How to Download and Back Up Your Vimeo On Demand Videos Before They’re Gone
Vimeo On Demand will shut down on November 20, 2026. Vimeo itself is not shutting down. New VOD uploads stop on August 22, 2026, and new purchases and subscriptions stop on September 21, 2026. After the final shutdown, VOD storefronts will go offline and viewer access will end. Vimeo says sellers’ underlying videos will remain in their accounts according to each account’s storage terms.
In this title, “before they’re gone” refers to the VOD storefront, sales system, and customer access, not the automatic deletion of every uploaded video. Sellers should still create independent backups because original source files may be unavailable if source storage was never enabled or the paid membership ends.
1. Download each video from your Vimeo Library
Vimeo’s official Library download feature requires a paid plan. The video owner or a team member on a paid account can download videos from the selected Workspace.
Sign in to Vimeo.
Select the correct Workspace and open the Library.
Select the video.
Open the downward arrow on the Share button.
Select Download.
Select the download icon beside the version you want.
Vimeo does not offer a native bulk-download option for Library videos. Using the standard interface, sellers must repeat this process for each title.
2. Save the source file when it is available
The source file is the original file uploaded to Vimeo. It is the best version to preserve for future editing, encoding, and migration.
Vimeo stores source files only on paid accounts when Keep source video files was enabled under:
Account Settings > Videos > Upload Defaults > Keep source video files
Turning this setting on now applies only to future uploads. It does not restore files that Vimeo has already removed. Vimeo also says source files may be deleted if the paid membership ends or the feature is disabled.
If the source file is unavailable, download the highest-quality Vimeo-generated version listed. A 4K or 1080p file may be a converted Vimeo version rather than the original master.
3. Fix downloads that open in the browser
If the file opens in a browser tab instead of downloading, use Save as or Save target as on Windows. On Mac, use Save link as or Download linked file.
If the Download option is missing, confirm that you selected the correct Workspace, have owner or team-member access, and are using a paid Vimeo plan.
4. Handle large libraries carefully
Vimeo does not provide a one-click bulk-download button. A developer can use the Vimeo API to retrieve temporary video-file links, but this requires authentication and the necessary permissions. Links returned through the API’s download field remain valid for 24 hours.
A third-party option is L.O.V.E., the Livid One-click Video Exporter. Livid says its free desktop application can export an entire Vimeo library to a computer, Google Drive, or Livid. It is not a Vimeo product. Review its permissions and privacy terms, save any source files available directly from Vimeo first, and verify every exported file before relying on it.
5. Back up the complete VOD product
A video file alone will not recreate a working VOD storefront. For each title, save:
The best available video file
Title, description, price, and purchase type
Rental period or subscription details
Trailer, poster, thumbnails, and background artwork
Captions, subtitles, transcripts, and language versions
Episode and bonus-content order
Promo-code and geographic-availability details
Screenshots of the storefront and pricing structure
To save a transcript, open the video, select Languages, open the three-dot menu beside the transcript, and select Download. Videos with multiple audio tracks must be downloaded one language at a time.
Store everything for one title in the same clearly named folder.
6. Export sales, payout, and permitted audience data
Vimeo recommends exporting available VOD sales data from the analytics dashboard before November 20, 2026. Sellers can also download detailed monthly payout statements as CSV files from the Payments section after a payment is processed. These are separate records, and neither is a complete customer-contact list.
Vimeo lets sellers export only the email addresses of viewers who explicitly opted in to receive updates. Open the VOD page settings, select Audience, and choose Export email addresses. Vimeo does not provide a full buyer list for privacy reasons.
7. Tell eligible customers to download purchases
Customers can download purchased VOD titles only when the seller allows downloads. They must open Purchases, select the title, and use the Download button beneath the player. If the button is absent, that title is not downloadable.
All VOD viewer access ends on November 20, 2026. Rental access may end earlier based on the original expiration date. Customers with permitted downloads should save them before access ends.
8. Verify everything before migrating
Open sample files and check playback, audio, duration, resolution, captions, and language versions. Keep at least two copies in separate locations.
