Seeing all of your friends’ posts on your Facebook News Feed can be challenging, as the algorithm controls what you see. However, there are some steps you can take to improve your chances of seeing posts from all your connections.
Adjust News Feed Preferences
Facebook allows you to adjust your News Feed preferences to prioritize posts from friends and connections. Here’s how:
- Go to your News Feed by clicking Home at the top left of Facebook.
- Click the three horizontal lines at the top right to access the menu.
- Select “News Feed Preferences” from the menu.
- Under “Prioritize who to see first,” select “Friends.”
This will tell Facebook to show you more posts from your friends higher up in your News Feed. However, it doesn’t guarantee you’ll see everything.
Connect with Friends You Want to See
Another way to see posts from specific friends is to interact with them regularly. Liking, commenting on, and sharing their posts tells Facebook to show you more of their content.
You can also visit friends’ profiles directly and like or comment on their recent posts. This signals to Facebook that you want to see more updates from them.
Limit Non-Friends
Conversely, you can see more friends by limiting content from non-friends. Here’s how:
- Go to “News Feed Preferences” in the menu.
- Under “Prioritize who to see first,” select “Friends except acquaintances.”
- Under “Reconnect with people you may know,” uncheck all boxes.
This minimizes posts from pages, groups, and people you may know in favor of friends’ posts.
Adjust Algorithm Preferences
Facebook considers many signals to determine what posts to show you and in what order. Tweaking your settings can improve the chances of seeing friends:
- Indicate seeing posts in chronological order.
- Turn off automatic playing of videos.
- Disable notifications from groups and pages.
- Unfollow or snooze people or groups posting too frequently.
These steps tell Facebook to focus on direct friend connections over promoted content.
Provide Feedback on Posts
When you see a post you don’t want to see as much of in your News Feed, you can provide feedback:
- Click the three dots above the post.
- Select “Show me less posts like this.”
- Choose a reason from the menu.
Doing this repeatedly will train Facebook’s algorithm over time.
Seek Out New Friends
Connecting with more close friends on Facebook can help ensure you see more personal updates from people you care about. Here are some ways to find new friends:
- Import contacts from your email, phone, or other social networks.
- Check out Facebook’s “People You May Know” recommendations.
- Join Facebook groups related to your interests to connect with like-minded people.
- Search for classmates, coworkers, friends of friends, and others you know.
Use News Feed Erase
Facebook recently introduced a “News Feed Erase” feature to temporarily clear your News Feed. Here’s how it works:
- Go to the News Feed menu.
- Select “News Feed Erase.”
- Choose if you want to erase for 30 days, 7 days, or 24 hours.
This will remove all old posts so you only see the newest updates when you return. It can essentially reset your News Feed.
| Erase Duration | Description |
|---|---|
| 30 Days | Clears your entire News Feed for a month before new posts appear. |
| 7 Days | Clears News Feed for a week. |
| 24 Hours | Clears News Feed for a day. |
Use the 30 day erase sparingly, like if you need a mental health break from the News Feed. The 24 hour erase can be handy before big events or trips if you want to reset.
Consider Taking a Break
If you’re still not seeing the content you want, it may be helpful to take a break from Facebook for a while. A week or two away can help “reset” things when you return.
You may also find you’re happier without spending as much time in the News Feed. Be mindful of how Facebook makes you feel.
Use News Feed Filtering Tools
In addition to News Feed preferences, Facebook provides advanced filtering tools:
- Keywords: Hide posts containing certain words.
- Groups: See less posts from specific groups.
- Pages: See less posts from pages you follow.
- Friends: See less posts from particular friends.
These can be found under “News Feed Filters” in the News Feed menu. Use judiciously to limit certain types of posts.
Try Third-Party Tools
There are browser extensions and third-party apps that provide more granular control over your News Feed, like:
- News Feed Eradicator – Hides your News Feed completely.
- Facebook News Feed Manager – Filters News Feed based on criteria.
- Social Fixer – Lets you filter posts, friends, and more.
Research different tools to find one that provides the options you need.
Leverage Lists
Facebook Lists allow you to group friends into custom lists. You can then visit those lists separately from your main News Feed.
This lets you easily check on updates from specific groups of friends. For example, you could have lists for:
- Close friends
- Family
- Coworkers
- Classmates
To visit a list, go to the left menu on Facebook and select “Lists.” Click any list to view recent posts.
Create Smart Lists
You can also make “Smart Lists” that automatically add friends based on certain criteria, like location, workplace, or friends in common.
When creating a list, select “Create Smart List” and choose the factor you want to use to build your group.
Add Friends to Multiple Lists
Friends can be added to more than one list. Use this to create overlapping groups based on different criteria.
For example, you could have a “College Friends” and a “Hometown” list with some of the same people in both.
Leverage Your Feed’s Algorithm
Keep in mind that Facebook’s algorithm is personalized for each user based on your engagement patterns. The more you interact with certain friends, the more prominence they will have in your feed over time. Here are some ways to leverage this:
- Frequently react to posts from your close friends with likes, loves, comments, etc.
- Share and resurface old memories and photos with your inner circle.
- Go live with your best friends or join their live videos.
- Comment on and discuss posts from the friends you care about most.
Essentially, mimic your real world interactions and relationships on Facebook. Who you engage with most will rise to the top.
| Friend Group | Ways to Engage |
|---|---|
| Close Friends |
|
| Family |
|
| Casual Acquaintances |
|
Customize your interactions based on the closeness of different relationships.
Avoid Over-Engagement
On the other hand, be wary of interacting too frequently with casual connections or pages you follow lightly. Too much activity can inadvertently boost their prominence in your feed.
Conclusion
Facebook’s News Feed algorithm determines what you see based on many factors. While you can’t guarantee seeing every post, you can optimize your chances through your settings, filters, lists, and engagement patterns.
Focus on connecting frequently with your real-life close friends. Leverage tools to limit less important updates. Your feed will adapt over time to show you more of what you want to see from people you care about.
With a combination of algorithm preferences, strong friend connections, and smart feed management, you can populate your News Feed with the friends and updates that are most meaningful to you.