How to Save a Facebook Live Video

Facebook live broadcasts are great in the moment but easy to miss — and replays don't always stick around. VidLoader can capture a live Facebook video while it airs, or save the replay afterward, as an ordinary file you keep. Live-stream recording is a VidLoader Plus feature. Here's how.

Live now, gone later

Facebook live broadcasts are often the most valuable videos to save and the easiest to lose. A town-hall meeting, a product launch, a service, or a one-time event may only exist as that single stream — and replays aren't guaranteed to stay up, or to keep the whole broadcast intact. Capturing the stream as it airs gives you a complete record you control. If you only discover the broadcast after it ends, you can still grab the replay while it's available. Either way, VidLoader turns a fleeting live moment into a permanent file.

What you'll need

• The VidLoader desktop app (free to download) — get it at vidloader.com
• A VidLoader Plus subscription (live-stream recording is a Plus feature)
• The link to a live broadcast (or its replay)
• Your computer awake while a live capture runs

Step 1 — Paste the live video link

Open Add and paste the Facebook live link. If the broadcast is currently live, VidLoader prepares to record it as it airs; if it's a finished replay, it downloads like a normal video.

VidLoader's Where recording starts setting (in Settings → Live stream recording) offers Start from the very beginning and Start from the current moment. Facebook doesn't keep the earlier part of a broadcast available the way YouTube does, so a Facebook live records from the current moment either way — start as early as you can to catch the opening.

Step 2 — Recording shows in the Queue

Press Download and open the Queue. A live capture shows a LIVE badge while it records. Leave VidLoader running until the broadcast ends and the file finalises.

Step 3 — Keep it in Clips

When the stream wraps (or the replay finishes downloading), the video lands in your Clips library — ready to replay even if the original disappears later.

Live capture versus replay

There are two ways to save a Facebook live video, and knowing which you're doing helps. If the broadcast is happening right now, VidLoader records it as it airs — capture starts when you press Download and ends when the stream does, so start early and keep your computer awake and connected throughout. If the broadcast has already finished and a replay is posted, you instead download that replay like an ordinary video, which is simpler because there's nothing live to keep up with. Either way you end up with a normal file in your library. The live route is the one to use for events you can't risk missing, since replays aren't always kept or posted in full. For important broadcasts, it pays to prepare: confirm the computer won't sleep, close bandwidth-hungry apps, and start the capture a little before the scheduled time. If you're worried about missing the very start, there's no harm in beginning the recording early and trimming the intro later in any editor.

Tips for better downloads

• Start the capture early so you don't miss the opening of a live broadcast.
• Keep the machine awake for the full broadcast — sleep pauses the recording.
• Prefer the replay? Wait for the finished replay and download it like any normal video.
• Recording elsewhere? See recording a YouTube live stream.

Frequently asked questions

Can it record a broadcast that's already live? Yes. Paste the live link and VidLoader captures from the current moment until the stream ends. (The from the very beginning option only recovers earlier footage on sites that keep it available, like YouTube — Facebook doesn't.)

What if I only find the replay afterward? Paste the replay link and VidLoader downloads it as a standard video.

Does my computer need to stay on during a live capture? Yes — keep it awake and connected for the length of the broadcast.

Is live recording free? Live-stream recording is a VidLoader Plus feature. Plus is $9.99/month or $79.99/year and starts with a 3-day free trial. Downloading a finished replay works on the free plan.

Download VidLoader

Don't let a live broadcast slip away. Download VidLoader — it's a free download for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and live recording unlocks with a Plus trial.