How do I Manage Channel Storage?
Every channel has a storage allowance: the storage included in its plan, plus any storage add-on. Your uploads, your recordings and the copies made to stream them all count towards it.
Only the channel owner can open Storage.
Check Your Storage
In the channel menu, click Storage.
- In use: how much of the allowance is used, as a percentage and as the amount still free.
- What is using it: a breakdown of where the space goes.
- Your allowance: the plan's storage, any add-on and the total.
The Overview also shows Storage Usage.
What Counts Towards Storage
| Row | What it counts | Can you free it here? |
|---|---|---|
| Your original videos | Your uploads and recordings as they came in, plus MP4 downloads you've prepared | No. Delete media in the Media Library |
| Streaming versions | The copies viewers watch, kept at several qualities | No |
| Working copies | A master copy of each clip for re-processing, plus the preview you watch in Cecula Stream | No |
| Old recordings | Broadcasts that were recorded but never filed into your library | Yes |
A video takes up several times the space of the file you uploaded, because of its streaming versions and working copy. Keep that in mind when you plan your storage.
Free Up Space
- Old recordings: when there are some, Storage shows how much can be freed for nothing. Click Free up space, then confirm. Recordings still being written are left alone. This can't be undone.
- Media you no longer need: delete it in the Media Library. Its streaming versions and working copy are deleted with it. See How do I Edit or Delete Media?.
- Catchup recordings: delete them on the Catchup screen. See How do I Manage Recordings?.
When a Channel Runs Out of Storage
Storage shows This channel is out of storage, and:
- Uploads stop. The upload button is disabled when less than 5 MB is free. A new video is only processed if its streaming versions will fit.
- Recording stops, but the broadcast doesn't. When a channel reaches 98% of its allowance, Auto-record Stream and Auto-merge Split Recordings are switched off. The channel stays on air. The reason appears next to the switch on Live Stream.
- Feed recording is refused. Recording a feed on Feeders shows Storage limit reached.
- You're told. The owner and every team member get an email and a notification: Storage limit reached on your channel.
⚠️ Recording stays off
After you free space or add storage, recording doesn't switch itself back on. Open Live Stream and switch Auto-record Stream on again. See How do I Record My Broadcasts?.
Buy a Storage Add-on
- On Storage, go to Add more storage. Each add-on shows its price per month or year, the storage it adds and your total allowance with it.
- Select an add-on. The summary shows:
- Your allowance would become: your new total
- the full price for your billing cycle
- the days left in this period and the price for those days
- Pay today: what you'll be charged now
- Click Increase Storage.
- In Confirm change, check your old and new allowance and Charged now, then click Pay.
How Add-ons Are Charged
- First charge: covers only the days left in your current billing period. It's the add-on's price, divided by the days in the period, multiplied by the days left.
- After that: the add-on renews at its full price with your subscription, on the same date. See Storage Add-ons at Renewal.
- Expired subscription: you pay the full price, because there's no current period to divide.
- Low balance: if your wallet doesn't cover it, the summary shows how much your wallet has and what the add-on costs, with a link to fund your wallet.
Each purchase appears under Invoices as a Storage add-on.
Change to a Different Add-on
Under Change your add-on, select another add-on.
- A larger add-on: allowed at any time. The unused days of your current add-on are credited (Credit for your current add-on), so you only pay the difference for the days left. Click Increase Storage.
- A smaller add-on: allowed only in the last 7 days before your renewal date. Earlier, you'd lose days you've already paid for, because nothing is refunded. Click Reduce Storage.
A smaller add-on is also refused if the channel is already using more than the new allowance.
| Message | What to do |
|---|---|
| This channel is using …, which is more than the … that plan would allow. Free up … first. | Free up at least the amount shown, then try again |
| Storage can only be reduced in the last 7 days before renewal… | Wait until 7 days before your renewal date, or tick End this add-on at my next renewal |
End an Add-on at Renewal
To stop paying for an add-on:
- On Storage, under Your allowance, tick End this add-on at my next renewal.
- The add-on stays active until your renewal date. When you renew, your allowance returns to the plan's own storage and you aren't charged for the add-on again.
Untick the box at any time before you renew to keep the add-on.
The box only appears while the channel's use is under 70% of the plan's own storage. Above that, the channel would be almost full straight after the add-on ends. Free up space to make the option appear.