diff --git a/docs/topics/media-pipeline.rst b/docs/topics/media-pipeline.rst
index 576feae7e..899bb81fd 100644
--- a/docs/topics/media-pipeline.rst
+++ b/docs/topics/media-pipeline.rst
@@ -424,13 +424,16 @@ adjust this retention delay use the :setting:`FILES_EXPIRES` setting (or
 :setting:`IMAGES_EXPIRES`, in case of Images Pipeline), which
 specifies the delay in number of days:
 
+.. versionchanged:: VERSION
+   Fractional numbers of days are now supported.
+
 .. code-block:: python
 
     # 120 days of delay for files expiration
     FILES_EXPIRES = 120
 
-    # 30 days of delay for images expiration
-    IMAGES_EXPIRES = 30
+    # 12 hours of delay for images expiration
+    IMAGES_EXPIRES = 0.5
 
 The default value for both settings is 90 days.
 
diff --git a/scrapy/pipelines/files.py b/scrapy/pipelines/files.py
index 9d67e98bf..78cd02c22 100644
--- a/scrapy/pipelines/files.py
+++ b/scrapy/pipelines/files.py
@@ -497,7 +497,7 @@ class FilesPipeline(MediaPipeline):
         resolve = functools.partial(
             self._key_for_pipe, base_class_name=cls_name, settings=settings
         )
-        self.expires: int = settings.getint(resolve("FILES_EXPIRES"), self.EXPIRES)
+        self.expires: float = settings.getfloat(resolve("FILES_EXPIRES"), self.EXPIRES)
         if not hasattr(self, "FILES_URLS_FIELD"):
             self.FILES_URLS_FIELD = self.DEFAULT_FILES_URLS_FIELD
         if not hasattr(self, "FILES_RESULT_FIELD"):
diff --git a/scrapy/pipelines/images.py b/scrapy/pipelines/images.py
index 7186fc8de..430a6b927 100644
--- a/scrapy/pipelines/images.py
+++ b/scrapy/pipelines/images.py
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ class ImagesPipeline(FilesPipeline):
             base_class_name="ImagesPipeline",
             settings=settings,
         )
-        self.expires: int = settings.getint(resolve("IMAGES_EXPIRES"), self.EXPIRES)
+        self.expires: float = settings.getfloat(resolve("IMAGES_EXPIRES"), self.EXPIRES)
 
         if not hasattr(self, "IMAGES_RESULT_FIELD"):
             self.IMAGES_RESULT_FIELD: str = self.DEFAULT_IMAGES_RESULT_FIELD
diff --git a/tests/test_pipeline_files.py b/tests/test_pipeline_files.py
index 928f4e2c2..84c4e58ac 100644
--- a/tests/test_pipeline_files.py
+++ b/tests/test_pipeline_files.py
@@ -237,6 +237,35 @@ class TestFilesPipeline:
         assert result["files"][0]["checksum"] != "abc"
         assert result["files"][0]["status"] == "downloaded"
 
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize(
+        ("age_hours", "expected_status"), [(6, "uptodate"), (18, "downloaded")]
+    )
+    @coroutine_test
+    async def test_file_expiration_below_one_day(
+        self, age_hours: int, expected_status: str
+    ) -> None:
+        pipeline = self._create_pipeline(FilesPipeline, {"FILES_EXPIRES": 0.5})
+        item_url = f"http://example.com/file-{age_hours}h.pdf"
+        item = _create_item_with_files(item_url)
+        with (
+            mock.patch.object(
+                FSFilesStore,
+                "stat_file",
+                return_value={
+                    "checksum": "abc",
+                    "last_modified": time.time() - age_hours * 60 * 60,
+                },
+            ),
+            mock.patch.object(
+                FilesPipeline,
+                "get_media_requests",
+                return_value=[_prepare_request_object(item_url)],
+            ),
+            mock.patch.object(FilesPipeline, "inc_stats", return_value=True),
+        ):
+            result = await pipeline.process_item(item)
+        assert result["files"][0]["status"] == expected_status
+
     @coroutine_test
     async def test_file_cached(self):
         item_url = "http://example.com/file3.pdf"