It’s not uncommon to scroll through your Facebook feed and notice posts that are several days or even weeks old. This can be puzzling, especially if you’re used to seeing mostly recent content in your feed. There are a few reasons why Facebook may resurface old posts days or weeks later.
The Algorithm
The main reason Facebook shows old posts is because of how their algorithm works. The Facebook algorithm controls what you see in your News Feed. Its goal is to show you content it thinks you’ll find most interesting and engaging.
The algorithm takes into account many factors, including:
- How recently the post was shared
- The type of post (photo, video, status update, etc)
- Who shared the post (family, close friend, acquaintance, etc)
- How many likes, comments, and shares the post has
- How much time you spend interacting with certain people or pages
Based on these factors, Facebook’s algorithm will continue to show certain posts longer than others if it thinks you’ll find them interesting. So an old photo posted by your best friend or a video that went viral and got lots of interaction may continue being circulated by the algorithm longer than more recent posts.
Your Friends are Still Interacting with the Post
Another reason Facebook may resurface an old post is if your friends and connections are still actively engaging with it. For example, if an old post gets a bunch of new likes or comments days or weeks after it was first shared, it will get bumped back up in your feed.
The algorithm sees that users are still interacting with the post, so it assumes it must be interesting content to keep showing to others. This is especially true if multiple friends like or comment on the old post—it gives it renewed relevance.
You Haven’t Seen the Post Yet
Facebook also factors in that you may not have seen a particular post yet. For example, say one of your friends posted something while you were away from Facebook for a few days. The algorithm may bring that post back up once you’re active again so you have a chance to see content you may have missed.
This helps explain why you may see posts that are days or even weeks old but are still new to you. The algorithm is catching you up on what you didn’t see previously.
Shared Posts Have Renewed Relevance
Additionally, Facebook may resurface old posts that have renewed relevance. For instance, if there is a meaningful holiday, event anniversary, or other occasion, posts related to that may get shared again.
If many users are repromoting an old post or sharing it anew, Facebook’s algorithm picks up on that renewed interest. Posts with timeless appeal or significance around certain events often get recirculated this way as well.
Pages You Follow are Resharing Content
Another instance where old posts get recirculated is when Pages you follow resurface their own older content. For example, a news site may reshare an evergreen article or video that is timely again. Or a meme account may recycle old viral memes that are still funny. Brands also reshare their evergreen, popular social media content periodically to capture new audiences.
When the Pages and accounts you follow resurface old content, you’re likely to see those posts again in your feed too.
You Have a New Facebook Connection
When you become Facebook friends with someone new, you may notice old posts from that person showing up in your News Feed. This happens because Facebook’s algorithm assumes you may be interested in seeing what your new connection has posted in the past.
By showing you a new friend’s older shares, it helps you get caught up on their previous posts all at once. So don’t be surprised if making new Facebook friends leads to seeing some throwback posts in your feed.
Facebook Wants You to Keep Scrolling
Finally, one cynical perspective is that Facebook intentionally resurfaces old attention-grabbing posts to keep you engaged and scrolling. The longer you spend browsing Facebook, the more ads you’ll view, which benefits the platform. Some speculate that allowing old viral, provocative, or emotional posts to recirculate could be an intentional ploy to increase time-on-site.
While Facebook certainly has a vested interest in keeping users active on the platform, there is no hard evidence that they intentionally surface old posts just for this purpose. But it remains a possibility given how integral user engagement is to Facebook’s business model.
Tips to See More Recent Content
If you want to see more recent posts in your News Feed, there are a few steps you can take:
- Check Facebook more frequently. The algorithm will have less old content to catch you up on if you check in more often.
- Interact heavily with new posts. Liking, commenting on, and sharing new content will signal to Facebook that you want to see the latest updates.
- Click “Latest” at the top of your News Feed. This will manually sort posts from newest to oldest.
- Adjust your News Feed preferences in Settings. You can increase preferences for recent posts over older ones.
- Hide old posts once you’ve seen them. Clicking the “X” on a post will remove it from your view.
The Takeaway on Old Posts
Occasionally seeing old posts on Facebook is perfectly normal. While it may seem odd or frustrating at times, it’s simply a result of the algorithm determining that those older shares still have relevance and interest to you. With over a billion users, Facebook has to balance showing you recent updates as well as older content you may appreciate or find entertaining. But you can use the tips above to skew your News Feed more toward timely posts if needed.
So next time you log in to Facebook and notice some posts that seem a few weeks out of date, don’t be too alarmed. It’s likely just the algorithm’s way of keeping your feed personalized and engaging. Focus on the new updates you really want to see, and enjoy the occasional trip down memory lane.