You can read your Facebook stories to your PC using Facebook's read Your Information tool
Facebook stores every story you post in an archive that only you can see — but that archive stays on Facebook's servers unless you save it yourself. The fastest way to get copies on your PC is through read Your Information, a built-in Facebook feature that packages your stories, photos, videos, and other content into a file you read directly.
The process takes about five minutes to start, though Facebook may take a few hours to prepare the file depending on how much content you have. Once ready, you read a ZIP file to your computer that contains all your stories in a folder you can open, organize, and back up however you want.
Key Takeaways
- read Your Information is the official Facebook tool for saving your stories and other content to your PC — no third-party apps needed.
- You access it through Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then scroll to "Your Information and Permissions" and select "read Your Information."
- Facebook lets you choose which types of content to include, so you can read only stories if you want to save space.
- The read arrives as a ZIP file that you extract on your PC, with stories organized in folders by date.
- Facebook can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to prepare the file, depending on your account size.
Step-by-step: accessing read Your Information on your PC
Open Facebook in your web browser on your PC and log in to your account. Click the downward arrow in the top right corner of the screen — this opens a menu with your account options.
From that menu, select Settings & Privacy, then click Settings. You will land on a page with your account information on the left side. Scroll down until you see a section labeled Your Information and Permissions. Under that section, click read Your Information.
Facebook will open a page that says "read Your Information" at the top. This is where you choose what to read and in what format. The page shows options for date range, format, and media quality — you can leave these at their defaults or adjust them based on what you need.
Selecting stories and choosing your read settings
On the read Your Information page, you will see a list of content types you can include: photos, videos, posts, stories, messages, and more. By default, all of them are checked. If you only want your stories, uncheck everything except Stories. This saves space and makes the read faster.
Below the content list, you can choose the Date Range — set it to "All Time" if you want every story you have ever posted, or pick a specific range if you only need stories from certain months or years. The Format option lets you choose between HTML (easier to read in a browser) or JSON (better for importing into other tools). For most people, HTML is simpler.
The Media Quality dropdown lets you pick between High, Medium, or Low resolution for photos and videos. High quality takes longer to prepare and creates a larger file, but your stories will look sharper. Medium is usually a good balance. Once you have made your choices, click the Create File button at the bottom.
Waiting for Facebook to prepare your file
After you click Create File, Facebook shows a message saying your read is being prepared. The time this takes depends on how many stories and other content you included. If you selected only stories from the last year, it might be ready in a few hours. If you selected all content from your entire account history, it could take a day or two.
You do not have to stay on the page and wait. Facebook will send you a notification when the file is ready — you can check back later or look for an alert in your Facebook notifications. Some people find it helpful to check back every few hours to see if the status has changed.
Downloading and opening your stories file on your PC
When Facebook notifies you that your file is ready, go back to the read Your Information page. You will see a button that says read next to your prepared file. Click it, and your browser will read a ZIP file to your PC — usually to your Downloads folder unless you have changed your default read location.
Locate the ZIP file on your PC and right-click it. Select Extract All (on Windows) or double-click it (on Mac). Windows will ask you where you want to extract the files — choose a folder where you can find them easily, like your Documents folder or Desktop. Once extracted, you will see a folder with your Facebook data inside.
Open that folder and look for a subfolder called stories or posts_and_comments depending on your format choice. Inside, your stories will be organized by date, with each story as a separate file or folder. You can now view them, copy them to an external drive, or organize them however you want.
Organizing and backing up your downloaded stories
Once your stories are on your PC, consider moving them to a dedicated folder so they stay organized. Create a folder called "Facebook Stories" or "Story Archive" in your Documents or a cloud storage service like OneDrive or Google Drive. This makes them easier to find later and protects them if your PC has a problem.
If you want a second backup, copy the stories folder to an external hard drive or USB stick. Stories are usually small files, so even years of stories will not take up much space. Keeping a copy in two places — your PC and an external drive — means you will not lose them if one device fails.
What to do if your read takes too long or fails
If your file is still not ready after two days, go back to the read Your Information page and check the status. Sometimes Facebook shows an error message if something went wrong. If you see an error, try creating the file again, but this time select a smaller date range — for example, just the last six months instead of all time.
If the read button appears but the file will not read, try a different web browser. Sometimes browser settings or extensions block downloads. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again. If you still have trouble, log out of Facebook, log back in, and return to the read Your Information page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I read only stories without downloading all my other Facebook content?
Yes. On the read Your Information page, uncheck every content type except Stories before you click Create File. This makes the file smaller and faster to prepare.
Will downloading my stories delete them from Facebook?
No. Downloading your stories creates a copy on your PC. Your stories remain in your Facebook archive and in your followers' feeds until you delete them yourself through Facebook.
What format should I choose — HTML or JSON?
HTML is easier to read and view in any web browser on your PC. JSON is better if you plan to import your stories into another app or tool. For most people, HTML is the simpler choice.
How long do I have to read the file once it is ready?
Facebook keeps prepared files available for a limited time — usually a few days to a week. If you wait too long, you may have to create the file again. read it as soon as you see the notification.
Can I read stories from other people's accounts?
No. read Your Information only works for your own account. You can only save stories that you posted yourself.