TikTok processes live streams through dynamic real-time messaging protocols (RTMP) and WebRTC pipelines optimized for immediate delivery over mobile networks rather than long-term fidelity. When a broadcast concludes, the platform ingests the session into a private cloud bucket labeled LIVE Replays. This footage does not appear on your public grid. It resides in an administrative holding area built primarily for account moderation, policy enforcement, and creator review.
The system enforces a strict 30-day VOD expiration window. ByteDance servers host petabytes of continuous video streams; maintaining uncompressed archives indefinitely for hundreds of thousands of daily hosts represents an unsustainable infrastructure expense. As a result, the server executes an automated deletion protocol at midnight UTC on the 31st day following your stream. Once deleted, customer support cannot recover the raw files.
Accessing this storage requires that account configurations actively allow server-side caching. If an account operates under restrictive privacy flags or historically opted out of cloud recording, the server simply discards the data the moment the broadcaster taps "End LIVE."
