Facebook allows users to edit their posts after publishing them. This can be a useful feature if you notice a typo or want to add/change some information after posting. Here are the steps to enable post editing on Facebook:
Enable Post Editing in Facebook Settings
The easiest way to activate post editing is through your Facebook settings. Here’s how:
- Click on the down arrow at the top right of any Facebook page and select “Settings” from the dropdown menu.
- On the left sidebar, click on “Account Settings”.
- Under “Account Settings”, click on “Account Ownership and Control”.
- Under “Posts”, toggle “Editing Posts” on.
Once you enable this setting, you’ll have the option to edit your existing posts as well as any new posts you create. The edit option appears in the form of a small “pencil” icon at the top right corner of your posts.
Time Limit for Editing Posts
Facebook allows you to edit posts for only a limited time after publishing. The time limit depends on the type of post:
- Regular status updates can be edited for up to 10 minutes after publishing.
- Shared posts (links, photos, videos etc.) can be edited for up to 4 hours after publishing.
- Life event posts (engagement, pregnancy etc.) have no time limit.
So if you want to edit a regular text post, make sure to do it within 10 minutes. For other shared posts, you get up to 4 hours to modify your post.
Editing Posts vs Editing Comments
Don’t confuse post editing with comment editing. Anyone can edit their comments on Facebook anytime. But the ability to edit posts depends on your account settings.
When you edit a post, it does not show publicly that the post was edited. However, editing a comment shows a “Edited” label below the comment timestamp.
How to Edit a Post on Facebook
Once post editing is enabled, you can edit your posts easily. Follow these steps:
- Go to your post that you want to edit.
- Click on the pencil icon at the top right corner.
- Make your edits to the post text.
- Click on “Save” to update the edited post.
That’s it! Your post will now reflect the changes you made.
What Can Be Edited in a Post
Here are the various parts of a post you can modify when editing:
- Post text
- Tagged people
- Location tag
- Feeling/activity tag
- Date published
- Privacy settings
- Post audience
However, there are a couple of things that cannot be edited:
- Shared content like links, photos and videos
- Tagged products
- Fundraisers
To change any shared content or products, you’ll have to delete the old post and create a new one.
Does Edit History Show Up?
When you edit a post on Facebook, it does not show publicly that the post was edited. The edit history is only visible to you in the Activity Log.
To see your edit history:
- Click on your profile icon on the top right.
- Select “Activity Log” from the dropdown menu.
- Click on “Your Posts” in the left sidebar.
- Click on any post to see its edits in the right pane.
So in summary, post editing on Facebook is invisible to others but logged for your reference.
Why Can’t I Edit My Post?
There are a few reasons why you may not be able to edit your post on Facebook:
- Post editing setting is disabled in your account. Make sure to enable it first.
- The post is outside the 10 min/4 hour time limit for editing.
- The post contains shared content like links, photos, videos etc. These cannot be edited.
- The post was made on a Page you manage rather than your personal profile.
- Your account does not have permission to edit that post.
If your post contains no shared content and is still outside the time limit, your only option is to delete the old post and create a new one.
Post Editing on Facebook Business Pages
Managing a Facebook Business Page? The post editing rules are slightly different:
- Page admins can edit posts at any time after publishing.
- Regular contributors can edit for only 20 minutes after publishing.
- Content can be edited but not deleted by other contributors.
So Page admins have unlimited editing access. But other contributors have limited editing privileges.
Best Practices for Post Editing
Here are some tips to use post editing effectively on Facebook:
- Edit promptly within time limits to avoid multiple revisions.
- Proofread thoroughly before publishing a post.
- Only edit for minor changes, not completely new content.
- Avoid changing the overall meaning of original post.
- Review edits made by other Page contributors.
- Use editing history to check changes made.
Following these best practices will ensure you use Facebook’s post editing feature responsibly.
Conclusion
Post editing allows you to modify your Facebook posts after publishing. To enable it:
- Go to Facebook Settings > Account Settings > Account Ownership and Control > Posts
- Toggle “Editing Posts” on
You can then edit posts within 10 mins (status updates) or 4 hours (shared posts). Edits are visible only to you in the Activity Log. Use this capability judiciously to make minor revisions to your content.