The account quality setting on Facebook allows users to control the content they see in their News Feed. This setting was introduced by Facebook in 2018 as part of an effort to improve the quality of the user experience on the platform. In the opening paragraphs, I’ll provide a quick overview of the account quality setting and where to find it in the Facebook app and desktop site.
What is the Account Quality setting?
The Account Quality setting allows Facebook users to see more or less posts from the friends, Pages and Groups they follow. It gives users more control over the content they see in their News Feed.
There are three options in the Account Quality setting:
- See First – Shows posts higher up in the News Feed from close friends, family and Groups the user is part of.
- Standard – Default setting that balances posts from friends, Pages and Groups.
- See Less – Shows fewer posts higher up in the News Feed from friends, Pages and Groups.
Adjusting this setting helps users optimize their News Feed so they see more of the content they care about. For example, if a user wants to see more posts from close connections and less from Pages or public figures they follow, they can select the “See First” option.
Where is the Account Quality setting on Facebook app?
To access the Account Quality setting on the Facebook mobile app for iOS or Android devices, follow these steps:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the hamburger menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top right corner.
- Scroll down and select “Settings & Privacy.”
- Tap “Settings.”
- Select “News Feed Preferences.”
- Under the “Prioritize who to see first” section, tap “Account Quality.”
- Choose your preferred setting: See First, Standard or See Less.
The chosen option will be highlighted in blue. You can adjust this setting at any time to control the content you see higher up in your News Feed.
Where is the Account Quality setting on Facebook desktop site?
To find the Account Quality setting on the Facebook desktop website, follow these steps:
- Click the down arrow at the top right of any Facebook page.
- Select “Settings” from the drop down menu.
- Click “News Feed Preferences” on the left sidebar.
- Under the “Prioritize who to see first” section, click “Account Quality.”
- Choose your preferred setting: See First, Standard or See Less.
The chosen option will be highlighted in blue. This controls which types of posts you’ll see towards the top of your News Feed whenever you log into Facebook on a desktop browser.
How does the Account Quality setting work?
The Account Quality setting influences the algorithm that determines the order of posts in your News Feed. Here’s an overview of how each option functions:
See First
- Prioritizes posts from close connections like family, friends and Groups.
- Shows less content from Pages and public figures you follow.
- Helps tighten focus to people and communities you interact with most.
Standard
- Balances posts from all connections more evenly.
- Mixes content from friends, Pages, Groups, etc.
- Facebook’s default algorithmic ranking.
See Less
- Shows more content from Pages and public figures.
- Fewer personal updates from family/friends.
- For seeing more posts from celebrities, brands, media, etc.
In summary, the See First option is good for focusing on personal connections, while See Less exposes you to more public content from Pages you follow. The Standard setting provides an even mix.
How does Account Quality impact ads and sponsored content?
The Account Quality setting only affects the mix of organic unpaid posts from friends, Pages, Groups and public figures. It does not influence the amount of sponsored content or ads you’ll see in your News Feed.
Facebook reserves dedicated space for ads in the News Feed that is separate from the algorithmic ranking of other posts. The number of ads is based on factors like user demographics, interests and behavior – not Account Quality preferences.
However, the types of ads and sponsored posts you see may align more with the Pages and interests associated with your Account Quality choice:
- See First – More ads related to friends and Groups.
- Standard – Diverse mix of ad topics and interests.
- See Less – More ads related to followed Pages and public figures.
But the overall volume of ads will not be directly affected by this setting. Facebook limits sponsored content to about 20% of the posts users see.
Conclusion
The Account Quality setting is located in News Feed Preferences and allows customizing your Facebook feed. See First prioritizes friends and connections, See Less shows more public content, and Standard balances both. While this impacts the mix of organic posts, it does not affect the amount of paid ads and sponsored content.