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Twitter has started rolling out an oft-requested feature: the ability to download your complete archive of tweets.

The new function, which CEO Dick Costolo hinted at during a conference in San Francisco last September, will allow users to browse their tweets month-by-month and also search their entire archives. A small number of users currently have the ability for testing, and no timetable for wider release has been announced.

According to users who have tried it, a “request your archive” button appears on Twitter's settings page. When activated, Twitter replies with an email that includes a link where the archive can be downloaded as an HTML file.

The new feature comes as many users are increasingly concerned about information shared on social networks and who controls that content. In recent months, Facebook and Google+ have also allowed users to download some archival material.