Facebook · Troubleshooting
Facebook photo download not working? How to fix a ZIP that won't open
Prefer a click-by-click walkthrough of the whole request? See the full guide →
From a messy ZIP to this — every photo and video organized by year and by the people in them.
Why your Facebook download isn't working
A Facebook photo export almost always fails for one of a handful of reasons. Here's each one and how to fix it — work down the list and the most common causes come first.
1. The download was incomplete
If your internet dropped or you closed the tab partway through, the ZIP only partly downloaded — which makes it fail to open or look corrupted. Download the whole file again from the Available files area on Facebook (Facebook's notification email links you there — you may need to re-enter your password), and wait for it to finish completely before opening it. Compare the file size to what your browser said it should be; a half-size file is the giveaway.
2. The link expired before you used it
Facebook's download links expire after a few days for security. If yours did, just request a fresh one — it's quick:
- Go to Settings → Your Facebook Information. On a computer, open Settings & Privacy → Settings, then click Your Facebook Information → Download Your Information.
- Create a new request. Select "Photos and videos," set Media Quality to High, choose your date range, and request the download again.
- Download promptly. Facebook notifies you when the new copy is ready. Reopen Download Your Information, go to Available files, and download the ZIP right away (re-enter your password if asked) — before this one expires too.
3. The file is too large for the built-in unzip tool
A multi-gigabyte archive can choke a basic extractor and throw a vague error. On Windows, a free tool like 7-Zip handles large files reliably; on Mac, The Unarchiver works well. Also check that you have enough free disk space — the unzipped folder can be as large as the ZIP itself.
4. Your download was split into multiple ZIP parts
Large exports don't come as one file — Facebook splits them into several ZIPs (often labeled part 1, part 2, and so on). If you only grabbed one, the rest of your photos simply aren't there, and some extractors fail because they're missing a piece. Download every part from the email and keep them in the same folder before extracting.
5. The ZIP opens but photos are missing
If the file extracts fine but photos you expected aren't in it: confirm you selected Photos and videos and a date range that covers the years you want. Facebook only exports photos you uploaded — not photos other people posted of you. And the images land in nested folders with cryptic names, so they can be there but hard to find.
6. Browser or phone is getting in the way
A browser extension or strict security setting can interrupt a big download. Try a different browser, or pause your download manager. On a phone, large ZIPs are unreliable — save the file to the Files app on iPhone (tap to extract) or use a free unzip app on Android, but a computer is far more dependable for a full archive.
Once you've got a working ZIP
Getting the ZIP open is only half the battle — what's inside is a maze of nested folders with cryptic names, dates often stripped, and videos sitting apart from photos. If you'd rather not sort through any of that, that's what everkept is for.
Upload the ZIP and you get one private gallery — every photo and video together, organized by year and grouped by the people in them, with the dates restored. It handles multi-part downloads too, and tells you if a part looks like it's missing instead of silently leaving photos out. Only you can access it, your uploaded files are deleted from our servers after 30 days unless you keep your gallery, and they're never sold, shared, or used to train anything. Free to see what we found; one-time price to keep it, no subscription.
Common questions
Why is my Facebook download link expired?
Facebook download links expire after a few days for security. If yours expired, request the download again from Settings → Your Facebook Information → Download Your Information, and download the new ZIP promptly when the email arrives.
Why is my Facebook photo ZIP empty or missing photos?
Check that you selected "Photos and videos" when you requested it and that the date range covers the years you wanted. Facebook only exports the photos and videos you uploaded — not what others posted of you. And if a large download was split into several ZIP parts, you need all the parts to see everything.
The file is huge and won't extract — what do I do?
A multi-gigabyte archive can overwhelm the built-in extractor. Use a dedicated app — 7-Zip on Windows or The Unarchiver on Mac — and make sure you have enough free disk space, since the unzipped folder can be as large as the ZIP itself.
How do I open a Facebook ZIP file on my phone?
On iPhone, save the ZIP to the Files app and tap it to extract. On Android, use the Files app or a free unzip app. For a large archive, opening it on a computer is far more reliable — or upload the ZIP to everkept and skip unzipping altogether.
Is there an easier way to see my photos and videos without fighting the ZIP?
Yes. Once you have your ZIP — even a multi-part one — you can upload it to everkept and it becomes one private gallery: every photo and video together, organized by year and by the people in them, with dates restored. Free to see what we found; one-time price to keep it, no subscription.
Stop fighting with ZIP files
Once your export is downloaded, upload the ZIP and see it turned into one private gallery you control — organized by year and by person, free to browse everything we find for 7 days.
Browse your whole gallery free →No password needed · Your files are private and deleted after 30 days unless you keep your gallery · One-time price, no subscription