To upload a Facebook video to YouTube, first locate a video file you own or have permission to reuse, then upload that file in YouTube Studio. A Facebook post being visible, or having a download option, does not by itself give you permission to repost it.
If it is a Facebook Live you shared, Meta documents a download route for that kind of video; ordinary posts do not all have a universal download option. Once you have an authorised file, YouTube Studio handles the upload, details, visibility and publishing choices.
Check ownership and reuse permission
Start with the rights, not the download button. If you filmed and edited the video yourself, check whether anyone else contributed footage, music, artwork, a performance or other material that has its own rights. If another person or organisation made it, get permission from the relevant rights holder before uploading it to your channel. Keep a copy of any written permission with the project files so you can refer to it if a question arises.
Music deserves particular attention. A song heard in the background of a Facebook video may be subject to rights separate from the footage. Permission to post a clip on Facebook might not include permission to publish it on YouTube, and a video that plays on one service is not necessarily cleared for another. If you cannot establish that the music is yours or cleared for the intended use, replace it with audio you are authorised to use or leave it out.
A public post is not a licence. Nor does downloading someone else’s post, receiving a copy, or seeing a download control grant the right to upload it again. If you are moving a local event recording, for example, you may need approval from the person who recorded it as well as from anyone whose music or presentation appears in it.
YouTube’s upload process includes a Checks stage that can screen for copyright issues. It is useful as a prompt to review a potential problem before publishing, but it cannot establish that you have permission or resolve every rights question. Use YouTube’s upload guidance for the current workflow, and treat the rights decision as yours to make before and after that check.
Find the original video file
Before trying to retrieve a video from Facebook, check where it was first created. Look in the phone, camera, computer or editing project used to make it, and check the folders or account used to export finished videos. If a colleague or agency produced the clip, ask them for the final file and confirm that the intended YouTube use is covered by your agreement.
The original export is usually the clearest starting point when it is available and authorised. Social platforms may process a copy for playback, so a version downloaded from a post may not match the original in resolution, metadata or audio. The official platform instructions cited here do not promise that a Facebook download retains those qualities. Compare what you actually have: check that the picture is complete, the sound is present and intelligible, and the opening and ending are not unexpectedly cut off.
Keep the file in a place you can find again before starting the upload. Give it a recognisable name, such as temple-programme-june-final, rather than a camera-generated name, and avoid uploading a draft or an unrelated clip by mistake. If the video needs trimming, captions or a correction, make and review that change from an authorised source before upload.
If your goal is to use an existing recording as part of a continuous channel rather than publish a single on-demand video, plan the source and rights for the full programme. The practical considerations in setting up a 24/7 devotional stream are different from a one-time upload, but the need to confirm rights in both picture and sound remains the same.
Download a Facebook Live you shared
Meta’s documented download steps apply to a Live video you previously shared from your profile or Page, not to every video on Facebook. The location of the controls can vary as Facebook changes its interface. On the web, look for the Live video on your profile or Page; Meta’s instructions also refer to the Page’s Videos or Live area and to Meta Business Suite. Open the relevant video, use its three-dot menu, and choose Download video if that option is available for your account and video.
Meta also describes finding your own Live videos through Activity Log: choose Your live videos and narrow the results by date range. The exact labels or placement may change, so follow the current instructions in Meta’s Facebook Live storage policy announcement and the controls shown in your account. If you cannot find the video or no download choice appears, do not assume there is a hidden universal method. Check for your original file or ask the rights holder for an authorised copy.
There is an important time limit for newer Lives. Meta announced that new broadcasts beginning on 19 February 2025 are available for replay, download or sharing for 30 days, after which they are automatically removed from Facebook. This is a stated availability window for those newer Facebook Live broadcasts, not a guarantee that every Live is downloadable or that every older recording remains available. If a Live matters to your channel, retrieve and verify an authorised copy while it is still available.
Meta’s announcement also described a transition period for certain older archived Lives that were due for removal, including notifications and a 90-day opportunity to download or transfer them. That was guidance for the archival-removal process described in the announcement, not a general promise that all older videos have a 90-day download window today.
For an ordinary Facebook video post, these Live instructions do not establish a standard download workflow. Ask the person or Page that owns the content for a file, or locate the original project. Avoid relying on third-party download sites or browser workarounds as if Meta endorses them; they do not solve the permissions question and may not provide a complete or dependable file.
Prepare the file for YouTube
Before opening Studio, play the file from beginning to end. Confirm that it is the intended video, that the image is not blank or frozen, and that spoken words or music sound as expected. If it has been downloaded from a Live, check that the recording starts and ends where you expect. Do not infer that a successful download means the file is intact.
YouTube’s upload help points to a separate list of supported file formats. If Studio rejects the file, check that current list rather than repeatedly uploading the same file. When you still have the original editing project, export a compatible copy from it. Preserve the original as well, so you can return to it if an export setting or edit turns out to be wrong.
You do not need to alter a good file just because it came from Facebook. Conversely, do not promise yourself that a downloaded Facebook copy will have the same quality as the source recording. Compare the original export and the Facebook copy when both are available, and choose the authorised file with the complete picture and sound. YouTube says it converts uploads to the highest resolution available for playback across devices and networks; that processing does not restore detail or audio that was absent from the uploaded file.
