How to Download a Copy of Your Facebook Data
Step-by-step guide to downloading your Facebook photos, posts and messages in Accounts Center, choosing a format, and keeping the file safe afterward.
Years of birthday photos, school milestones and messages from relatives can live inside a single Facebook account. Downloading a copy is a smart move whether you plan to leave Facebook, want a backup of family memories, or are curious about how much the platform has stored about you.
It is also a useful exercise to do with a teen. Seeing every post, comment and search in one archive is a memorable lesson in how much a digital footprint holds.
What the download includes
Facebook lets you choose which categories of information to include. Depending on what you select, the archive can contain:
- Posts, photos and videos you have shared
- Comments, reactions and the posts you have saved
- Messages from Messenger, if included in the selection
- Your friends list and friend requests
- Groups, Pages and events you have joined or followed
- Profile information, such as past names and contact details
- Ads information and some activity Facebook has logged about you
You can request everything at once or pick only the parts you need, such as photos. A smaller selection is faster to prepare and easier to download.
How to download your Facebook data
Meta moved this tool into Accounts Center, which is shared across Facebook, Instagram and Messenger. Menu labels vary slightly between the app and the website, but the route is similar.
- Tap or click your profile picture, then go to Settings & privacy > Settings.
- Open Accounts Center.
- Select Your information and permissions.
- Choose Download your information, then Download or transfer information.
- Select your Facebook account and continue.
- Choose whether to include all available information or only specific types.
- Choose Download to device.
- Set the date range, the format and the media quality, then submit the request.
Facebook will notify you when the file is ready. Large archives can take some time to prepare. When it is ready, return to the same screen and download it. You will be asked to enter your password again to confirm it is you.
Meta's help pages, reachable from the Facebook Help Center, have the latest steps if your menus look different.
Choosing the right options
| Option | What it means | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| HTML format | Opens in a web browser like a simple website | Browsing photos and posts |
| JSON format | Structured data files | Importing into another service or app |
| Higher media quality | Larger files, better image resolution | Keeping family photos |
| Lower media quality | Smaller, faster download | A quick look at what is stored |
| Date range | Limits the archive to a time period | Saving one year of photos |
For a family photo backup, choose HTML, all time, and high media quality.
Transferring instead of downloading
Accounts Center also offers a transfer option that sends copies of certain content, such as photos and videos, directly to another service. The list of supported destinations changes over time. Transferring is handy if you already use a cloud photo service and do not want to manage a large file yourself.
Instagram and Messenger data
Because Accounts Center is shared across Meta's apps, the same Download your information screen can also prepare a copy of an Instagram account if it is linked in Accounts Center. If your teen uses Instagram, this is a useful way to save their photos before they delete an old account or clean up their profile.
Messenger conversations are increasingly protected with end-to-end encryption. Encrypted chats are not handled the same way as other Facebook data, and Messenger has its own options for secure storage and backup of those messages. If keeping a copy of particular conversations matters to you, check the settings for encrypted chats in Messenger as well as running the download.
Remember too that an archive is a snapshot. Anything posted after the request date will not be included, so repeat the download if you are keeping it as a backup.
Keep the archive safe
The file you download is a detailed record of your life online, and it is not encrypted. Treat it with care:
- Store it somewhere private, such as an encrypted drive or a password-protected cloud folder.
- Do not download it on a shared or school computer.
- Delete the zip file from your Downloads folder after you have moved it to a safe location.
- Do not email it or upload it to unfamiliar sites that promise to analyze your data.
Using the archive as a teaching moment
Opening the archive with a teenager can be eye-opening for both of you. A few things to look at together:
- The earliest posts. How would those look to a college admissions officer or employer today?
- Search history and ad interests, if included. They show how much Facebook infers from activity.
- Friend requests sent and received. Are there people neither of you recognize?
- Messages. A reminder that "private" chats are stored and can be copied.
Our guide to controlling your digital footprint suggests next steps for cleaning up what you find.
If you plan to leave Facebook
Downloading your information is the first step before deactivating or deleting an account, because deleted content cannot be recovered. Download your archive, confirm it opened correctly, and then follow the steps in our guide on how to quit Facebook.
A quick checklist
- Decide what you need: everything, or only photos and posts.
- Request the download from Accounts Center > Your information and permissions.
- Pick HTML for browsing, high quality for photos.
- Download the file as soon as it is ready, then move it to secure storage.
- Delete the copy left in your Downloads folder.
- Repeat once a year if you want an ongoing backup of family memories.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Download Your Information on Facebook?
It is in Accounts Center under Your information and permissions. From there, choose Download your information and select your Facebook account.
Should I choose HTML or JSON?
Choose HTML if you want to browse your photos and posts on your computer. JSON is meant for importing the data into another service or program.
Does downloading my data delete my account?
No. Downloading creates a copy and leaves your account and content unchanged.