Facebook lets you download your photos through its built-in download tool, which packages them into a file you can save to your computer

Facebook's Download Your Information feature is the official way to get all your photos in one batch. The tool creates a compressed file containing your photos, videos, posts, and other account data. You can choose to download only photos, or include everything. The file arrives as a .zip folder that you extract on your computer.

The download process takes a few minutes to set up, but Facebook then prepares the file in the background — sometimes within hours, sometimes within a few days depending on how much data you have. Once ready, you receive a notification and can download the file directly.

Key Takeaways

  • Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Your Information > Download Your Information to start the process.
  • You can filter by date range and choose to download photos only, or include posts, videos, and other content.
  • Facebook prepares the file in the background and notifies you when it is ready, usually within a few hours to a few days.
  • The downloaded file is a .zip folder that you extract on your computer to access individual photo files.
  • You can request multiple downloads and keep them for as long as you want — Facebook does not delete them automatically.

Step-by-step: Getting to the download tool

Open Facebook on a web browser (the mobile app has limited access to this feature). Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner, then scroll down and select Settings & Privacy. From the dropdown, choose Settings.

On the left sidebar, click Your Information. You will see several options; click Download Your Information. This opens the tool where you choose what to download.

Choosing what to include in your download

When the Download Your Information page opens, you see options to customize what goes into your file. At the top, you can set a date range — for example, the last year, the last five years, or all time. Below that is a list of content types: Photos and Videos, Posts, Comments, Messages, and more.

To download only photos, uncheck everything except Photos and Videos. If you want just photos without videos, you cannot separate them at this stage — the tool downloads both together. You can delete the videos later after you extract the file. The file format is set to JSON by default, which is fine; you do not need to change it.

At the bottom, choose your preferred file size. Smaller files download faster but may be split across multiple .zip folders. Larger files take longer to prepare but arrive as one package. For most photo collections, the medium or large option works well.

Submitting your request and waiting for the file

Once you have set your preferences, click the Create File button at the bottom. Facebook then begins preparing your download in the background. You will see a message saying your request is being processed.

Facebook sends you a notification when the file is ready — check your email or the notification bell on Facebook itself. The time varies: small downloads may be ready in a few hours, while large ones can take a day or two. You do not need to stay on the page; you can close your browser and come back later.

Downloading and extracting your photos

When notified that your file is ready, return to the Download Your Information page. You will see your prepared file listed with a Download button next to it. Click it to save the .zip file to your computer — it typically goes to your Downloads folder.

Locate the .zip file on your computer. On Windows, right-click it and select Extract All. On Mac, double-click the file and it extracts automatically. The extracted folder contains subfolders organized by content type. Your photos are in a folder labeled photos or photos_and_videos, organized by album or date.

What the downloaded files look like

Inside the extracted folder, photos are stored as .jpg files with their original filenames if Facebook has them, or generic names like "photo_1.jpg" if not. Each photo retains its original quality as you uploaded it. If you included videos, they appear as .mp4 files in the same folder.

Facebook also includes a file called index.html — open this in any web browser to view a formatted version of your data with captions, dates, and album information. This is useful for reviewing what you downloaded without having to sort through individual files.

Downloading photos multiple times and managing your files

You can request a new download whenever you want. Facebook keeps your previous downloads available for a limited time (usually 30 days), so you can download the same file again if you did not save it the first time. After that window closes, you can request a fresh download.

Once you have downloaded and extracted your photos, store them somewhere safe — an external hard drive, a cloud storage service like Google Drive or OneDrive, or both. Organize them into folders by year or event so you can find them later. The original .zip file from Facebook can be deleted once you have extracted it and backed up the photos elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I download only photos from specific albums?

The Download Your Information tool does not let you pick individual albums — it downloads all photos from your chosen date range. If you need photos from only one album, you can manually download them by opening the album, selecting photos, and using Facebook's built-in download option for that album instead.

Will my downloaded photos include captions and dates?

Yes, but the information is stored separately. The .jpg files themselves contain basic metadata like the date taken. The index.html file Facebook includes shows captions, comments, and other details in a formatted view. If you need captions attached to each photo file, you will need to add them manually or use a third-party tool.

What if my download fails or gets stuck?

If the download does not start after clicking the button, try a different web browser or clear your browser cache. If the file preparation stalls, wait 24 hours and check back — sometimes Facebook's servers are busy. You can also request a new download; there is no limit to how many you can request.

Can I download someone else's photos from their profile?

No. The Download Your Information tool only works for your own account. You cannot use it to download photos from a friend's profile or a public page. You can manually save individual photos by right-clicking them and selecting "Save Image As," but bulk downloading someone else's content is not possible through Facebook's tools.

How much storage space do I need for my download?

The size depends on how many photos you have and their resolution. A few hundred photos typically take 500 MB to 2 GB. Thousands of photos can easily reach 10 GB or more. Check your available storage before requesting the download, and consider using an external drive if your computer is running low on space.