How do big exports and export notifications work?

The Export menu has three options: Download data for AI (a Markdown file and a CSV file together), Download media for AI (a .zip of the images and videos), and Download Data & Media for AI (a .zip with both). Which one you pick decides how it behaves: Download data for AI downloads straight to your computer the second you click it. Download media for AI and Download Data & Media for AI always run as a background job instead, however small the export, and PostSnag notifies you in-app and by email the moment the zip is ready to download.

Download data for AI: instant, every time

PostSnag builds the Markdown and CSV files right in your browser, so clicking Download data for AI downloads both files immediately, whether you're exporting one post or an entire profile's history. There's no job, no waiting, and nothing to be notified about, since it's already on your computer by the time you'd see a notification.

Download media for AI and Download Data & Media for AI: always a background job

These two options need the real video and image files, which live on PostSnag's servers, not in your browser. So every time you click either one, PostSnag starts a background job that gathers those files and builds the zip, even for a single selected post. Your dashboard stays usable while it works. PostSnag notifies you in-app and by email when your export has finished and is ready to download.

What "background" means for you

Because it's a background job and not something your browser has to finish before you can do anything else, you're free to keep working. Open another profile, apply a different filter, start a second export, or step away from your computer entirely. PostSnag finishes the pull on its own time and lets you know either way, so there's no reason to keep the export tab open and staring at it.

Two notifications, so you don't have to keep checking

• In-app: PostSnag shows you a notification inside the dashboard once your zip is built and ready to download.

• Email: PostSnag also sends a message to the email address on your account, so you'll know even if you're not logged in when the export finishes.

Both notifications point you to the same finished file, so whichever one you see first, you're set.

Your download link

Once you get the notification, the link stays valid for a week. Downloading a day or two later is fine; if you let a link sit longer than that and it stops working, start the export again and a fresh one will be ready the same way.

When you'll run into a background export

Expect a background export, with the two notifications, any time you click:

• Download media for AI or Download Data & Media for AI, on a single profile, a Facebook Group, or your whole Posts library, no matter how many posts are involved.

• A multi-select pick using either of those two options, even a small one.

Common questions

Will every export send me an email?

Only Download media for AI and Download Data & Media for AI do, every time, regardless of size. Download data for AI finishes before there's anything to notify you about.

Do I have to keep the tab open for a background export to finish?

No. It runs as a background job, so you can keep working elsewhere in the dashboard or step away, and PostSnag still notifies you when it's done.

Where do I download the file once I get the notification?

The in-app notification and the email both lead you back to the finished download, so use whichever one you see first.

Does a background export cost anything extra or use up a separate limit?

No. Download media for AI and Download Data & Media for AI both run the same way on every plan. What actually limits your data is the Free plan's capture caps; see How does exporting work on Free vs paid?

Can I turn off the email notification?

There's no separate switch for it today. PostSnag sends an export-ready email every time a background export finishes, so you don't lose track of a file you asked for.

Related articles

• How do I export a profile, and what are the formats?

• Which export option should I choose? (data, media, or both)

• What is included in a PostSnag export?

• How does exporting work on Free vs paid?

• What is the Posts page, and how do I use it?

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