Searches like 'how long are replays saved' or 'why did my LoL replays disappear' usually start at the same moment: you go back for a great game and the replay button is gone or greyed out. That is not a bug.
Every game with a replay system has rules about how long replays live, how many you keep and when they reset, and those rules are scattered across support articles, patch notes and dev blogs.
This guide puts League of Legends, VALORANT, Overwatch and Fortnite side by side, using official sources only. League also added a download cap in patch 26.21 in October 2026; the full background is in our breakdown of the LoL replay download limit in 26.21.
After the comparison table you will find a checklist for when a replay will not show up, and a short routine for saving the matches you care about as video before they expire.
Every number below was rechecked against the official pages on November 3, 2026, and can change with any patch, so keep that date in mind.
The short answer: replays last until the next patch
The wording differs from game to game, but the rule underneath is the same. Riot's League of Legends replay FAQ says replays last for the length of a patch cycle and expire once you patch up.
VALORANT's official replay guide says replays are only available for games played on the current live patch, so a match from 11.06 will not open on 11.07.
Blizzard describes Overwatch replays as available for the duration of a patch and reset when a new patch launches, and Epic says a Fortnite replay only plays in the game version it was recorded in, with replays you have not saved becoming invalid after an update.
The reason is simple: a replay file is a record of match data that your client re-runs, not a finished video, so a new client version cannot read an old file. That makes 'how many days' the wrong question.
The useful question is 'when is my game's next patch?' As of November 3, Riot's published League schedule lists 26.22 on November 4, 26.23 on November 18 and 26.24 on December 9 (all Pacific Time).
VALORANT shipped patches every two to three weeks through 2026, with the official 13.08 notes posted on October 13 and the 13.09 notes, the latest as of November 3, posted on October 27. Overwatch can wipe replay codes even on bug fix updates, so its window can be shorter still.
If you want to keep a match for months, the only patch-proof option is a video file, either captured from the replay while it still works or recorded while you play.
Replay retention by game (checked November 3, 2026)
| Game | When replays expire, and limits | How to keep it as video |
|---|---|---|
| League of Legends | Playable for one patch cycle; expires when the next patch installs. The client lists your last 20 games, and since 26.21 downloads are capped at 10 per hour, whether the game is yours or another player's. | Play it in the client and record it before it expires. Built-in Highlights save as .webm (720p by default). Steps: convert a LoL replay to MP4. |
| VALORANT | Only games played on the current live patch. Works in Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay, Premier and Custom (the lobby owner turns on recording before each game). Since 12.10 you can also watch friends' replays from their Career page. | Replays can't be clipped or exported as video, so recording while you play is the reliable way to keep a match. |
| Overwatch | Your 10 most recent matches, kept for the length of a patch and reset when a new one lands. Hotfix and bug fix notes state whether replay codes were wiped: the October 20 bug fix update wiped them, the October 13 hotfix kept them. | Review while the code still works and record what you want to keep. Review routine: Overwatch VOD review. |
| Fortnite | Per Epic's help article, a replay only plays in the game version it was recorded in, and replays you have not saved by renaming them in the replay browser become invalid after an update. Saved replays are unlimited on PC, and recording is switched on in the Replays group at the bottom of the Game settings tab. | Play the replay and capture it as video before the next update. Steps: save Fortnite replays as video. |
| DOR recordings (for reference) | Saved on your PC as video regardless of patches. Old videos are cleared only when the full gameplay share (5GB by default) fills up, and recent recordings and liked videos stay. | Trim to 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1 in the app, then join clips in DOR Studio and export MP4 or share a dor.gg link. |
Replay missing or will not open? Check these five things
- Did the game update? League, VALORANT and Overwatch replays stop opening after a patch, and Fortnite replays you did not save by renaming them become invalid after an update. Check whether the launcher installed an update since you played.
- Was it pushed past the limit? League keeps your last 20 games and Overwatch your last 10 matches. If you played a lot since then, the match may already be off the list.
- Is the mode supported? VALORANT replays cover Competitive, Unrated, Swiftplay, Premier and Custom. In Custom, the lobby owner must turn on recording before the game starts, every single game. Riot's replay launch guide (September 2025) also listed the tournament realm as unsupported.
- Did you hit the download cap? Since League patch 26.21, replay downloads are limited to 10 per hour, whether the game is yours or another player's. If downloads stop after a batch, wait an hour and try again.
- Are the save folder and disk okay? League lets you choose where replays and Highlights are saved under the Replays section of the client settings. For moving recordings to a roomier drive and managing space, see how to change your recording save location.
How to save a match as video before its replay expires
- 1Check the date of the next patchFor League, Riot's support site publishes the patch schedule. For VALORANT and Overwatch, the official patch notes list shows when updates land. Once patch day passes, old replays will not open, so the day before is your real deadline.
- 2Make sure the match is still inside the limitLeague shows your last 20 games and Overwatch your last 10 matches. A long session pushes older games off the list, so deal with the match the same day. If you are pulling several League replays, remember the 10 per hour download cap.
- 3Review it in the replay firstThe replay's strength is perspective. Switch between champions in League, flip through all ten first-person views in VALORANT or fly the free camera in Overwatch, and write down what you would change. Our self VOD review guide has a simple routine for it.
- 4Turn the moments you want into a video fileIn League, record a Highlight from the replay viewer, or play the replay with a screen recorder running. For games like VALORANT, where replays can't be clipped or exported as video, it is more reliable to record your next matches as you play them.
- 5Let recording start on its own from now onTracking patch dates for every game gets old fast, so set recording to start when the game does. DOR detects supported games and records the full match, which means the game is still in My Clips on your PC after the replay has expired.
Skip the expiry clock: keep matches as video with DOR
If tracking replay rules for every game sounds like a chore, record the match as video from the start. DOR is a free Windows app. Launch a supported game such as VALORANT or League of Legends and it detects the game and records the whole match, with every recording collected in My Clips.
Seven games, League, VALORANT, PUBG, FC Online, Fortnite, CS2 and Overwatch, also get automatic highlight clips of moments like kills (see DOR auto highlight clips for what is detected). In other games you trim the moments you want from the recording yourself.
For League, replay and spectate recording are on by default, so playing a .rofl replay in the client before it expires gets recorded too.
From there you can trim to 16:9, 9:16 or 1:1 in the app, or open DOR Studio (dor.gg/studio) to join clips and add text, music and effect templates, then export MP4 or share a dor.gg link that plays right in a phone browser.
Recordings stay put across patches; only when the full gameplay share (5GB by default) fills up are the oldest videos cleared, and your recent recordings and liked videos stay.
