For its 10th anniversary, or birthday (whichever you prefer), Facebook gave us the gift of Look Back videos. These short videos, memorializing our time on Facebook, became insanely popular, and for one user, very important.
A grieving father asked that Facebook allow him to see his deceased son’s Look Back video, and eventually the social network granted him the request. Of course this dad isn’t the only one who uses Facebook to remember a loved one; people are consistently turning to the social network to commemorate those who’ve died. Because of this, Facebook decided to make it possible for everyone to access Look Back videos of a deceased loved one.
But it’s not that easy; there are a few hoops to jump through before you can access these bits of nostalgia.
First, you need to get an account memorialized. This is the request form you need to fill out in order to do that; really, all you need is the deceased person’s full name, the URL of their Timeline (shown below), the email address(es) tied to the account, your relationship to them, the year they died, and a link to an obituary or other proof of death.
It’s a little morbid to be sure, but it’s all required.
Then, after you’ve filled out all that and the page is memorialized, you need to go here to request the Look Back video. Again, you need the full name, the email address, and the Timeline URL. There are three requirements to download the Look Back video: the account of the deceased must be memorialized, you must be Facebook friends, and there must be enough content on the Facebook page in order to generate the movie, as with all Look Back videos.
The biggest hang up here can be the deceased’s email address. If you don’t have a clue, start by checking the contact information under “About” on the person’s Timeline. If it’s blank—which many users’ may be—you’ll have to contact Facebook, or perhaps a family member or friend that would know. You won’t be able to memorialize the account without this information. You can head to Facebook Help Community or try one of these help hubs.
One more tip on getting an email address: Here’s a great Quora thread on finding email addresses. And if for some reason you’re having difficulty finding an obituary, there are many search services that can help.
If you want to share this video, things are a little tricky. You can’t make it public, and each link that Facebook sends is unique. Basically if people want to see the video, they all need to go through the same process described above.
If you’re able, after all this, to get the person’s Look Back video, here’s how you can download it and keep it forever.
