Archive the minimum useful set
Keep the source recording, approved export, caption text or sidecar when available, and the cut/version record. Include the asset origins needed to understand what can be reused. A screenshot of the project list is not a backup of the video. Test that an archived file opens before treating the archive as complete.
Do not promise editable portability
A downloaded MP4 does not preserve every timeline, effect or caption control. Check the actual export options for the service and plan. If future revisions require the hosted project, record that dependency rather than claiming the archive is fully vendor-independent. A documented limitation is more useful than a false sense of recoverability.
Separate retention from permission
Possessing a file does not establish permission to republish it indefinitely or in a new context. Keep the applicable usage notes with the asset and avoid unnecessary copies of sensitive raw material. For important retention obligations, follow the relevant agreement or qualified guidance. This is an operational checklist, not a legal retention schedule.
Verify before closing access
Before cancelling a subscription, inspect the files you need and identify any remaining downloads. Do not assume cancellation immediately deletes everything or guarantees continuing access. Preserve a record of the current account terms and the cancellation result. Plan the exit while you can still inspect the project, not after an urgent correction arrives.
Test a future correction once
Before relying on the archive, imagine correcting one name in a delivered clip. Can you find the source, approved wording, timing and required output specification? If not, improve that specific record while access remains available. This exercise does not require recreating the whole project. It reveals whether the archive supports a realistic maintenance task rather than merely containing a large number of files.
Sources used for this page
These records support the facts and comparisons above. Merchant-controlled records are labelled so you can separate product claims from independent evidence.
- Submagic cancellation and pause guidance — Merchant documentation · care.submagic.co · Merchant-controlled · checked 2026-09-25