If you are preparing a collection of clips for a channel, make the distinction between a normal upload and a live programme before you begin. A one-time video upload creates a video viewers can watch on its YouTube page; it does not, by itself, put that file into a 24/7 live broadcast. For a channel built around a rotating music or ambience feed, see how a YouTube radio station can run from a JioFiber connection, while keeping in mind that the article’s continuous-stream setup is a different task from this Studio upload.
Upload in YouTube Studio
On a computer, sign in to the Google account that manages the intended YouTube channel and open YouTube Studio. Select Create, then Upload videos, and choose the authorised video file from your device. YouTube’s official upload instructions describe this desktop route. A supervised account may not have the same ability to upload, so check the account’s available features if you do not see the expected controls.
Once the file is selected, Studio opens the upload details flow. Keep the tab open while you complete the required fields and review the available choices. The upload and video processing are separate from deciding when viewers can see the video; do not assume that selecting a file publishes it immediately. YouTube’s page also describes uploading multiple videos at once, but a Facebook-to-YouTube transfer normally needs only the single file you have checked.
Use a descriptive title that tells viewers what the recording is. Add a description with relevant context, such as when an event took place, who made the recording, and any credits or links you are authorised to include. If you are moving a local news loop or a small business demonstration, make sure the title and description match the actual clip rather than using a broad channel slogan alone.
Add details and choose visibility
The details page is where you give the file a useful identity on YouTube. Write for the person deciding whether to watch, not for an imagined upload algorithm. State what the video contains, use a title you can recognise later in Studio, and add any relevant attribution. If the video includes another creator’s work, describe the credit accurately and keep the underlying permission; a credit line is not a replacement for permission.
Choose the audience and other settings that fit the content and the channel. Review any audience-related questions Studio presents rather than selecting an answer by habit. The right choice depends on the actual video and applicable YouTube guidance, not on whether it was previously visible on Facebook.
Visibility determines who can find and watch the video. Private is for limiting access to you and people you specifically allow; Unlisted allows people with the link to watch without making the video generally discoverable through channel browsing or search; Public makes it available for viewers to find according to YouTube’s systems. Review YouTube’s current explanations in Studio if the wording or controls differ from these broad descriptions.
| Choice | When it can fit | Practical consequence |
|---|---|---|
| Private | You need to check the upload or share it with selected people | It is not generally visible to the public; arrange access for the people who need to review it. |
| Unlisted | You want to send a link for a limited review | Anyone with the link may pass it on, so it is not a confidential file-sharing method. |
| Public | You are ready for viewers to find it on YouTube | People can discover and watch it subject to YouTube’s platform and account settings. |
Visibility is not a substitute for rights clearance. Making a video Private or Unlisted does not make unauthorised material safe to reuse, and a later switch to Public does not change the rights position. If you are still checking permission or content accuracy, keep the video from public release until that review is complete.
Review and publish or schedule
Before saving, read the title and description once more and check that the selected file is the final version. Confirm the thumbnail or other preview elements Studio presents, the audience selection, and the visibility choice. Wait for the Checks stage to report what it can about copyright, and investigate any issue it flags. A clean check is not a grant of rights, while a warning may require you to revise the video, obtain appropriate permission or decide not to publish.
When you are ready to release the video, choose Public and save, or use YouTube’s scheduling option if you want publication at a later time. Scheduling is useful when you need a colleague to review the details first or want a recording to appear at a planned time. Confirm the date and time shown in Studio, then verify the video appears in the channel’s content list with the intended status. If you choose Private or Unlisted instead, check access as the relevant viewers would experience it.
After publication, watch the YouTube version rather than relying only on the local file. Check the playback from the start, listen for missing audio, and inspect the description and visibility on the channel page. If you find an error, decide whether it can be corrected in Studio or whether you need to upload a corrected authorised file. Keep the source and permission records in your own archive.
If the recording is only one asset in a longer live programme, keep the workflows separate: Studio uploads an on-demand video, while continuous broadcasting has its own operating and monitoring needs. StreamNeo is relevant when the pain is keeping a prepared, authorised video broadcasting after your own computer is switched off, rather than manually maintaining a computer-based loop. For a different continuous-stream approach, the guide to running a nonstop YouTube playlist stream on AWS Lightsail sets out another kind of operating choice.
Before committing, compare the operating options on the pricing page. When the file and channel are ready, start free — 24-hour trial, no card.
FAQ
How do I download my Facebook Live video?
For a Live video you previously shared, look for it on your profile or Page, open the video, and check its menu for Download video. Meta also describes using Activity Log and Your live videos to find your own broadcasts. The option and location can vary, so consult Meta’s current instructions; this process does not apply to every Facebook video.
Can I upload a Facebook video I did not make?
Only if you have the necessary permission to reuse the video and any included material, such as music. Public availability or a download option is not permission to repost. Ask the rights holder for an authorised file and permission covering YouTube use.
Where is Upload videos in YouTube Studio?
On a computer, sign in to YouTube Studio, choose Create, then Upload videos, and select your file. Enter the details, choose visibility or scheduling, review the checks and save. Account restrictions, including supervised-account limits, may affect whether uploading is available.
How long do Facebook Live videos stay available?
Meta says new Facebook Live broadcasts beginning on 19 February 2025 can be replayed, downloaded or shared for 30 days before automatic removal. That statement is scoped to those newer broadcasts; it is not a universal guarantee about every Live or ordinary Facebook post. If you need a recording, retrieve an authorised copy while it is available.