Twitch, the leading livestreaming platform, has announced new restrictions on content storage for users, effective April 19, 2025. Highlights and Uploads will now be limited to 100 hours total, prompting many content creators to rethink their strategies for archiving video content.
This development was communicated to users on February 19, when Twitch stated, "The storage of this content is costly," underscoring the financial rationale behind the decision. The platform indicated this change is necessary to manage resources more effectively and to continue investing in new features and improvements. Although only about 0.5% of Twitch creators currently exceed this new limit, which amounts to potentially millions of hours of content, it raises significant concerns about content preservation and creator autonomy.
Under the new rules, once users reach the 100-hour threshold, Twitch will automatically delete content with the least views until they are back under the limit. Notably, the policy specifies it applies only to Highlights and Uploads; Clips and past broadcast VODs remain unaffected. Past Broadcasts have their own automated deletion timeline—60 days for Twitch Partners and affiliated subscribers, and 7 days for non-verified accounts.
Twitch originally introduced Highlights to allow streamers to curate and showcase important moments from their broadcasts, hoping to drive engagement and viewer discovery. Early indicators suggest, though, this has not been effective. According to Twitch, the storage limit aims to encourage users to adopt features like Clips, which, unlike Highlights, offer only 60 seconds of consecutively captured footage but can engage wider audiences.
Reactions from the streamer community have been swift and varied. Particularly, individuals within speedrunning circles voiced concerns over losing historical data. Prominent speedrunner SummoningSalt remarked on Bluesky, "This is a really sad day for speedrunning," as Highlights play a pivotal role for these communities. They serve as archives for record-breaking performances, and many worry about the impending loss of those moments.
Another speedrunner, MrJimmysteel25, articulated the broader frustration, stating, "Highlights were never about discovery or engagement but about preserving history. You’re destroying YEARS of speedrunning and other communities' history." Many users are uncertain how to balance the need to preserve their content with the unyielding constraints of limited storage.
Twitch encourages users to download or export their Highlights and Uploads before the deadline to avoid losing content forever. Users can opt to export their VODs directly to platforms like YouTube or use third-party tools for bulk exports—a move seen by many as inadequate, considering the significant local storage burden it places on creators.
Industry observers point out the irony of this situation, particularly since Twitch is owned by Amazon, the largest cloud storage provider globally. It raises ethical questions around the stewardship of digital history and content. "When you trust history to a corporation, it’ll only preserve as much as it can monetize," one commentator noted, reflecting broader anxieties around the commodification of digital legacies.
An additional layer of complexity emerges from Twitch’s simultaneous announcement of changes to its ban system, aiming to increase transparency for users. Twitch indicated they want to replace punitive measures with more nuanced policies suited to repeat offenders, which could have broader ramifications for community management.
Twitch insists the decision for limited storage isn't solely driven by concerns for users’ content access; it also aims at strategic redirection of how users engage within the platform. While some creators appreciate the push to alternative features, many feel compelled to choose between quality archival practices and adherence to new constraints.
Despite the anticipated objections, Twitch seems steadfast on this new path. The platform has already faced user backlash due to other restrictions, including its auto-deletion policies for previous live broadcasts. After the upcoming changes go live, streamers will need to actively manage their accounts to navigate the new storage environment effectively.
With this shift, the narrative surrounding Twitch continues to evolve, highlighting the pressures of monetization against the need for user engagement and content retention. Creators may find their digital history under threat, as Twitch works to optimize costs and focus on rapid viewer engagement through shorter, curated content models.
The changes to Highlights and Uploads are another reminder of the challenges faced by online content creators today, requiring them to stay agile and informed as platform policies continue to shift under the influence of corporate decision-making. Twitch’s recent announcements will undoubtedly keep the conversation surrounding digital content retention and community standards alive.