Watching, downloading and how long recordings are kept
Watch in the browser
Open a recording in Recordings and press play. Recordings keep TikTok's original vertical format and quality. Playback uses a short-lived secure link, so a page left open for a long time may ask you to press play again.
Download
Choose Download video. The file saves as an MP4 named after the channel and the time the LIVE started, for example yourchannel_2026-10-14_2106.mp4. Downloading doesn't use credits.
How long recordings are kept
Recordings are stored for a limited time on accounts that have bought credits, and a shorter time on trial-only accounts, counted from when the recording was created. Each recording shows its expiry date, and a banner appears when only a few days are left. You also get a notification about a day before a recording expires.
After that the recording and its file are deleted permanently. Download anything you want to keep longer.
Delete a recording
Open the recording, choose Delete and confirm. Deletion is permanent. Recordings that are still running or processing can't be deleted until they finish.
Recording statuses
| Status | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Recording | The LIVE is being recorded right now. |
| Processing | Waiting to start, finishing, or uploading the file. |
| Ready | Ready to watch and download. |
| Stopped | Stopped early; the part recorded so far is saved. |
| Missed | The LIVE ended while waiting for a free recording slot. Not charged. |
| Failed | No usable video was saved. Not charged. |