Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms, with billions of users worldwide. Over the years, users accumulate hundreds or even thousands of posts, including status updates, shared links, photos, and more. While all this content is available on Facebook, many users want to download a copy of their Facebook data for backup or archival purposes. So, is there a way to download all your Facebook posts?
Why Download Facebook Posts?
There are several reasons why someone may want to download their Facebook posts:
- Backup – Backing up Facebook data provides a copy in case something happens to the account or if posts are accidentally deleted.
- Archive – Downloading posts allows you to store them long term, even if you delete your Facebook account.
- Accessibility – Having the data on your own computer makes it easier to search, view, and manage your posts.
- Portability – Downloaded posts can be transferred to other applications or services.
- Privacy – Some users feel more comfortable storing their data locally rather than relying on a company’s servers.
While Facebook does provide some ability to download data, the native tools are limited. To get a complete archive of your Facebook posts, you’ll need to use a third-party app or service.
How to Download Facebook Posts
There are a few different methods users can try to download all of their Facebook posts:
Facebook Settings
Facebook allows you to download some of your data through the Settings menu:
- Go to your Facebook Settings and click on “Your Facebook Information” in the left sidebar.
- Under “Download Your Information,” click on “View.”
- In the popup that appears, choose your desired date range.
- Deselect all boxes except for “Posts.”
- Click on “Create File” to start your download.
However, this method has some major limitations:
- Only your own posts are included – you cannot download posts from friends or Pages.
- It does not include your photos or videos.
- Comments are excluded.
- The download only spans a limited date range.
For most users looking for a full archive, the native Facebook tools fall short. You’ll need to utilize another method to get all your Facebook post data.
Third-Party Apps
Several third-party apps are available that provide more robust Facebook data downloading capabilities:
1. Social Book Post Manager
Social Book Post Manager is a free Chrome extension that lets you bulk export your posts. Features include:
- Download posts, photos, videos, and comments.
- Filter by type, date range, page, and more.
- Works for both personal profiles and Facebook Pages.
- Posts are output to CSV or JSON format.
2. FBDown.net
FBDown.net is an online tool for downloading data from Facebook. Benefits include:
- Includes your own posts, friends’ posts, and posts from Pages.
- Media, comments, and other metadata is included.
- Customize date ranges.
- Download in HTML or JSON format.
3. Backupify
Backupify is a paid SaaS application focused on social media and cloud data backups. Features include:
- Schedule automatic backups from Facebook and other services.
- Restore lost social media data.
- Advanced filtering and search capabilities.
- 256-bit AES encryption for security.
Facebook Data File
One final option for downloading all your Facebook posts is to request an extended data file from Facebook. Here’s how it works:
- Fill out the Data Request Form and select “Other” for your reason.
- Enter your details and specify you want a complete archive of all your Facebook posts and associated data.
- Facebook will email you a link when the file is ready to download (it may take up to a few days).
- The file will be in ZIP format containing HTML files and JSON folders.
This method provides everything Facebook stores about your posts, though it is more time-intensive than automated tools.
Factors to Consider
When downloading your Facebook posts, keep these factors in mind:
- Quantity – If you’ve used Facebook for years, you could have thousands of posts, so download times and file sizes can be substantial.
- Media – Video and photos take up large amounts of space. You’ll need sufficient hard drive space for all media.
- Access – Downloaded posts can only be accessed on your own devices rather than through Facebook’s interface.
- Organization – Folders of downloaded posts may span several years, so you’ll need to develop a system to easily locate specific posts.
- Relevance – Not all old posts will be worth keeping or transferring. Curate downloads to focus on the most meaningful content.
Keep in Mind
A few final things to keep in mind when downloading your Facebook posts:
- Downloads only include posts made up until the date requested. Any new posts after that won’t be captured.
- The download doesn’t remove or delete any data from your live Facebook account.
- Each method varies somewhat in its ability to download comments, photos, metadata, and other post details.
- Facebook’s terms prohibit scraping or mass collection of user data through automated means.
- Take steps to securely store Facebook data downloads, as they can contain personal information.
Conclusion
While Facebook’s native tools are limited, you do have a few options to download all your Facebook posts. The best solutions are third-party apps and services that allow you to export your posts, comments, and media in bulk for backup and archival purposes. Just be aware of the quantity of data, organization, security precautions, and other factors when downloading your full Facebook post archive.
| Method | Types of Posts Included | Media and Comments? | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Facebook Settings | Your own posts only | No | HTML |
| Social Book Post Manager | Own posts, friends’ posts, Pages | Yes | CSV, JSON |
| FBDown.net | Own posts, friends’ posts, Pages | Yes | HTML, JSON |
| Backupify | Own posts, friends’ posts, Pages | Yes | Proprietary backup format |
| Facebook Data File | Own posts, friends’ posts, Pages | Yes | HTML, JSON |