Facebook’s search filters allow users to refine their searches and find specific posts, people, pages, groups, events, and other content more easily. However, Facebook has changed where the search filters are located in the user interface several times over the years, which can make them difficult to find if you don’t know where to look.
Where are the search filters on desktop?
On the desktop version of Facebook, the search filters are located at the top of the search results page. After entering a search term in the main Facebook search bar at the top of the screen, you’ll be taken to the search results page. At the top left of this page is a “Filters” button – click this to open up the available filters for refining your search.
The filters that appear will depend on what you originally searched for. For example, if you searched for a person’s name, the filters may include filters like Current City, Workplace, Relationship Status, and Mutual Friends. If you searched for a Page or Group, the filters may include Category, Location, and Verification. Play around with different search terms to see the different available filters.
Some common filters you may see include:
- Pages
- Groups
- Events
- Posts
- People
- Photos
- Locations
- Apps
- Hashtags
Once you’ve selected the filters you want, click “Apply” and your search results will be filtered accordingly. You can select multiple filters, and remove filters at any time to broaden your search again.
Where are the search filters on mobile?
The search filters on the Facebook mobile app are accessed slightly differently than on desktop. After performing a search, tap on the three horizontal lines “hamburger” icon at the top right of the screen. This will open up a menu – tap on “Filters” to open the available filters for refining your search.
The filters work the same as on desktop. Select the filters you want, then tap “Apply” to filter your results. Tap “Clear All” at any time to remove the filters.
Some tips for using Facebook search filters effectively
- Use quotes around multi-word search terms to search for exact phrases, like “forest hiking”
- Try searching for common interests and hobbies to find relevant Facebook groups, like “cooking” or “dogs”
- Search for local places and landmarks to find nearby Facebook events and groups, like “Seattle” or “Space Needle”
- Use the “Posts” filter to specifically search for status updates about a topic
- Use the “People” filter when searching for someone by name to exclude pages and groups
- Filter by date range if trying to find old posts or events from a certain time period
Why can the search filters sometimes be difficult to find?
Facebook has a habit of frequently moving around features in its user interface, which can make it hard to find things if you don’t use the site regularly. The search filters have been relocated several times over the years:
| 2012 | Filters located below search bar |
| 2013 | Filters moved to right column |
| 2017 | Filters moved to top left of results |
These frequent UI changes mean the filters don’t stay in one consistent place. Facebook likely moves features like this to test different layouts and ensure optimal user engagement. But it can prove annoying to users who just want to find the filters!
Are search filters available on Facebook’s mobile apps?
Yes, the ability to filter searches is available both on the Facebook mobile app for iOS and Android devices, and the mobile website accessed via a phone’s browser. The user interface is slightly different than on desktop, but the mobile apps do provide the key functionality of being able search filters.
On iOS devices, tapping the three-line “hamburger” icon after a search will bring up the Filters menu. On Android, tapping on the three vertical dots will open the menu with the Filters option.
The filters available are the same on mobile as on desktop. One difference is that on desktop you can have multiple filters applied at once, while on mobile you typically can only have one filter active at a time.
What are some examples of how to use Facebook’s search filters?
Here are a few examples of effective ways to use Facebook’s search filters:
- Search for “John Smith”, filter by Current City to find someone you went to school with
- Search for “yoga”, filter by Groups to find yoga-related communities
- Search for “Seattle”, filter by Events happening Today to find local events
- Search for “iPhone”, filter by Posts to find recent discussions about iPhones
- Search for “High School”, filter by Photos to find old school photos
The filters allow you to pare down broad searches and control the types of results you see. They are useful for researching topics, connecting with local groups and events, finding old posts, and searching for specific people or types of content.
Can I filter searches on Facebook from my browser’s search bar?
Unfortunately, you cannot apply filters to Facebook searches performed directly from your browser’s search bar. The browser search will just perform a basic keyword search of Facebook, without the options to filter by post type, date, or other criteria.
To use Facebook’s filters, you need to first go to Facebook and perform the search from the main Facebook search bar at the top of the page or app. Then apply filters from the results page, as detailed above.
A browser search of Facebook treats Facebook like any other website indexed by the browser. It does not have access to the advanced search options and filters available when actually searching directly on Facebook itself.
Are search filters available in Facebook groups?
Yes, Facebook group administrators have the ability to enable search filters for finding content within their groups. Group members can use these filters to quickly locate posts, documents, events, and other content within the group.
The group admin can choose exactly which filters they want to make available, such as:
- Posts
- Photos
- Videos
- Events
- Documents
- Members
Enabling the filters can help members efficiently sift through all the activity in large and active groups to find what they need. Group admins should enable filters if they want to improve the search experience for group members.
Can I filter searches by post type?
Yes, one very useful search filter allows you to narrow results down by specific post types like links, photos, videos, and status updates.
To filter by post type:
- Perform a search on Facebook
- Click on “Filters”
- Check the boxes for the post types you want to see, like “Photos”, “Videos”, etc.
- Click “Apply”
This will show only results of those post types. For example, you could search for “cats” and filter by Photos to see only cat photos. Or search for a friend’s name and filter by Videos to see only videos they’ve been tagged in.
How can I provide feedback to Facebook on the search filters?
If you have feedback for Facebook on how to improve the search filters, there are a couple ways you can let them know:
- Facebook User Feedback form: Go to https://www.facebook.com/help/177836928922062 and fill out the form with your comments.
- Facebook Community Support: Ask a question or give feedback at https://www.facebook.com/community/support/
It’s best to provide specific examples and suggestions when giving feedback. For example, you could suggest additional filter options that would be useful, or ways to improve the interface and make filters easier to access.
There’s no guarantee Facebook will act on all feedback, but letting them know about issues can help improve the product over time. Constructive feedback from real users is very helpful for companies like Facebook.
Conclusion
Facebook’s search filters provide a valuable way to pare down search results and find very specific types of content. They allow you to search by post type, date range, location, and other criteria. However, Facebook’s constantly changing interface means the filters are not always in the same place. On desktop, look for them at the top left of search results pages. On mobile, tap the hamburger or more icon and select “Filters”. Mastering the search filters can take your Facebook searching abilities to an advanced level!