Facebook’s Memories feature allows you to look back on posts and photos you’ve shared over the years. There are a few different ways to access and view your Facebook memories.
Looking at On This Day memories
The easiest way to see your Facebook memories is through the On This Day feature. This shows you posts and photos from that exact day in previous years. To view On This Day memories:
- Open the Facebook app on your phone, or go to www.facebook.com on a computer.
- Go to your profile page or timeline.
- In the left sidebar, click on “Memories.”
This will open the On This Day section, where you can scroll through memories from this day in previous years. You’ll see a mix of posts, photos, videos, and life events that you shared on that day. Tapping on a memory will expand it so you can view the full original post.
Searching for memories by date, year, or person
If you want to look for memories from a specific date, year, or involving certain people, you can use the search tool:
- Go to your timeline or profile page.
- Click on “Memories” in the left sidebar.
- Click on “Search Memories” at the top.
- Enter a date, date range, year, or names of people.
- Click “Search” to view matching memories.
This will show you memories from the specified timeframe or involving the people you searched for. It’s a great way to revisit memories from birthdays, anniversaries, vacations, or time spent with certain friends or family members.
Viewing memories by category
Facebook will also curate memories for you based on common categories like trips, holidays, or events. To browse memories this way:
- Go to your profile/timeline and click “Memories” in the sidebar.
- Click on “Categories” at the top.
- Choose a category like “Trip Memories”, “With Family”, or “At Work.”
This is an easy way to revisit related memories. The “Year in Review” category provides an overview of your most memorable posts from each year.
Managing which memories you see
If there are some memories you don’t want to be reminded of, you can hide or snooze them:
- Hiding a memory – Click the three dots above the memory and choose “Hide memory.” This removes it from your On This Day memories.
- Snoozing a memory – Click the three dots and choose “Snooze for 30 days.” This will hide the memory for 30 days before it reappears in your On This Day.
You can also use the filtering tool at the top of your memories page to only view posts you’re tagged in, posts you created, or photos. This lets you focus on the types of memories you’re most interested in.
Downloading your Facebook memories
If you want to save copies of your Facebook memories outside of the app, you have a couple options:
- Download your information – In Facebook settings, you can download an archive of your posts and info. This contains your memories.
- Save photos individually – Open a photo memory and click the three dots to save a copy to your device.
Share memories with friends and family
It can be fun to reminisce on memories with friends and family. You can easily share memories with others by:
- Clicking the share icon on a memory post.
- Choosing “Share as Story” to post a collection of memories to your timeline.
- Starting a Facebook Messenger group and sharing memories relevant to that group.
With the Memories feature, Facebook created an easy way for us to rediscover and relive moments from years past. Follow the tips above to find specific memories and control which ones you’re reminded of.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far back do Facebook memories go?
Facebook memories can date back to the very first post or photo you ever shared on the platform. So if you’ve used Facebook for 10+ years, you’ll have over a decade of memories to rediscover.
Why am I seeing memories I want to hide?
Even if you hide a memory using the “Hide memory” option, it may still appear if it’s relevant to a new memory post. For example, if you post a photo with a friend, old photos with that friend may resurface. The only way to fully hide a memory is to delete the original post.
Can I export my Facebook memories?
Yes, you can download an archive of your Facebook information, which will contain copies of all your posts and photos. You can also save individual memory photos to your device. But there’s no tool specifically for exporting all memories to view outside Facebook.
Why can’t I see some memories that I’m looking for?
There are a few reasons you may not see certain memories:
- You hid or deleted the original post.
- The post is too old (10+ years) and isn’t featured in Memories.
- You’ve snoozed memories from that timeframe.
- The post didn’t receive many likes or comments, so isn’t considered memorable.
If you can’t seem to find a memory, try searching for it by date or content to locate the original post.
Conclusion
Facebook’s Memories feature lets you rediscover your moments, photos, videos, and stories from years past. By browsing On This Day memories, searching for specific timeframes or people, or viewing memories by category, you can revisit the interactions and experiences that make up your Facebook history.
Memories can prompt powerful nostalgia and lets us keep our past experiences alive. But the feature also allows you to hide or remove unwanted reminders. With the ability to save, share, and control what you see, Facebook Memories provides a personalized digital scrapbook of your social media journey.