It turns out that for a significant majority, around 72% of people, their photos and videos represent their most valuable digital assets. Yet, surprisingly, only about 27% are taking the crucial step of backing them up on external drives. Interestingly, Facebook has become one of the world’s largest photo storage platforms. Despite this, many Facebook users aren’t creating backup copies of their precious photos elsewhere.
Why should you consider backing up your photos? Imagine wanting to print a photo, share it via email, or needing access when you’re offline. What if you decide to switch social media platforms or even delete your account? Or perhaps you want to upload your photos to a different website? Even a forgotten password could lock you out of your own memories.
Downloading copies of your photos from most websites is usually a straightforward process. Even if you’re constantly snapping new pictures, keeping backups on user-friendly portable hard drives, like the Ultra Touch, ensures you always have secure copies, no matter what happens to your online accounts.
Backing Up Your Facebook Photos
To download all your photos posted on Facebook, you’ll need to request a downloadable archive of your account:
- In the top right corner of any Facebook page, click on the Account Menu.
- Select “Settings & Privacy,” then click “Settings.”
- In the left column, click “Privacy,” then click “Your Facebook Information.”
- Next to “Download Your Information”, click “View.”
- You can then choose to download all of your information, or select specific date ranges and information types. To download just your photos, deselect all and only select “Posts and photos”.
- Click “Request a download.”
Facebook will then create a ZIP file containing all the photos and videos you’ve ever uploaded. While you can’t select individual files for download through this method, the ZIP file will be organized into folders of your posts, photos, and videos – preserving the original size and quality in which you uploaded them. The download process time can vary depending on the amount of data in your account. Facebook will notify you when your archive is ready to download.
Downloading Photos from Flickr
If you’re looking to download your photos and videos from Flickr, follow their instructions to request a ZIP file containing all your content, which you can then download and archive.
Exporting Photos from Instagram
Instagram also provides a way to download your data, including photos. Here’s how to download your Instagram photos:
- Go to Instagram.com and log in to your account.
- Click on your profile picture in the top right corner, then click “Profile.”
- Click “Edit Profile,” then click “Privacy and Security.”
- Scroll down to “Data Download” and click “Request Download.”
- Enter the email address where you’d like to receive a link to your data.
- Choose the format of the information (HTML or JSON).
- Click “Request Download.”
Instagram will email you a link to a ZIP file with your photos and other data. This process might take up to 48 hours.
Downloading Photos from SmugMug
In your SmugMug gallery, select “Tools” and then “Download All.” Your gallery will be compressed into a ZIP file. SmugMug will then email you a download link to your archive for backup purposes. This file will be available for two weeks.
Need More Storage for Your Growing Photo Library?
If you’re capturing a large number of photos and videos, investing in more substantial backup storage, like the One Touch, for your computer could be a wise decision. With their compact, portable design and broad compatibility, storing your photo backups is as easy as taking the photos themselves. Having local backups in addition to cloud storage or social media uploads provides an extra layer of security and peace of mind for your irreplaceable memories.
