Should I Keep My Video Files After Uploading to YouTube?

I tend to hold on to my last few videos mostly for thumbnail updates, but I’m confident in my ability to create new content. I don’t feel the need to keep all my old videos since I can always make more. That said, I know some creators, like Linus, prefer to keep everything for future use.

For my vlogs, I initially kept every file, but it became overwhelming. Now, I store everything on an external hard drive for a few weeks after posting. I save the final exported video there and delete the original files. This strategy allows me to save space and keeps my storage manageable while ensuring that I can recover clips if necessary.

From my experience, it really depends on the type of content you produce. If you're repurposing clips or using B-roll from older videos, it might be worth keeping a library of your raw footage. I generally delete the extra footage after uploading, but I do keep a backup of the originals on Google Drive just in case.

I've been in a similar situation where my footage can amass quickly. Currently, I keep my files on an external hard drive for a few weeks after posting. Once I have my final video exported, I store that on my external drive along with a backup. This way, I'm not filling up my main drive too quickly and can still have access to my older content if needed.

After I upload a video, I usually use the 'Delete Rendered Files' option to clear out space. This keeps the original source material but gets rid of everything else. I've found it handy when I want to revisit older clips for new projects. To manage storage, I cycle through external 2TB SSDs, which helps me keep things organized without cluttering my main drive.