How do I get a copy of my own data?

In the UK and EU you have a right to a copy of the personal data an organisation holds about you. Large companies mostly automate it; smaller ones need asking, and the request has a legal deadline attached.

Step by step

1. Look for a built-in download tool first.Most large platforms have one under privacy or account settings. It is immediate and far easier than a formal request.
2. Otherwise make a subject access request.In writing — email is fine. Say clearly that you are making a subject access request under data protection law and give enough detail to identify yourself.
3. Be specific if you want something particular."All call recordings from 2025" gets a more useful answer than "everything". A broad request can legitimately take longer.
4. Send it to the right place.The data protection officer or privacy contact if they publish one; otherwise customer services, stating clearly what it is.
5. Expect a response within one month.That is the legal deadline. It can be extended for complex requests, but they must tell you and explain why.
6. It should be free.Charging for a first request is not generally permitted. A fee can only apply to repeated or excessive requests.
7. Complain if they do not respond.First to the company in writing. If that fails, the Information Commissioner's Office handles complaints and it costs nothing.
8. Read what comes back.The interesting part is usually what you did not know they had — inferred categories, profiles and third-party sources.

Tips

• Keep a copy of the request and the date. It is what the one-month deadline runs from and what a complaint would rest on.
• Downloads from large platforms can be enormous. Ask for a specific category if you only want one thing.
• The same law gives you a right to correction and deletion. If the data is wrong, you can require it to be fixed.

Questions people ask