If you are asking whether it is possible to download the contacts and other additional information about your friends from Facebook on your computer, then we have an affirmative answer. Social media platforms such as Facebook have become quite flexible to help you get all the basic details of the person with whom you are connecting on the web platform.
However, in 2017 Facebook had to remove the address book integration for the friend list. It was probably due to certain security concerns. Thus, if somebody is using Facebook for business, then they might find it difficult to import the friend list contacts by exporting them. Due to the lack of Facebook API, you might find it difficult to even plug in your CRM and access the contacts. Even the companies which depend on Facebook can no longer pull out information as per their will.
However, Apple’s iOS still has an integration associated with Facebook that allows you to save friends lists and their birthday calendars. But, what about the Android and web users? But, there is nothing to regret because we have some effective hacks that you can use to export the information even without the Facebook API.
How to Export Facebook Friends
On Facebook, you can download all the information that includes your photos, posts that you have shared, or you have clicked, and also your friend list. Here, we will stick to downloading the friend’s contact details.
So, if you want to create a Google contact list by exporting the friends’ list on Facebook, then here is your guide. Follow the instructions step by step to avoid any mistakes.
Step 1: At first, you need to open the Facebook application, either on any browser or from the application. Now, open your account. Navigate to the Settings menu in the browser, you will find a drop-down arrow at the extreme corner. Simply, clicking on it will help you to go to the Settings option.
Click on settings to go to the page where all your general Facebook information or account settings are there. Look for the option your “Facebook information”, and click on it to move to the next menu. Again a new page will appear, where you have to locate the label “Download your information”. With this, you get the option to download a copy of your Facebook information. You can either save it or transfer it to any other networking service.
Step 2: To start with you have to click on the View option, right beside the label on the right-hand side. Again a new page will open where you will get complete information about the downloaded data. The queries linger — How will you receive it? In which format? How can you view it? And Whether it will be password protected or not? Every detail is going to be there in the information window. Next, you need to change the default format from HTML to JSON.
Step 3: When you are done with selecting the correct format, now look for the option “Deselect all”, click on it so that other necessary options, such as posts, photos, and videos, etc., can be opted out from the list. You need to click on the checkbox right next to the Friends option. When you are done, verify, and click on the “Create file” option. For a few seconds until the processing gets complete Facebook will send you a notification that the process request has been accepted. And, you will shortly get a copy of the information. It will also provide you with the details of the contents. You will also get to know how to understand that the copy is complete and downloadable.
Step 4: If you notice that the processing is taking more than 30 minutes, then cancel the request and repeat all the steps. When the process gets accomplished you will get a notification, click on it and move to the download page. There you will get the Download button, and you might be asked to enter your password again. All your data will get downloaded into a zip file. To open this file you will get a folder named Friends, and a list of other JSON files, too.
Step 5: Now, most likely you won’t be able to open these files and need to convert them to CSV. You will get plenty of converters on the web. So, choose a reliable one, and then look for the options to “Choose a file”. This will help you to go to the Download folder, on your device, where the Facebook JSON folder has been downloaded. Simply, click on this file and select the Convert button. You need to be careful about the selection of the format as there are plenty of other formats into which you can convert this file. Opt-out of other unnecessary steps and wait for the conversion to take place.
Step 6: In the Result section, you will get the conversion list. Usually, at the end of the Result section, you will get the option to save these results. You need to choose a name before you can download the result. Now, simply click on the Download option and a .csv file will be created having three columns — name, date, and contact info.
Now, here is a catch, if your friends have made their About Info, that includes the contacts, public then only you can get the contact number, right beside the name. Otherwise, it will be left blank. The Date option notifies you about the particular date on which you have become friends.
