Guide 03
How to Download Your Photos from X
The most complete way to download your photos from X is to request your data archive. In settings, go to Your account, choose to download an archive of your data, confirm it's you, and request it. X says it may take a few days to prepare. When it's ready you'll get a .zip file, and the images and videos you attached to posts are inside, in a media folder.
If you only need a few pictures, saving them one at a time from the posts is quicker. Both methods are below.
Requesting your archive on the web
- Log in to X in your browser.
- Open the More menu in the side navigation, then Settings and privacy.
- Choose Your account, then Download an archive of your data.
- Enter your password and confirm. X then asks for a verification code sent to your email or phone.
- Select Request data (older versions of the page said Request archive).
- Wait. When the archive is ready, X sends an email and a notification. Go back to the same page and download the .zip file.
Before you start, make sure the email address on your account is confirmed and that you can still receive codes there. Stay logged in on the same browser you'll use to download.
Requesting it in the app
In the X app, open your profile menu, then Settings and privacy, then Your account. Look for the section on your data and the option to download an archive, verify with a code, and request it. When it's ready, you can download it from the same place, or use the link in the email. On a phone, it's often easier to download the archive on a computer, since the file can be large.
X rearranges its settings now and then. If the menu names don't match, search the settings for "archive."
What's inside the archive
The archive is a .zip file. Unzip it and you'll find an HTML file that opens a simple, offline viewer of your account in your browser, plus a data folder full of files.
X's help center lists what's included: your profile information, posts, direct messages, media, followers and following, lists, interest and ad data, and more. For photos, the parts that matter are:
- A media folder for posts. Images, videos and GIFs you attached to your posts are stored here as separate files, usually in a folder with a name like tweets_media.
- Media from direct messages, in its own folder.
- Your profile and header images.
The files are named with long numbers, which are the IDs of the posts they belong to. If you need to know which post a photo came from, open the viewer and browse your posts there, or search the post data file for the number.
What quality to expect
The images in the archive are the copies X keeps, not the files you originally uploaded. X resizes and recompresses photos when you post them, so the archive versions may be smaller and more compressed than your originals. They're good enough as a record, and sometimes they're the only copy left. If you still have the originals on your phone or computer, those are better.
Photos of other people's posts, like images you liked or reposted, aren't included. The archive covers what you posted and sent.
Saving single photos
To save one image without the full archive:
- On the web, open the post, select the photo to view it full size, then right-click (or long-press on a touch screen) and save the image.
- In the app, open the photo, then use the share or more menu to save it to your device.
This works for your own photos and anyone else's. Remember that saving someone else's photo doesn't give you the right to repost it as your own. Ask, or share the original post instead.
Keeping the archive safe
Your archive contains personal data, including direct messages. Treat it like any private document:
- Store it somewhere private, not in a shared folder.
- If you keep a copy in cloud storage, use an account with two-factor authentication turned on.
- Delete extra copies, such as the one in your Downloads folder, once it's safely stored.
If you plan to move your photos to another service, our guide on moving your photo library covers organizing files and keeping dates intact.
Why bother
Platforms change and services close. Photos that seem permanent can vanish when a company shuts a feature or a whole service, as many people learned when Twitpic and other early photo services closed. Downloading an archive once a year takes a few minutes of effort and gives you a copy you control.
TwitPickr is not affiliated with X Corp. Steps follow X's help center at the time of writing and may change.
Quick answers
How long does it take to get my X archive?
X says preparing the archive may take a few days. You'll get an email and a notification when it's ready, and you download it from the same settings page.
Are the photos in the archive the same as my originals?
Not exactly. The archive contains the images as X stored them, which are usually resized and recompressed compared with the files you uploaded. They're fine as a record, but keep your original files if quality matters.