You can download a Twitch clip or a whole stream recording from an ordinary link, without programs and without subscribing to the channel. Skachok accepts links to clips, VODs and highlights and delivers MP4 at up to 1080p60. It works on a computer and on a phone. Below we cover how a clip differs from a VOD, where to get the link, why stream recordings should be downloaded quickly and how much space a three-hour broadcast takes.
Clip, VOD and highlight: what they are and how they differ
Twitch has three kinds of video, and they download slightly differently.
Clip: a short excerpt of 5 to 60 seconds that any viewer cut out of a stream with the "Create clip" button. Clips are kept indefinitely until the author or the streamer deletes them. This is the simplest case: the file is small and downloads in seconds.
VOD (video on demand): the full recording of a past stream. It appears on the channel automatically if the streamer has enabled saving broadcasts. It lasts as long as the stream did and can weigh several gigabytes.
Highlight: a fragment of a VOD that the streamer selected and saved separately. Unlike the full recording, highlights do not expire.
A stream that is live right now cannot be downloaded. Wait for it to end: if the streamer has recordings enabled, the VOD appears in the "Videos" section within a few minutes.
There is also a reason not to put it off. Twitch keeps stream recordings for a limited time. For regular channels it is 7 days, for affiliates and Turbo and Prime Gaming subscribers 14 days, and only for partners 60 days. After that the recording is deleted with no way to restore it, and only clips and highlights remain.
So if you want to keep a memorable stream, a tournament match or a breakdown that the streamer is unlikely to turn into a highlight, download it within the week. Through the service it is done once: the file is yours, and the Twitch retention period no longer matters.
Which links work
Skachok understands all the main kinds of Twitch links:
twitch.tv/videos/123456789: a VOD or highlight;twitch.tv/channel/clip/ClipName: a clip opened on the channel page;clips.twitch.tv/ClipName: the same clip link in short form;m.twitch.tv/…: the mobile version of any of the links above.
A VOD link with a timestamp, such as ?t=1h20m30s, works too, but the whole recording is downloaded, not the part from that point on. If you only need a fragment, it is easier to create a clip with Twitch's own tools and download that.
A channel link (twitch.tv/channel) without a video ID will not work: the service cannot tell which recording you want. The list of supported links and limits is on the Twitch page on Skachok.
Where to get the link
A clip on a computer. Open the clip, click "Share" under the player and copy the link. The address from the browser bar works too.
A clip in the app. Tap the clip, then the "Share" icon, and choose "Copy link".
A VOD. Open the channel, go to the "Videos" section, choose "Past broadcasts" or "Highlights" and open the recording you need. The link in the address bar will look like twitch.tv/videos/….
Subscriber-only recordings cannot be downloaded: Twitch serves them only to logged-in viewers with an active subscription.
Step by step: how to download a Twitch clip or stream
- Copy the link to the clip or VOD using one of the methods above.
- Open Skachok in your browser and paste the link into the field on the home page or the Twitch page. Click "Find".
- In a couple of seconds a card appears with a thumbnail, title and duration. The "Video" block lists the available qualities: usually 1080p60, 720p60, 480p and below.
- Choose a quality and click "Download". On the free plan an 8-second timer runs first.
- A clip starts downloading immediately. For a long VOD the server first assembles the file from the stream: you will see a progress bar, and once assembly finishes the download starts automatically.
A short version of the guide is on the page how to download a Twitch clip.
Quality, size and plans
Twitch keeps recordings in several qualities, the highest being 1080p at 60 frames per second. Clips get the same, provided the stream ran at 1080p60.
Free, Skachok delivers up to 720p. For 1080p you need the Lite plan or higher. For fast-paced gameplay streams the difference between 720p60 and 1080p60 is noticeable on a large monitor and practically invisible on a phone.
VOD size depends on duration and bitrate. Ballpark figures for a typical stream:
| Quality | Bitrate | One hour of recording |
|---|---|---|
| 480p | ~1.5 Mbps | ~0.7 GB |
| 720p60 | ~3.5 Mbps | ~1.5 GB |
| 1080p60 | ~6 Mbps | ~2.7 GB |
Two practical conclusions follow. First, a three-hour stream in 1080p60 weighs about 8 GB and will not pass on the free plan with its 5 GB per-file limit; you will need Lite (up to 15 GB), Pro (up to 30 GB) or Max (no limit). Second, download speed also depends on the plan: about 1 MB/s on Free, 3 MB/s on Lite, 5 MB/s on Pro and unlimited on Max. An 8 GB file would take more than two hours on Free; on Max it downloads at the speed of your connection.
Every new account gets 2 days of Pro for free, no card required. That is enough to grab several long recordings. Details on the pricing page.
Several clips at once
Clips are often downloaded in batches: the best moments of the week, all clips from one tournament. Paste the links one per line and Skachok shows a card for each. The "Download all videos" button starts every clip in the best quality your plan allows.
The per-request limit is 3 links for free, 5 on Lite, 10 on Pro and 50 on Max. The daily download limit also applies: 5 on Free, 20 on Lite, 50 on Pro, 100 on Max.
If the video cannot be found
- The stream is still live. Wait for it to end and for the VOD to appear.
- The recording has expired. More than 7 days have passed (14 for affiliates and Turbo/Prime, 60 for partners) and the VOD is gone. Check whether the streamer saved a highlight.
- Subscriber-only video. Such recordings are not accessible from outside.
- The streamer has disabled recordings. Then no VOD appears at all; only viewer-created clips exist.
- A channel link rather than a video link. Open the specific recording or clip and copy its address.
FAQ
Can I download a stream that is live right now?
No. Skachok downloads only finished files: clips, recordings of ended streams and highlights. Wait for the broadcast to end; the recording appears on the channel within a few minutes if the streamer has saving enabled.
How long does Twitch keep stream recordings?
7 days for regular channels, 14 days for affiliates and Turbo/Prime Gaming subscribers, 60 days for partners. Clips and highlights have no expiry. If a recording matters, download it in the first week.
Will a VOD with a timestamp download only from that point?
No, the entire recording is downloaded. To get just a fragment, create a clip on Twitch (up to 60 seconds) and download that, or trim the downloaded file in any video editor.
Why won't a long VOD download on the free plan?
Free has a 5 GB per-file limit. A multi-hour stream in 720p60 can weigh more than that. Choose a lower quality or use a plan with a higher limit: Lite allows 15 GB, Pro 30 GB, Max has no limit.
Can I download subscriber-only recordings?
No. Twitch serves such videos only to logged-in viewers with an active channel subscription; external services have no access to them.