Facebook events allow users to create and share upcoming events with friends, family, coworkers, and more. However, once an event has passed, it can be difficult to find details about that event again in Facebook. Here’s what you need to know about viewing old Facebook events.
Finding Past Events You’ve Created
If you created an event page on Facebook, you can view past events you’ve made by going to your Facebook Events page. To get there:
- Click on the Events tab in the left sidebar of Facebook
- In the left column, click “Events created by you”
This will show you a list of all events you’ve created in Facebook, including ones that have already happened. You can scroll through the list to find past events.
Using Facebook Search
You can also search for a specific past event you created using Facebook’s search bar at the top of the screen. Just type in the name of the old event and it should pop up if it still exists on Facebook.
Finding Past Events You’ve Attended or Been Invited To
Looking up old events you’ve RSVP’d to or were invited to attend is a bit trickier. Unfortunately there is no dedicated Facebook page that neatly lists all past events you’ve interacted with.
Here are some methods you can try to find details on past events you were involved in:
- Browse your Activity Log: Your Facebook Activity Log contains your Facebook activity going back several years, including events you’ve responded to. To access it, go to Settings & Privacy > Activity Log.
- Search News Feed: If you remember around when the event took place, browse your News Feed during that time period for any notifications or updates about the event.
- Search Notifications: Use the Notifications tab (bell icon) and search for any notifications sent related to the event.
- Check Messages: If you messaged anyone about the event, search your Facebook Messages for details.
- Search Bookmarks: If you bookmarked the event page, you can search your bookmarks.
- Browse Old Photos: Check your Facebook photos around the time of the event for any pictures taken there.
Using Google Search
One last option is to search for the event on Google. Sometimes old Facebook event pages are indexed by Google, so searching “[Event Name] Facebook” may turn up the event.
Why Facebook Events Disappear
There are a few reasons why old Facebook events seem to vanish:
- The event creator deletes the event page after it’s over. This removes it entirely from Facebook.
- Facebook’s algorithm hides old, inactive event pages from view after a while.
- You may have deleted or not received the original event invitation.
Since Facebook focuses on current, timely content, they essentially “archive” old event pages to clear your feed for new info. But in most cases, the event data still exists in Facebook’s database if you know where to look.
How to Preserve Event Details
To make sure you don’t lose important event information, consider taking screenshots of the event page and details you need while the event is still active. You can also use Facebook’s “Save” feature to bookmark event pages so you can access them later from your saved list.
Downloading your Facebook data is another option. This will give you a file with your full Facebook activity, including info on past events.
You can also export your Facebook Events to add them to your calendar. Add the ones you want to remember to Google Calendar, iCal, Outlook, or another calendar app.
Event Invitations on Facebook
When you get invited to a Facebook event, you’ll receive a notification and the event will appear in your sidebar under Events. If you click “Interested” or “Going” on the event page, it will be added to your Facebook Events calendar.
Past event invitations remain in your list of Facebook Events until the creator deletes the event. So this is the best place to check for old events you’ve been invited to.
However, if you completely ignored the event invite originally, it won’t be saved anywhere. The only record might be the original event notification.
Why You Can’t Find Some Past Events
Some reasons old event invites or pages seem to disappear from Facebook include:
- You deleted the original event notification.
- The event creator removed you from the invite list.
- The host deleted the event page after it ended.
- You responded “Not Going” or didn’t respond, so it didn’t get added to your calendar.
Essentially if there’s no record of you interacting with the event, it won’t be saved in your Facebook account anywhere. The only way to find it would be if others who attended still have access to it.
How to Be Notified About Old Events
To make sure you don’t miss out on plans and details for upcoming events, be proactive when you get invited to an event on Facebook:
- Respond to the Event Invite: Click “Going” or “Interested” so it gets saved to your calendar.
- Turn on Notifications: Adjust your settings to get notifications about event updates.
- Add it to Your Regular Calendar: Download or sync the event to your Outlook, Google calendar, etc.
- Set a Reminder: Create a reminder on your phone’s calendar with event details you need.
Staying on top of RSVPs and notifications is the best way to ensure you have the info you need about upcoming events.
Should Events Stay on Facebook Forever?
Facebook events are intended to help people coordinate upcoming plans. Once an event has passed, the details are not as relevant to users. Keeping all old events active on Facebook forever would clutter up the platform.
However, Facebook could create an “archive” section for old events so the information isn’t deleted completely. Users could opt in to saving their past events in the archive.
An archive with an automated expiration time, like 1 year or 5 years after the event date, would prevent unlimited data storage needs. And give users a chance to look back on event details if needed.
Conclusion
While Facebook is focused on the present, there are still ways to find details on past events you’ve created or interacted with. Using your Activity Log, notifications, and search tools can help uncover old event invites and pages.
To make sure you don’t lose access to important event info, be proactive about responding to invites, syncing events to external calendars, and downloading your Facebook data. Staying organized is key to preserving event details you might need in the future.