Did you know that you have the ability download all the content you have uploaded to Facebook?  I didn’t realize they had such an option until I was looking around Facebook this morning (trying to find little hidden gems that aren’t always advertised).  For those of you who would like to know how to do it, here goes – I have listed the steps below with pictures to walk you through as best I can (although it’s pretty straightforward):

1. Log in to Facebook (duh)
2. Go to Account > Account Settings
   
   
   
3. Under the Settings tab, look for Download Your Information, and click the Learn More link
   
   
   
4. Enter your Facebook password in the box provided
   
   
   
5. Wait for the email, indicating that your download is ready – click the link in the email (could take a while!)
   
   
   
6. Click Start to begin the security check
   
   
   
7. The security check shows you pictures from your account, which have been tagged. Simply tell Facebook which person is highlighted (just like tagging) from the 3 pictures provided. You will have to complete this step several times to verify your identity.
   
   
   
8. Click the download button, and download your profile information (mine was about 200MB)
   
   
   

That’s it.  All the information comes to you in a zipped archive.  When you expand the archive, you will see that there is an HTML index page.  Open it in your favorite browser, and check out all the stuff you have posted to Facebook!

What’s downloaded?  Well, in a word, EVERYTHING! You get your videos, photos, wall posts, messages, events – I was amazed with how much I have actually posted, and saddened to know how much time I have clearly wasted on Facebook!

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