One of the most useful features on Instagram is the ability to start live broadcasts within the "Stories" panel, a functionality so integral to the Instagram experience. This is because the app, unlike Facebook, is tailor-made for photos and videos, eschewing the typical melange of social media clutter.
But Instagram live video broadcasts are ephemeral like Snapchat's photos, meaning there is no actual method to save them — at all. So any interesting feats of serendipity that are recorded in a live video is forever gone, unretrievable every which way.
Well, at least until now.
Starting March 20, Instagram will let users save their own video broadcasts on their phone.
Instagram Now Supports The Hoarder In You
This will probably be a welcome, if a little late, feature for users who also leverage Periscope or Facebook Live, since these two already allow users to save their videos post-broadcast.
"While live videos will continue to disappear from the app when you're done, this update gives you the flexibility to hold onto your video and re-watch it later, especially if something exciting happens during your broadcast that you want to remember or share," announced Instagram in a blog post.
Instagram live broadcasts will stay ephemeral to the public, as live content will still disappear from the app when the user finishes the broadcast, so there shouldn't be any fear of others attempting to keep a record of anything that's happened during a live post. Only the originator of the broadcast will have the option to store the video in its entirety, Instagram clarified.
How To Save Your Instagram Live Videos
Saving live broadcast involves a pretty simple affair. Simply start your broadcast, perform your stunts, do a show and tell, or whatever — basically go through a live video how you intend to. After the broadcast ends, there will be a save icon in the upper right corner of the screen. Tap it, then tap "Done," and your entire broadcast will be saved on your phone. It's that easy.
It's worth noting that only the video content will be saved on your device — and not other metrics such as comments, number of likes, number of live viewers, or any interactions made during the broadcast whatsoever.
Saving Instagram live videos has been made a part of the app's version 10.12, and it's now available on both iOS and Android devices.
Instagram's Live feature rolled out this past November, upon which users began to note the lack of any options to save their own broadcasts. Kevin Weil, Instagram's head of product, defended the absence of such a feature, stating that yanking it out was intentional so as to help users discard the notion that videos would be saved for eternity. It appears Instagram has found a way to satisfy both needs, maintaining its ephemeral quality to onlookers, but giving the content creators a chance for posterity.
Are you a frequenter of Instagram's live broadcasting feature? Thrilled by the new ability to save live content after it ends? Feel free to sound off in the comments section below!
