Facebook allows users to download a copy of the data associated with their account, including photos, posts, messages, and more. This can be useful for backing up your Facebook data or migrating it to another service.
Why Download Your Facebook Data?
There are a few key reasons you may want to download your Facebook data:
- Backup your data – Downloading your info gives you a copy you can store securely offline.
- See what Facebook has on you – You can review your info and see exactly what data Facebook has collected.
- Migrate to another service – If you want to delete your Facebook account, you can use your data to move to another social network.
- Find lost photos or posts – If you can’t find something on Facebook, it may be in your downloaded data.
What Facebook Data Can You Download?
The Facebook data you can download includes:
- Photos and videos – All photos and videos you’ve uploaded.
- Posts and stories – Your posts, shared posts, stories, and reactions.
- Messages – Private messages with your connections.
- Profile info – Name, bio, contacts, etc.
- Search history – Your search history on Facebook.
- Advert interests – Pages and ads you’ve interacted with.
- Other activity – Events, groups, check-ins, marketplace activity, etc.
How to Download Your Facebook Data
Downloading your Facebook data is a quick and easy process. Just follow these steps:
- Go to your Facebook settings and select “Your Facebook Information” in the left menu.
- On the “Your Facebook Information” page, click “View” under “Download Your Information.”
- Facebook will prepare your download. It may take up to a few hours depending on how much data there is.
- You’ll get an email when your download is ready. Click “Available Copies” at the top.
- Click “Download” to download a zip file with your Facebook data.
The download process may take a while, but you can log out of Facebook and check your email for the status. Once ready, be sure to download your info and save it in a safe, secure location.
How to Download Your Facebook Photos
To download just your Facebook photos and videos, follow these steps:
- Go to your Facebook profile and click “Photos” in the left menu.
- Click the “Photos” or “Albums” tab at the top.
- Select the photos/albums you want to download by clicking the checkbox above each.
- Click the three dots “…” icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Download” and choose download format – JPEG, MP4, or ZIP.
- Click “Confirm” to download the photos or albums.
This will let you selectively download just your photos instead of your entire account data. You can choose to download individual photos, full albums, or all your photos at once.
What’s Included in Your Facebook Data
When you download your Facebook information, it comes in an HTML file you can open on your computer. This gives you access to your data organized into folders:
| Folder | Contents |
|---|---|
| HTML | Index HTML file with links to data |
| photos_and_videos | Your uploaded photos and videos |
| posts | Your posts, shared posts, and reactions |
| messages | Private messages with friends |
| profile | Profile info, contacts, etc. |
| search_history | Your search history on Facebook |
| following_and_followers | Pages and people you follow or who follow you |
| security_and_login_information | Login security activity |
Looking through these folders gives you a complete view of the data Facebook has collected on your account over time.
Photos and Videos
The photos and videos folder contains all the media you’ve shared on Facebook. This includes:
- Uploaded photos and videos
- Profile pictures
- Cover photos
- Media from posts and stories
- Shared photos and videos
Posts
The posts folder includes:
- Your own posts
- Shared posts from connections
- Posts and stories you’re tagged in
- Reactions to posts
- Timeline review history
Messages
Your Facebook messages are included here, such as:
- Private messages
- Group conversations
- Deleted messages
Profile Information
Your profile info folder contains:
- General account info
- Bio and contact info
- Follower/following lists
- Ad interests
- Other preferences
This gives you a snapshot of the details Facebook has stored about your account profile and settings.
How to View Downloaded Facebook Data
Once you’ve downloaded your Facebook data, you can view and explore it on your computer. To access it:
- Locate the “index.html” file and open it in your web browser.
- This will open an HTML page with links to view your data.
- Click each link to view that section – photos, posts, etc.
- Use the folders to navigate through your downloaded data.
- Open files individually like photos, videos, and messages.
- Some data like messages may be in JSON format, requiring a JSON viewer.
Take time clicking through your data to see what Facebook has saved. If you find sensitive info, you can delete it for more privacy.
How Long Does Facebook Store Your Data?
Facebook stores user data indefinitely after an account is closed. However, if you permanently delete your Facebook account, data is removed within 90 days according to Facebook’s policies.
Specific data retention times when you delete Facebook include:
- Posts, photos, messages – Deleted within 90 days
- Search history, site activity – Anonymized after 90 days
- Copies of data may remain in backups – Can persist longer but not accessible
So if you want your Facebook data permanently erased, you must completely delete your account. Simply deactivating it is not enough.
Should You Delete or Deactivate Your Facebook Account?
If you’re no longer using Facebook, you have two options to cut ties:
- Deactivate your account – Temporarily disables it but data remains. You can reactive at any time.
- Delete your account – Permanently closes account and begins removing data.
Deactivating is best if you may return to Facebook. But deleting is the only way to fully purge your data over time.
To deactivate your Facebook account:
- Click account settings and select “Manage account.”
- Choose “Deactivate your account” at the bottom.
- Select a reason for deactivating and click “Continue.”
- Enter your password to confirm deactivation.
You can log back in anytime to reactivate your account. Deactivating just puts your account on hold.
To permanently delete your Facebook account:
- Click account settings and select “Manage account.”
- Choose “Delete account” at the bottom.
- Select a reason you are deleting the account.
- Click “Continue” and follow prompts to confirm.
Once you take these steps to delete Facebook, your account and data will eventually be purged from their systems.
Should You Download Your Data Before Deleting Facebook?
It’s highly recommended to download your Facebook data before deleting your account. Here’s why:
- You’ll have a backup of your data if you change your mind.
- You can migrate your info to a new platform.
- It’s your only chance to save data before it’s gone.
- You can review your data for privacy.
- Data can take 90 days to fully delete.
Without downloading your info, your Facebook data will be lost forever once your account is deleted. So be sure to export it first!
Next Steps After Downloading Your Facebook Data
Once you’ve downloaded your Facebook information, here are some things you can do:
Review and Organize Your Data
Look through your Facebook data to see what’s there and organize it so it’s easy to find later. For example, you can:
- Review photos and save your favorites.
- Read through old messages and posts.
- Create folders or albums for your media.
- Document your Facebook history.
Migrate to Another Platform
You can use your Facebook data to help transition to a new social platform. Options include:
- Google Photos – Back up and share your media.
- Twitter – Post status updates.
- Snapchat – Share photos privately.
- WhatsApp – Message friends.
Delete Sensitive Information
Look through your Facebook data and permanently delete any info you don’t want stored, such as:
- Embarrassing photos
- Private messages
- Sensitive posts
- Pages followed or ads clicked
You can then delete the downloads from your computer to remove sensitive Facebook data.
Store Your Data Securely
Keep your downloaded Facebook data protected by:
- Saving to cloud storage or devices not connected to the internet.
- Encrypting files or requiring authorization to open.
- Using passwords on backup drives.
- Deleting original downloads after making copies.
This helps ensure your data stays private in case your computer is compromised.
Conclusion
Downloading and saving your Facebook data gives you control over your information. You can access precious memories, review your info, migrate it elsewhere, and delete your account with peace of mind.
Just remember to first download your Facebook photos and data before closing your account. This lets you backup your memories and take them with you before saying goodbye to Facebook for good.