Facebook Stories allow users to share photos and videos that disappear after 24 hours. There are a few reasons why Stories may disappear before that 24-hour period is up:
The user deleted the Story
The most obvious reason a Story disappears is because the user who posted it decided to delete it. This can happen for a variety of reasons:
- They decided they no longer wanted that content posted
- They posted something by mistake
- They wanted to edit the Story before reposting
- They changed their mind about sharing certain content
When a user deletes their own Story, it will disappear from their own profile and from the feeds of any followers who could previously see it. The user has full control over their own content and can remove it at any time.
The Story expired
Facebook Stories are only available for 24 hours after they are posted. This is by design:
- Stories are intended to share temporary, fleeting content
- The 24-hour limit creates a sense of urgency to view Stories before they vanish
- People often use Stories to share “of the moment” experiences
So if a Story is more than 24 hours old, Facebook automatically deletes it. Once the 24-hour mark is reached, the Story disappears from the user’s profile and is no longer visible to followers.
This automatic expiration is part of what differentiates Stories from regular posts, which remain on a user’s profile unless actively deleted. Expiration makes Stories feel more ephemeral and “in the moment.”
The user’s account was deactivated
If a Facebook user deactivates their account, all of their content will disappear with it, including Stories. There are a few reasons someone might deactivate:
- They want to temporarily disable their account
- They no longer want to use Facebook
- They violated Facebook’s terms and had their account shut down
In all cases of deactivation, that user’s profile and content are hidden until the account is reactivated. Any Stories they had posted in the last 24 hours would immediately disappear upon deactivation.
A Story was reported and removed
Facebook relies on user reporting to identify content that violates its Community Standards. Users can report Stories that they feel are objectionable or break the rules.
If enough users report a Story, Facebook will review it. If they determine the Story does violate a policy, Facebook can remove it so that it is no longer visible to anyone.
Reasons a Story may be removed include:
- Nudity or sexual content
- Hate speech or threats
- Harassment or bullying
- Regulated goods
- False information
Removing a Story makes it disappear completely from Facebook. However, the user who posted it will not be notified if it gets taken down after being reported.
A technical glitch caused a Story to disappear
Because Stories rely on technology to make them available for only 24 hours, there is always the rare possibility of a technical glitch making a Story vanish. This could happen for reasons like:
- A bug in the Stories feature
- An unexpected service outage
- An issue on the user’s device or within their app
Glitches are usually temporary and get resolved quickly. Losing a Story this way is not common, but it can happen on occasion until the problem gets fixed.
The Story was shared through an expiring link
When a user shares a Facebook Story through a link, they have the option to set an expiration period for that link. For example:
- Share via link that expires after 1 hour
- Share via link that expires after 10 views
If someone views a Story via an expiring link, the Story could disappear for them once that link hits its expiration limit. Meanwhile, others who viewed the Story normally on Facebook could still access it.
Expiring links give users more control over how long their Stories remain shareable through links outside of Facebook.
The viewer was blocked by the user who posted
If you are blocked by someone on Facebook, you will no longer be able to view any of their content, including Stories. Some reasons you may be blocked include:
- The user finds your comments or posts inappropriate
- They want to limit who can see their content
- There was disagreement or conflict between you
Being blocked means you are completely cut off from that user’s profile. Their Stories will instantly disappear from your feed as soon as they block you.
You are no longer connected to the user
In your Facebook feed, you will only see Stories from users you are connected to in some way. This includes:
- Your friends
- Pages you have liked or followed
- Public figures and celebrities
If your connection to a certain user disappears, their Stories will no longer show up for you. Ways this could happen include:
- You unfollow a page
- You unfriend someone
- A friend removes you
Without that social connection, that user’s Stories immediately become inaccessible to you.
You hid the user’s posts
Facebook lets you “Hide All” from a person’s profile – this will prevent their posts from appearing in your News Feed. It also hides their Stories:
- Go to the profile you want to hide
- Click the three dots in the top right corner
- Select “Hide All from [Name]”
This will cause all of that user’s Stories to disappear from your feed going forward. Their older Stories will also be hidden from your view.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a variety of reasons a Facebook Story may suddenly disappear or become unavailable to you:
- The user deleted it themselves
- It expired after 24 hours
- The account was deactivated
- The Story was reported and removed
- A technical issue caused it to vanish
- It was shared via an expiring link
- You were blocked by the user who posted it
- You disconnected from the posting user
- You hid all of that user’s posts
Stories are intended to be temporary, fun sharings that only stick around for a day. But there are many scenarios in which a Story can disappear before that 24 hours is up. Being aware of why Stories come and go can help you understand what you may encounter as both a Story poster and viewer on Facebook.
| Reason for Disappearing Story | Description |
|---|---|
| User deleted the Story | The user decided to remove their own Story for any reason |
| Story expired | Reached the 24 hour limit and was auto-deleted per the feature’s design |
| Account deactivated | User disabled their account, hiding all content |
| Story was reported/removed | Facebook deleted the Story after determining policy violation |
| Technical glitch | Some bug or outage caused Story to disappear |
| Shared via expiring link | The external link to the Story reached its view limit or time limit |
| You were blocked | The posting user blocked you, removing their content from your view |
| No longer connected | Your friendship or connection to the user ended |
| You hid the user’s posts | Used the “Hide All” option to remove this user’s posts from your feed |
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my own Story disappear?
If your own Story disappeared, the most likely explanation is that you accidentally deleted it or the 24 hour expiration period ended.
Can Stories be recovered after disappearing?
Unfortunately no, Stories cannot be retrieved after they have disappeared or expired, which is part of what makes them temporary and ephemeral.
What should I do if someone’s Story disappears from my feed?
If a friend’s Stories suddenly disappear, you may have become disconnected from them in some way or they may have blocked you. You can check your connections and reach out to them to see if they can share what happened.
Why can’t I see my favorite celebrity’s Stories anymore?
If a public figure’s Stories disappeared from your feed, you may have unfollowed their Facebook page by accident or they may have decided to restrict Story sharing to only fans and friends.
Does Facebook notify someone if I hide their Stories?
No, when you hide a user’s posts using the “Hide All” option, they are not notified in any way. Their Stories simply disappear from your particular feed.
How do I know if my Story was reported or removed?
Unfortunately Facebook does not directly notify users if one of their Stories gets reported and removed. The only way to tell is if people who could previously see it say it has disappeared.
Key Takeaways
- Stories are meant to be ephemeral and temporary, only lasting 24 hours.
- Users can delete Stories whenever they like before the 24-hour expiration.
- Stories will disappear if the account holder deactivates their profile.
- Violating content may get reported and removed by Facebook.
- Technical issues can rarely cause Stories to glitch and vanish.
- Changing connections and blocking users will prevent their Stories from appearing.
- Once Stories disappear, they generally cannot be recovered or viewed again.