Do not remove anything from Vimeo until the replacement catalog, checkout, videos, and customer-access process have been tested.
Where does MediaZilla fit?
MediaZilla’s Exit Playbook describes a done-for-you process for moving video files, transferring metadata, and organizing the seller’s catalog.
The playbook also describes limited campaign terms, including a 14-day migration guarantee, a $1,000 delay payment, a 90-day satisfaction guarantee, and delayed payment. Because these terms were tied to a webinar-linked 48-hour window and the first 10 qualifying creators, they should not be presented as currently active without confirmation.
A complete backup is not a folder of MP4 files. It is a verified copy of your videos, product structure, artwork, captions, available sales records, permitted audience data, and the plan for restoring customer access.
What should affected VOD sellers do now?
The first step is to document the current operation before rebuilding it elsewhere.
Sellers should protect:
Original video files
Available sales and transaction records
Opted-in customer email addresses
Product names, artwork, descriptions, and pricing
Purchase, rental, and subscription structures
Existing customer access requirements
Paywall and payment workflows
Future storefront and delivery plans
The replacement platform should not be selected only because it is cheap. Sellers need to consider secure streaming, access control, monetization, analytics, ad-free presentation, reliable playback, customer delivery, and the cost of operating as sales grow.
MediaZilla’s playbook compares free and paid migration methods and examines how different platforms handle these business requirements.
How MediaZilla plans to support affected sellers?
MediaZilla is positioned in the playbook as a professional video delivery and monetization platform for creators who want a secure, premium storefront and do not want to rebuild their catalog manually.
The playbook describes a done-for-you migration process in which the MediaZilla team copies video files, transfers metadata, and organizes the creator’s catalog. It also describes importing the customer information a seller can provide to help previous buyers receive access without purchasing the content again.
Because Vimeo’s standard email export includes only viewers who opted in, affected sellers should confirm with MediaZilla how access will be handled for customers who are not included in the available export.
The special campaign offer in the Exit Playbook includes:
A migration completion guarantee within 14 days
A $1,000 payment if MediaZilla misses the guaranteed deadline
A 90-day satisfaction guarantee
No payment until September 1, 2026
Availability limited to the first 10 qualifying creators
According to the playbook, the 14-day guarantee and $1,000 payment apply to creators who complete the migration request form within 48 hours of the campaign webinar. These are campaign-specific terms, not general promises for every MediaZilla account. Sellers should confirm their eligibility and the final conditions before signing up.
MediaZilla’s current plan documentation also states that its Growth plan includes Paywall and Dynamic Video Sales with 0% platform commission. Pro and Business plans also list 0% commission. Standard payment-processing fees still apply.
Vimeo is staying, but Vimeo On Demand is not
Vimeo will continue operating. Vimeo On Demand will not.
For most Vimeo hosting users, this is a major product change, not the end of Vimeo. For Vimeo On Demand sellers, it is the closure of the system that currently supports their storefronts, sales, and customer access.
The safest response is to protect the available files and data, communicate with customers, compare replacement platforms carefully, and begin the migration before the final shutdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is Vimeo shutting down completely?
No. Vimeo will continue operating its main video platform. Only Vimeo On Demand is being permanently discontinued.
2. When will Vimeo On Demand shut down?
New uploads stop on August 22, 2026. New purchases and subscriptions stop on September 21, 2026. The full VOD shutdown occurs on November 20, 2026.
3. Will customers lose access to purchased Vimeo On Demand videos?
Yes. Streaming access ends on November 20, 2026. Customers can retain downloaded purchases only when downloads were enabled and completed before the deadline.
4. Will Vimeo delete sellers’ original videos?
No. Vimeo says the underlying videos will remain in the seller’s Vimeo account according to the storage terms of the current plan.
5. What is the best Vimeo On Demand alternative?
There is no single best platform for every seller. The right choice depends on catalog size, sales model, migration support, customer-access needs, security, storefront experience, and long-term operating cost.