# Twitch Downloader Glossary > Plain-English definitions of the Twitch terms behind downloading — VOD, clip, m3u8 and more. Source: https://vodfetch.com/glossary · Free to read, quote and cite with attribution to vodfetch. ## VOD A VOD (Video On Demand) is a past Twitch broadcast saved for later viewing. Twitch deletes VODs after 7–60 days depending on the account, which is why people download them. ## Clip A clip is a short, shareable highlight — a few seconds up to 60 seconds — cut from a live stream or VOD by viewers. ## Highlight A highlight is a curated excerpt of a past broadcast that a streamer keeps permanently, unlike a regular VOD that expires. ## Live stream A live stream is a Twitch broadcast happening in real time. It only becomes a stored file once you record it as it airs. ## m3u8 / HLS HLS (HTTP Live Streaming) is the streaming format Twitch uses. An .m3u8 file is a playlist that lists the small video segments making up the video. ## .ts segment A .ts (MPEG-TS) file is one short chunk of video. Twitch streams are split into many .ts segments; a downloader stitches them back into one file. ## MP4 MP4 is the most widely compatible video container. Downloaders convert Twitch's .ts segments into a single MP4 that plays everywhere. ## Transmux Transmuxing repackages video from one container to another (e.g. .ts to MP4) without re-encoding, so it's fast and keeps the original quality. ## Source quality (chunked) ‘Source’ (also called ‘chunked’) is the original, highest-quality version of a Twitch stream — up to 1080p60 — before Twitch makes lower-resolution copies. ## Bitrate Bitrate is how much data per second the video uses (e.g. Mbit/s). Higher bitrate means better quality and bigger files. ## FPS FPS (frames per second) is how many images play each second. Twitch source is often 60fps for smooth motion. ## Storyboard / seek preview A storyboard is a grid of tiny thumbnails Twitch generates for a VOD so the player can show a preview when you scrub the timeline. ## Sub-only VOD A sub-only VOD is a past broadcast only the channel's subscribers can watch. Public tools cannot access it without the right account. ## VOD retention VOD retention is how long Twitch keeps a past broadcast before deleting it: 7 days by default, 14 with Prime or Turbo, up to 60 for Affiliates and Partners. ## Watermark A watermark is a logo overlaid on a video. A clean downloader saves clips and VODs with no added watermark, at full resolution. ## Channel A channel is a streamer's page on Twitch (twitch.tv/name) that holds their live stream, VODs, clips and highlights. ## People also ask ### Can I download a Twitch VOD after it has been deleted? No tool can recover a VOD once Twitch has deleted it. You have to download it while it is still online — which is exactly why archiving early matters. ### Is it legal to download Twitch VODs? Downloading publicly available Twitch content for personal use is generally fine; re-uploading or monetizing content you don't own is not. Always respect Twitch's Terms of Service and copyright. ### How long are Twitch VODs available before they disappear? 7 days by default, 14 days with Prime or Turbo, and up to 60 days for Affiliates and Partners — after that Twitch deletes them automatically. ### Can I download a Twitch stream while it is live? Yes — paste the channel URL while the streamer is live and record it to MP4 until the broadcast ends or you press stop. ### Do I need an account or any software to download from Twitch? No. A browser-based downloader needs no Twitch login and no app or extension to install — you just paste a link. ### How do I download only part of a long VOD? Use the trim option: set a start and end time (or drag the scrubber) and only that section is downloaded, which also keeps the file small. ### Can I convert a Twitch VOD to MP3? Yes — choose the audio-only option to save just the audio as .m4a/.aac, which you can convert to MP3 afterward if you need that exact format.