There are a few quick answers to this common question about resetting Facebook’s algorithm:
- Facebook’s algorithm is designed to show you the posts it thinks you want to see most. There’s no way to completely reset it.
- You can refresh your feed to see new posts by pulling down to refresh on mobile or clicking “Most Recent” on desktop.
- Take a break from Facebook for a few days if you feel you’re seeing the same posts repeatedly.
What is the Facebook algorithm?
Facebook’s algorithm controls what you see in your News Feed. It uses machine learning to determine which posts it thinks you’re most likely to engage with at the top of your feed, based on:
- Pages and people you interact with frequently
- Types of posts you tend to like, comment on, or share
- How recently the post was shared
- Other signals like posts you’ve hidden or reported in the past
The goal is to show you relevant and timely posts from your friends, family, Groups, and Pages first. Without an algorithm, posts would just appear in chronological order and you might miss important updates.
Why you can’t completely reset Facebook’s algorithm
There’s no way to fully reset Facebook’s algorithm because it’s always learning about your preferences to improve your experience. However, there are a few things you can try if your feed seems stale or you want more variety:
- Refresh your feed – Pull down to refresh on mobile or click “Most Recent” on desktop to load new posts.
- Interact with different friends and Pages – Liking, commenting on, and sharing a wide variety of posts helps diversify your feed.
- Use Lists to pinpoint what you want to see – Create custom Lists like “Close Friends” to focus your feed.
- Take a break – If you stop scrolling for a few days, the algorithm resets a bit and may show you different posts when you return.
How to refresh your Facebook feed
Here are the steps to refresh your News Feed manually on both mobile and desktop so you can see new posts:
Mobile app
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone or Android.
- Go to your News Feed by tapping the News Feed icon (a rocket icon on iOS or a paper airplane icon on Android).
- Pull down on the feed with your finger until you see “Release to Refresh.”
- Let go to reload new stories.
Desktop
- Go to Facebook.com and click Home in the left menu.
- On your News Feed, click the dropdown arrow next to Most Recent.
- Select Most Recent again to refresh your feed.
Facebook only stores a limited number of recent posts that it can show upon refresh, so you may need to repeat this process a few times to see all new updates.
Take a Facebook break to reset the algorithm
If you feel like you’re seeing the same posts over and over, it may help to take a short break from Facebook. Here are some tips:
- Log out of Facebook for 2-3 days to reset your feed when you return.
- Mute certain friends or Pages for a while if you think you’re overly biased toward their content.
- Stay busy during your time away from Facebook so you’re not tempted to check it as often.
- When you return to Facebook, proactively engage with different friends and Pages.
Giving yourself a reset allows the algorithm to shift a bit, especially if you temporarily hide sources of repetitive posts. Just a few days can make your feed feel fresh again.
Interact with different friends and Pages
To ensure your News Feed has variety, try interacting with a diverse group of friends, family, Groups, and Pages:
- Like and comment on posts from friends you don’t engage with as often.
- Share interesting posts from Pages covering a range of topics, not just your favorites.
- Wish different friends Happy Birthday each day – this signals you want to see their posts.
- Join new Groups to discover different types of content.
Balancing your interactions helps expose you to more perspectives and prevents your feed from narrowing too much over time.
Use Facebook Lists to control your News Feed
Facebook Lists allow you to curate different feeds based on specific friends, family members, Groups, and Pages. Here are some List ideas to try:
| List name | Who to include |
|---|---|
| Close Friends | Add your 5-10 closest friends and relatives. |
| Acquaintances | Add casual friends, distant family, co-workers. |
| Funny Pages | Add meme Pages, humor writers, comedians. |
| News & Politics | Add news companies, journalists, political figures. |
| TV & Movies | Add actors, shows, entertainment sites. |
To view a specific List feed, go to the Lists section of your shortcut menu. You can also pin a List to the top of your News Feed for easy access.
Adjust News Feed preferences
You can further customize your News Feed in your settings:
- Go to the Menu icon > Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click News Feed Preferences.
- Adjust preferences for:
- Prioritizing who to see first
- Favoriting specific friends and Pages
- Showing newer / older posts first
- Enabling crossposting from Instagram
Play around to find a combination that shows you more of what you want. Keep in mind your behavior still influences what actually appears.
Conclusion
Facebook’s algorithm makes it impossible to completely reset your News Feed. However, you can take steps to refresh your feed, expose yourself to new content, and customize what you’re seeing at any time. The key is actively engaging with a diverse range of friends, Groups, and Pages to prevent your feed from narrowing too much. With a balanced approach, your News Feed can feel fresh while still showing relevant updates.