SmartVideo is built to deliver and optimize your videos at scale, not to serve as a master archive of your source files. This article explains what we store on your behalf, what we don’t, and the simple backup habits that will keep your video library safe no matter what.
What SmartVideo stores for you
When you upload a video or import one from a source URL, our platform does the following:
- Fetches or receives your source file for conversion.
- Encodes an optimized MP4 for delivery, not a set of MP4 quality levels.
- Packages the MP4 for MPEG-DASH streaming and creates HLS versions.
- Retrieves a poster thumbnail when one is available from the source.
- Delivers the processed video through our CDN.
After that, we deliver the processed video when it is played on your site. We don’t offer a download of the exact original file you uploaded. If you import from an external source URL, keep that URL publicly accessible without authentication for as long as the video is embedded: the player can play it directly as a fallback, and SmartVideo can fetch it again for re-conversion. An expiring or signed URL is not suitable as an embedded source.
What this means in practice: the version of your video that lives inside SmartVideo is the delivery-ready version our player serves, not the master file. For most use cases they’re effectively the same video, but if you ever need the exact original - for re-editing in a different tool, archival purposes, or regenerating masters - you’ll need to have kept that original yourself.
Why we work this way
Keeping original files alongside encoded delivery files would require additional storage. The amount depends on the source file and the encoded output; it is not a fixed doubling of storage. SmartVideo stores delivery versions, so keep your own originals as the primary archive.
Recommended backup habits
The single most important rule: always keep a copy of your master source files somewhere outside of SmartVideo. A few practical options, from simplest to most robust:
- Keep your cloud source files available. If you’re importing from cloud storage, don’t delete the originals after conversion. Keep the source URL publicly accessible without authentication while the video is embedded.
- Keep a separate archive. Store another copy somewhere you control. If you choose cold storage, use it for the backup copy, not the active source URL: a file that needs to be restored before it can be downloaded cannot serve as a playback source.
- Keep local backups. An external drive or NAS at your office is a perfectly valid second copy - especially for final masters of important projects.
- Follow the 3-2-1 rule for critical content. Three copies of the file, on two different types of storage, with one copy stored off-site. For videos that would be painful to recreate, this is worth the effort.
What happens if my subscription lapses?
If your SmartVideo subscription lapses due to a failed payment or cancellation, we hold onto your encoded videos for a 30-day grace period. If you reactivate within that window, your library, CDN keys, and embedded players pick right back up where they left off. After 30 days, encoded content is removed from our storage to make room. This is one more reason why keeping your originals elsewhere matters - so you can always re-upload if your account lapses for longer than a month.
Can I download my videos from SmartVideo?
Yes. There isn’t a self-serve “download” button in the dashboard, so our support team generates the download links for you. Here’s how to get them:
- Open your video in the SmartVideo Library and click its thumbnail to open the Media Details screen.
- Copy the
swarmify://source URL shown there. (If you’d rather not dig out each one, the video titles as they appear in your Library work too.) - Email those to support@swarmify.com and tell us you’d like download links.
We’ll send back a direct download link for each video. A couple of things to know so nothing trips you up:
- Links are good for 7 days. Download your files within that window - after that the link expires and you’d need to ask for a fresh one.
- You’ll get one link per file. If you’re working through a whole library (say, consolidating your backups), it’s totally fine to send us your
swarmify://URLs in batches and we’ll keep the links coming as you go. - These are the encoded delivery MP4s, not your exact original upload. The MP4 is a single encoded version, not an adaptive set of quality levels. It isn’t a byte-for-byte recovery of the master file you uploaded. See What SmartVideo stores for you above for the full picture.
Because SmartVideo is built for fast delivery rather than long-term archival, it’s always best to keep your own master copies somewhere you control - see the Recommended backup habits section above. That way you’ve got your originals on hand whenever you need them, no download request required.
Don’t have a Swarmify account yet? You can start one from the pricing page.
I already lost my originals - can you help?
If you’ve lost the master files for videos that are currently in your SmartVideo library, reach out to our support team at support@swarmify.com and we’ll help you retrieve what we have. We can provide direct download links for the encoded MP4 of any video in your library. Just note that this is the optimized delivery version, not a recovery of your exact original file.
To speed things up, include either:
- The
swarmify://source URLs from the media details screen for each video in your SmartVideo Library, or - The video titles as they appear in your library
We’ll batch up the download links and send them to you.
Summary
- SmartVideo provides encoded delivery MP4s for download, not your exact originals.
- Always keep your master source files somewhere you control (cloud storage, local backups, or both).
- The 3-2-1 rule is a reliable habit for anything you’d hate to lose.
- If your subscription lapses, you have a 30-day grace window before encoded content is removed.
- Lost your originals already? Contact support and we’ll get you download links for the versions we have on file.
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