Xbox users need to save their recordings and screenshots ASAP before mass deletion

Microsoft will soon be deleting Xbox captures saved to the Xbox network, potentially as early as Jan. 9 if they are more than 90 days old.

Last October, Microsoft sent out a notification to Xbox users explaining its new policy and how it will come into effect in January 2024. This shouldn’t affect any recent captures (such as those raunchy Baldur’s Gate 3 clips you’ve been saving), but this policy will be applied to future captures going forward.

Microsoft never said exactly when in January this mass deletion would begin, but a Reddit thread and Insider Gaming both claim it’ll happen on Jan. 9. If this is accurate, you have potentially less than 24 hours to save your captures. Even if it’s not, it’s best to play things safe and get around to backing up your captures ASAP. You can do so by uploading them to OneDrive or any external storage device. You should also alter your capture settings so any screenshots or recordings you make are automatically uploaded to OneDrive just so you don’t have to manually back them up to your external device every time.

Microsoft also hasn’t given a reason why this policy is being implemented, and, unsurprisingly, it’s angered some Xbox users who aren’t thrilled about it. One Reddit user, buffysbangs, said it’s a “bullshit implementation” and “What they should be doing is warning the user that [X] file is going to be deleted on a given day, and present the user options for saving it if they want to.”

ComradeJacob replied, “I wish they’d just merge OneDrive storage with Xbox Network storage. Let me keep all my captures uploaded and publicly available at the cost of OneDrive storage.” Others aren’t as perturbed, though, such as nissanfan64, who admitted, “100% of the captures I’ve ever done have been done by accident so it they’re gonna clear them for me that’s fantastic.”

Still, angering a portion of your user base isn’t the smoothest way Microsoft could begin its 2024, especially after how tumultuous 2023 was for the company. But we’re still only a week into the new year, so there’s plenty of time for Microsoft to curry favor with Xbox owners, be it with new exclusives or Game Pass additions.