How to access and download your Facebook data
Reviewing your Facebook data allows you to see what personal information Facebook has collected about you, helping you make informed decisions about your privacy settings.
You might also need a copy of your data, which serves as a backup of your photos, messages and memories in case you lose access to your account or decide to delete it.
Additionally, understanding what data Facebook stores can help you better comprehend how the platform uses your information for advertising and content personalization. Here’s how to do it.
What data can you access on Facebook?
Facebook collects a wide range of data from you, including your profile information, posts, photos, comments, likes, friends list, location data, search history and interactions with ads and pages. The company uses this data to personalize your experience and show you targeted ads. It also uses the data and shares it with third-party partners to improve its services.
When you request your data, you can access files containing the information you’ve provided (like your name, email and address) as well as account activity such as posts, photos, messages and data logs. These logs include your interactions, device information and connections to third-party apps, websites and services.
Keep in mind that not all data Facebook collects about you will be included in your download.
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How to download your Facebook data on desktop
The process of accessing and downloading your data from Facebook can change. As of May 2025, you can access and download your information on Facebook using the steps below:
- Click your profile picture icon in the top-right corner of the screen. When the menu appears, clickSettings & Privacy.
- Click Settings in the submenu that appears.
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- Click Accounts Center in the left sidebar.
- In the left menu, click Your information and permissions. Then, click Access your information in the right panel.
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- After verifying that all the information you need is there, scroll to the bottom and click Download your information.
- In the pop-up, click Download or transfer information.
- Select your Facebook account from the list of accounts and click Next.
- Now you need to select how much information you want to receive. We recommend clicking Available information to get a complete copy of everything you need.
- Click Download to device so that it’s downloaded to your computer.
- Now you need to select your file options. In the Date range field, select the period from which you want Facebook to send your data. The default is Last year, but you can choose Last 3 years or All time for a more comprehensive dataset (note that longer periods take more time to prepare the data). In the Notify field, verify that your email address is correct. Keep the Format and Media quality fields set to HTML and Medium, respectively. Then, click Create files.
Wait for an email notification from Facebook that your requested file is ready to download. That can take up to an hour. Once you receive it, you have four days until the download request expires. When you receive the notification, log into your Facebook account and follow the steps below to download the requested information:
- Click the bell icon in the top-right corner. In the menu, click the notification that says “The files you requested are ready to download.”
- Click Download in the pop-up.
- Enter your Facebook password and click Continue to download the file to your computer.
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How to download your Facebook data on mobile
The steps below are for iPhone, but they will also work on Android. However, some menu items may appear in slightly different locations or use slightly different names compared to the iPhone. Follow the steps below:
- Tap Menu (the profile picture icon) in the bottom-right corner of the screen.
- Tap Settings & Privacy to expand it and then tap Settings.
- Tap Accounts Center.
- Tap Your information and permissions.
- Tap Access your information.
- You can review the information to see if it includes everything you need. Afterward, scroll to the bottom and tap Download your information.
- Tap Download or transfer information.
- Select the Facebook account(s) you want to download the information from and tap Next.
- On the screen for selecting how much information you want, tap Available information to get a complete copy.
- Next, tap Download to device to store the information on your phone.
- Next, you will need to create the file to download. Set Date range to Last 3 years or All time (might take longer to create). Ensure the email address in the Notify field is the one where you want the notification to be sent. Keep the Format and Media quality fields as they are: HTML and Medium, respectively. Finally, tap the Create files button.
Wait for an email notification from Facebook that your requested file is ready to download. That can take up to an hour. Once you receive it, you have four days until the download request expires. When you receive the notification, follow the steps below to download the requested information:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the Notifications (the bell icon) in the bottom-right corner.
- In the Notifications screen, tap the notification that says “The files you requested are ready to download.”
- Tap Download in the pop-up.
- Enter your Facebook password and tap Continue to download the file to your phone.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
Downloading your Facebook data helps you understand what information the platform holds about you. While it may take some time to compile, especially for longer periods, it’s worth doing periodically so you’re aware of your digital footprint on the platform and keep a personal backup in case something happens to the online version.
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