If you ’re anything like meor Mark Zuckerberg , your earliest Facebook activity was … not flattering . In fact , I ’d favor my angsty status updates and blurry party photos were purged from the interwebs completely . That ’s why I was so horrified ( but also very , very curious ) when I find there ’s an light mode to see the entirety of my Facebook activity to appointment – from relationship statuses , to pigeon berry , to direct message , and all the other stuff and nonsense that ’s changed or been blue-pencil from my profile in the last 12 years . presume to dig up ancient vitamin E - account ? Here ’s how to download a written matter of your full Facebook archive .

Step 1

To start , you ’ll need to log on to your Facebook profile in a desktop internet browser . Then , head to your circumstance and at the bottom of the pageboy , get through " Download a written matter of your Facebook information . "

Step 2

When actuate , enter your password , then click " Start My Archive . “It will take a few second for Facebook to organize everything into a neat little downloadable bundle , but you do n’t have to wait around – you ’ll get an email with a download linkup once it ’s finish up .

Step 3

Unzip the filing cabinet , and you ’ll see a collated compilation of files part up into two folders : " exposure " and " html . "

The " photos " folder incorporate every photo record album ( and thus every photo ) you ’ve ever uploaded to Facebook , include the one that were mechanically created , like albums of profile pics , hatch picture , Instagram uploads , etc . You ’ll have to sort through to see what ’s what though , since the booklet are confusingly labeled with numbers instead of names . If you ’re odd what facial - credit intel Facebook has on you , click " facedata . " Here , you ’ll see the numeric " template " its created to identify your unique facial features ( if you ’ve ever enquire how the site seems to magically paint a picture photo ticket of the great unwashed , this is how ) .

The folder labeled " html " is where most of the sport stuff is . select any item in there and it ’ll pull up a web page with a digest of the relevant info . So , for example , chatter on " ads " and it pulls up a list of ad or promoted pieces of subject you ’ve clicked on in your Newsfeed ( only in the last two months - ish ) . likewise , " events " show up you a listing of every Facebook effect you ’ve ever been invited to , as well as how you RSVP’d to it . There ’s a ton of other stuff to explore , too . Here ’s a ready to hand small guide :

facebook under a magnifying glass

Gil C/Shutterstock

Hopefully if you ’re a nice , neat , decent human being , you ’ll walk off saying , " Oh , what a adorable little metre capsule ! " As for the rest of you , judge not to stew too long in your shame and overplus . It ca n’t be any worse thanyour old Myspace photos .

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facebook settings menu

Screenshot via Facebook

facebook settings menu

Screenshot via Facebook

facebook archive download menu

Screenshot via Mac OS X

facebook facial recognition data

Screenshot via Facebook