasts. Twitch Leecher was once considered the best option specifically for use on the streaming platform, but is no longer kept up-to-date.
It’s possible that Twitch will one day make this process as easy as it is to process clips, but until then, viewers will have to resort to these and other alternatives.
Twitch mobile apps don’t natively support downloading VODs, so streamers can’t download their own recordings via the mobile app. In order to download VODs while on mobile, streamers will need to open Twitch using their web browser, enable desktop mode, and then download the VODs from their Creator Dashboard in the same way they would from their actual desktop.
Viewers can’t use this method, so they’ll still need to use third-party tools to download any VODs they want saved via their mobile device.
Feature image credit: Twitch
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