Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with billions of users sharing photos and videos every day. While Facebook compresses images to save space, you may want to download your own or friends’ photos in high resolution for printing or archiving.
Fortunately, there are a few different methods you can use to save Facebook photos in high quality. This guide will walk through the main options, including using the Facebook website, mobile apps, and third party tools. We’ll also look at tips for finding the original full resolution image and avoiding compressed versions.
Saving Photos on Facebook.com
The easiest way to download a photo from Facebook is directly on the website. Here’s how to do it:
Step 1
Go to Facebook.com and find the photo you want to save. Click on the photo to open it at full size.
Step 2
Right click on the large photo on screen. In the menu that appears, select “Save image as…” (Chrome) or “Save picture as…” (Firefox).
Step 3
Choose where you want to save the file on your computer. Make sure to change the name if needed. The extension should be .jpg or .png.
Step 4
Hit save. The full resolution file will download to your computer.
The advantage of this method is it’s quick and easy. However, Facebook’s website sometimes doesn’t have the highest quality version of the image. Next we’ll look at getting better results from the mobile app.
Using the Facebook Mobile App
Facebook’s iOS and Android apps allow saving photos in their original quality. Here’s how:
On iPhone/iPad
- Open the Facebook app and find the photo.
- Tap on the photo to view it full screen.
- Tap on the download icon (downward arrow) at the bottom.
- Select “Original” to download the full resolution version.
On Android
- Open the Facebook app and find the photo.
- Tap on the photo to expand it.
- Touch and hold on the image for 2 seconds until a menu appears.
- Select “Download original” to save the full quality version to your device.
Downloading from the mobile app rather than Facebook.com gives you the best chance at getting the highest resolution available.
Finding the Original File
Sometimes even downloading from the mobile app results in a compressed image. This is because Facebook resizes and optimizes images for faster loading.
If you want the absolute maximum quality, you need to find the original file that was uploaded. Here are some tips:
- Check if the photo is on the uploader’s Facebook page at full size – this is the original.
- Look closely for subtle details that are blurred or missing – signs the image was compressed.
- Zoom in closely to 100% size and look for JPEG artifacts around edges.
- Reverse image search on Google to see if the original is posted publicly somewhere else.
- Ask the uploader if they still have the original file on their device.
With some detective work, you may be able to track down the untouched original file for maximum print resolution.
Using Third Party Apps and Tools
If you need to download lots of Facebook photos in bulk, or the methods above aren’t working, third party apps can help. Here are some good options:
Downloader for Facebook
This free Chrome extension allows saving all photos from a Facebook page or album in one click. It also includes options to download videos.
4K Stogram
4K Stogram is a desktop app available for Windows and Mac. The free version can download up to 20 photos in original quality per account per day.
SaveFrom.net Helper
This browser helper extension lets you download videos, photos, and other media from Facebook and many other sites.
Bulk Facebook Photo Downloader
This is a free online tool that downloads all images from any public Facebook page or group as a ZIP file. No account or registration needed.
Be sure to check the privacy policies and permissions of any third party tools before installing and using them.
Comparing File Size Between Full and Compressed Images
One way to check if your downloaded image is the original full resolution version is to look at the file size.
Original high resolution images straight from the camera will be much larger in filesize than those compressed by Facebook.
Here is an example comparing the file sizes:
| Image | Resolution | File Size |
|---|---|---|
| Original from DSLR camera | 4256 x 2832 pixels | 2.1 MB |
| Uploaded to Facebook | 1536 x 2048 pixels | 375 KB |
| Downloaded from Facebook app | 1536 x 2048 pixels | 410 KB |
As you can see, the original image straight from a DSLR camera is over 2 MB, while after uploading to Facebook it gets compressed down to under 500 KB.
Checking for this drastic reduction in filesize is an easy way to confirm if you have the maximum resolution version possible.
Optimizing Images for Facebook
To avoid excess compression when uploading photos to Facebook, you can optimize them first:
- Resize images to under 2048 pixels on the longest side.
- Use JPEG format at 90% quality or higher.
- Run images through compression tools to reduce filesize.
- Stick to RGB color space rather than CMYK or others.
Following these best practices when preparing your photos will help maintain quality.
Conclusion
While Facebook compresses images to save space, you can still download photos in high resolution for printing or archiving.
The key steps are:
- Download from the mobile app instead of Facebook.com.
- Look for the original full resolution file if needed.
- Use third party tools for bulk downloads.
- Check file size to confirm maximum resolution.
Optimizing images before uploading also helps maintain quality. With the right technique, you can save Facebook pictures with minimal loss of resolution and detail.