Facebook stories have become increasingly popular over the past few years. They allow users to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. By default, Facebook stories are only visible to your friends list. However, sometimes you may want to save or download a story that was shared privately. Here are some methods you can use to download private Facebook stories.
Using Third Party Apps
The easiest way to download private Facebook stories is by using a third party app. There are several apps available for both iOS and Android that allow you to save both private and public stories. Some popular apps include:
- Story Saver for Facebook
- Story Savebox
- StoriesIG – Stories Saver
- Story Reposter
Most of these apps work in a similar way. After installing the app on your device, you’ll need to connect your Facebook account. The app will then display all the recent stories from your friends list. You can simply tap on any private story you want to save. The app will automatically download the story to your camera roll or gallery.
The main advantage of using these apps is convenience. You don’t need any technical knowledge, and the apps do all the work for you. Most apps are also free to use with ads. The downside is that they may have limited functionality or technical issues. You’ll also need to make sure the app is secure and not breaching Facebook’s terms of service.
Using Browser Extensions
Another option is using browser extensions or add-ons to download stories. This works on desktop browsers like Chrome, Firefox and Edge. Some popular extensions include:
- Facebook Stories Saver
- FB Stories Downloader
- InstaStory Downloader
After adding the extension to your browser, you can simply open Facebook in a desktop browser. When viewing any story, you’ll see a download button added by the extension. Click on it to save the video or photo from any private story. The files will be saved to your computer.
Browser extensions provide more customization options compared to mobile apps. You can choose different save locations, file formats, and more. However, this method only works on desktop browsers with the extension installed. It does not allow saving stories directly from your mobile device.
Using Third Party Websites
There are also several websites like SocialStorySaver.com, SnapInsta.com and FBStoryDownloader.com that allow downloading private Facebook stories. These sites work by entering the profile URL of the person who posted the story. You’ll then be able to view and save the private stories anonymously. However, most of these sites contain a lot of annoying ads and popups. Some even require completing surveys to download stories. The process is more complicated than apps and browser extensions.
Screen Recording
If the above methods don’t work for you, the last resort is to screen record stories. This can be done on both iOS and Android devices using built-in screen recording features. On iPhone, you can start recording your screen from Control Center. Open Facebook, view the private story and screen record it. This will save the story as a video which you can later trim.
Android devices also have native screen recording capabilities. You can enable screen recording from Quick Settings and follow the same process. Some manufacturers also have their own built-in recording tools like Samsung’s Game Launcher. Third party apps like AZ Screen Recorder and DU Recorder are also available. This is the most manual option, but guarantees you can download any private story.
Using Private Instagram Viewer Tools
Some tools meant for downloading private Instagram posts can also be used for Facebook stories. These tools work by entering the person’s profile username to anonymously view and download stories. Some popular ones include PrivateInsta, PrivateSaved and SocialDown. However, these sites are mainly focused on Instagram stories and posts. They may have limited functionality or issues with Facebook stories.
Using Third Party Facebook Private Profile Viewer Tools
There are some websites that allow you to view and download content from any private Facebook profile. These tools work by scraping data from Facebook’s servers in real-time. Some examples are PrivateFB, FBStalker and Privatekit. To use them, you simply need to enter the profile username of whoever posted the story. You’ll then be able to browse all photos, stories, posts and download them. However, many of these sites have intrusive ads, paid subscriptions and legal concerns.
Using Android Emulators on PC
Another technical option is using an Android emulator for PC like Bluestacks or Nox Player. After installing the emulator, log into your Facebook account in it. You can then view and screen record any private story from the emulator itself. This method provides more flexibility compared to mobile screen recording. However, setting up an emulator takes time and technical skill. Video quality may also be lower compared to a direct download.
Using Proxy Servers or VPN
Proxy servers and VPNs can mask your identity and location, allowing you to view private profiles and stories anonymously. By routing your traffic through proxies and VPN servers, Facebook’s servers think you are accessing from a different location and identity. This tricks it into showing private content. However, this is quite a technical process and proxies often have bandwidth limitations or get blocked by Facebook. Legal aspects are also questionable.
Using Facebook Private API Access
Facebook provides certain APIs to let developers integrate Facebook functionality into their own apps. It is possible to use or misuse these APIs to gain access to private data like stories. However, this requires expert programming skills and very advanced technical knowledge. The legality is also highly dubious. APIs access is monitored by Facebook and can easily get your account banned. This should only be done for research purposes and not to infringe on someone’s privacy unlawfully.
Using Bugs or Security Exploits
There have been various bugs and security lapses in Facebook over the years that allowed unauthorized access to private data. For instance, in 2019 a vulnerability allowed viewing private photos and stories of up to 6.8 million users. However, these are rare occurrences and get patched very quickly by Facebook. Relying on unknown security exploits is not a practical or ethical way to download private stories.
Getting Story Owner’s Permission
The only 100% legal and ethical way to download private Facebook stories is by getting explicit permission from the story owner. You can politely ask them to download and share the story with you. If they agree, they can use any of the above methods to save the story and send it to you. This ensures you are not infringing on their privacy and have their consent.
Is it Illegal to Download Private Facebook Stories?
Technically, downloading private Facebook stories without permission does violate Facebook’s terms of service. They prohibit unauthorized access to private content on their platform. However, individuals downloading a few private stories for personal use are unlikely to face any legal action. That said, systematically downloading private stories at scale could make you liable for criminal charges under computer hacking or stalking laws based on location.
The legality also depends on what you do with the downloaded private stories. Sharing or posting them publicly without consent, using them to harass or blackmail someone, accessing private stories of minors etc. can have serious legal repercussions like lawsuits or jail time. In summary, it is best to avoid downloading private stories without consent to stay on the right side of the law.
Ethical Concerns with Downloading Private Stories
Even if it may not always be strictly illegal, there are some serious ethical concerns to keep in mind:
- Private stories are intended to be private. Downloading them infringes personal boundaries, privacy and consent.
- The story owner may reveal sensitive or intimate details assuming they will remain private.
- Minors and underage users often share private stories not meant for others. Viewing these is highly unethical and can constitute harassment.
- The story owner has no way to know their private stories were accessed or downloaded without their permission.
- Saving others’ private stories without consent reflects poorly on your personal values and principles.
Before you download any private story, carefully evaluate if doing so aligns with your ethics. Consider how you would feel if roles were reversed. Ultimately, the story belongs to its owner and their consent is paramount.
Tips to Use Private Story Downloaders Responsibly
If you do plan to use any of the above methods, here are some tips to stay safe and ethical:
- Never download or share stories from minors or underage users.
- Only save stories temporarily and delete them once viewed.
- Do not misuse, manipulate or edit downloaded stories.
- Keep downloaded stories secure and private.
- If requested by the owner, permanently delete any saved stories.
- Do not excessively stalk or harass someone via their private stories.
- Do not use private stories for financial gain, blackmail etc.
Ultimately, avoid downloading any private story unless you have explicit permission from the owner. While tools may enable you to access private content, use discretion keeping ethics in mind. Remember that Facebook stories are still someone’s personal content.
Conclusion
Although you can technically download private Facebook stories, doing so without consent raises both legal and ethical concerns. The story owner has an expectation of privacy that should be respected. You must carefully evaluate your motivations before saving any private content posted on social media. In most cases, it is better to request the story owner to voluntarily share it with you if needed. With mutual understanding and respect for consent, private stories can be shared safely.