When you download files, photos, or videos from Facebook to your iPhone, there are a few different places they can be saved. The exact location will depend on what app you use to download the content and your iOS version.
Downloading Photos and Videos in the Facebook App
If you download photos or videos directly within the Facebook app, they will be saved to your iPhone’s Camera Roll (Photos app). This allows you to easily access them alongside all your other photos and videos.
To download a photo or video in the Facebook app:
- Tap the photo or video you want to save.
- Tap the download icon (downward arrow) in the top-right corner.
This will save the file to your Camera Roll. You can access it by opening the Photos app and viewing your albums.
Downloading Files to Files App
If you download a non-image file, like a PDF document, it will be saved to the Files app. The Files app is where iOS stores all sorts of documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and other files.
To download a file on Facebook:
- Tap the file attachment to open it.
- Tap the Share icon in the top-right corner.
- Choose “Save to Files”
This will save the file in the Files app, most likely to the “On My iPhone” section. You can access it there or move it to cloud storage like iCloud Drive or Dropbox.
Using the Facebook Menu
You can also find a download option in the menu on Facebook posts. This gives you the option to download the photos/videos or save files to the Files app.
To use the Facebook menu:
- Tap the three dots “…” in the top-right corner of a post.
- Choose “Download” or “Save File” depending on the content.
This will automatically save the files to the Photos app or Files app as described above.
Saving Links in Safari
If you tap a link on Facebook and it opens in Safari, you can download the file or webpage using Safari’s tools.
To save a link from Safari:
- Press and hold the link until a menu appears.
- Tap “Download Linked File” to save a file or webpage.
- Tap “Add to Photos” to save an image or video.
Downloaded files will go to the Files app while photos/videos are added to your Camera Roll.
Location of Photos App (Camera Roll)
The default location for photos and videos saved from Facebook is your iPhone’s Photos app, also known as the Camera Roll.
You can find the Photos app on your home screen or by swiping right from your first home screen page. The app icon looks like a multicolored flower.
Once you open the Photos app, your photos and albums are organized into tabs at the bottom of the screen:
- Library – All your photos organized by date.
- Albums – Albums you’ve created to organize photos.
- Search – Search your photo library.
The Facebook downloads will be mixed in with your existing photos organized by date in the Library tab.
Finding Files in the Files App
For non-image files like PDFs, Word documents, spreadsheets, etc., your Facebook downloads will be located in the Files app.
You can find the Files app on your home screen or by swiping right from the first page. The app icon is a blue folder.
In the Files app, your downloads are organized into the following sections:
- Recents – Recently accessed files.
- Browse – Navigate files by location.
- Tags – View files associated with certain tags.
- Search – Search your files.
Go to the Browse tab and select “On My iPhone” to see files saved to your device’s local storage. This is where Facebook downloads typically appear.
Checking Download Settings
You can configure some download settings in the Facebook app to change where your downloads are saved.
To access download settings:
- Tap the Menu button (three lines) in the Facebook app.
- Scroll down and tap “Settings & privacy”.
- Tap “Media and contacts”.
Here you can toggle the following options:
- Save Videos To Camera Roll – Disable to prevent saving videos to your photo library.
- HD Video Downloads – Enable to download higher resolution videos.
Managing Phone Storage
As you download more content from Facebook, it will take up storage space on your iPhone. Here are some tips to manage your storage:
- Offload unused apps – This frees up space by removing apps but keeping their data.
- Enable iCloud Photos – Stores your photo library in iCloud rather than local device storage.
- Delete old downloads – Manually delete photos, videos or files you no longer need.
- Use cloud storage – Upload files to services like iCloud, Dropbox or Google Drive.
You can also upgrade to a model with more internal storage when you buy a new iPhone.
Backing Up Your Downloads
To prevent losing the files you’ve downloaded from Facebook, it’s important to back them up regularly.
Here are some ways to back up your Facebook downloads on iPhone:
- iCloud Backup – iCloud will automatically back up your photos, videos, and files.
- iTunes Backup – Plug your iPhone into your computer and back up to iTunes.
- Photo Sync – Use a photo sync service like Google Photos to copy your camera roll.
- File Sync – Use a file sync service like Dropbox to copy your Files app content.
- Manual Export – Export or share photos and files to cloud storage or your computer.
Enabling some form of backup ensures you won’t lose your Facebook downloads if you get a new iPhone or your current one is damaged, lost or stolen.
Conclusion
When downloading content from Facebook to your iPhone, photos and videos are saved to your camera roll in the Photos app while other files go to the Files app. You can configure settings and manage storage to optimize where and how content is saved.
Be sure to back up your Facebook downloads regularly so you don’t lose access to them. With the right settings and backups, you can conveniently access all the content you grab from Facebook right on your iPhone.