I want to view a very old post in a Facebook page, e.g. this page, which contains hundreds to thousands of posts.
Browsing manually through the post stack of the page is so tiring and seems to be impossible for me to find that post.
How can I do a search for it like we do with a Google search?
I know we can search for our own posts via Activity Log, though for a Facebook page owned by others, what can we do?
Oh man, I remember Bryan posted a really funny dog video to my Facebook wall, like, last October, but now I can't find it. If only there were some way to search through my old posts. Fear not, disgruntled Facebook user, Facebook is rolling this function out on iOS and the web as we speak.
To the right of the search field at the top of the app or website, you can select whether you want to search posts, people, and photos, among other options. Enter a search term you remember from the post (like "funny dog") and it'll pull up related results. You can also search without specifying what kind of result you're looking for, and posts will be listed at the bottom of search results with a magnifying glass icon to the left.
A few notes: Results aren't displayed in chronological order, so you may have to scroll to find the post you were looking for. And using fewer words (just keywords) will likely provide better results than a more specific, longer query.
This new Graph Search capability is still rolling out to users. When you've got it, you'll get a message below the search field alerting you to the ability to search through posts. It also does not seem to be available on Android yet.
Facebook also recently added a Save feature which saves links for later. This is exclusive to posts with a link and it's no good if you're searching for something posted a few years back. But if you're looking for an old link you don't want to forget about, you could use search to find it, and then Save so it's conveniently stored for later visits.
The Facebook profile interface displays recent activity including status updates, likes, location check-ins, photo and video uploads in a simple stream that is lacking in search or filtering functionality. If you want to find old Facebook posts fast, the standard profile view is not the answer, as you will need to click "Older Posts" repeatedly. Instead, it is best to either download your Facebook data or use third-party tools designed to quickly comb your Facebook profile for the specific post you want to see.
Download Facebook
Navigate to Facebook and sign in to your account.
Click the drop-down menu at the top right and select "Account Settings."
Click "Download a copy of your Facebook data."
Click "Start My Archive" to request your data. When the request is fulfilled, Facebook will email you with the download link.
Click the download link in the email notification you receive from Facebook to save the archive to your computer.
Open your "Downloads" folder.
Right-click the Facebook zip file and select "Extract" to unzip the archive.
Double-click the HTML file to open your Facebook archive in a Web browser.
Click "Wall" to view every Facebook post that has been made on your wall.
Press "Ctrl" and "F" to use the browser search functionality to quickly find posts you want to see.
Archivedbook
Navigate to the Archivedbook website.
Click "Read your profile history now" and then click "Allow" in the Facebook authorization pop-up window.
Click the tabs along the top to view different post types including wall messages, status updates, notes, links, photos, videos, check-ins, pages and events.
Click "Older Items First" to select different sort options for your posts.
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Press "Ctrl" and "F" to use the browser search functionality to quickly find posts you want to see.
Get My Life Back
Use the Get My Life Back Facebook app. Navigate to apps.facebook.com/get-my-life-back/ and sign in to your Facebook account.
Click "Allow."
Enter keywords to search your Facebook wall for posts matching your query.
Click "Export Your Data" to save your entire Facebook wall to your computer.
Open your "Downloads" folder.
Right-click the Facebook export zip file and select "Extract" to save the Facebook wall to your computer.
Double-click the HTML file to open your wall in a Web browser.
Press "Ctrl" and "F" to search your Facebook wall using the browser search functionality.
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It is common occurrence to look back at some post you had made long time ago. Especially on Facebook, you get reminded of some memory from way back on the timeline. But then, sometimes you just do not seem to find old Facebook posts without scrolling endlessly.
How To Find Old Facebook Posts Without Scrolling?
The top reasons for you to find old Facebook posts without scrolling could be locating an important post to show someone. Or it may be just that you wanted to go back to verify a comment you made earlier. Instead of worrying over how long you need to scroll to pick back on an old post, read up on ways to find old Facebook posts without scrolling.
Does Facebook Come With Features To Find Old Posts?
Always remember that if you scroll down the Facebook timeline, you will not be able to see all posts you made or even those your friends make.
You can get to see the Highlights even if you search year-by-year. To see all posts made in a specific year, click down arrow to right area of Highlights. Click on All Stories.
Graph Search
This is not a much-talked about feature surprisingly. It is almost a hidden hack that Facebook has. Search for your posts or add a more specific tag when you search for a topic. Similarly, you can search for a topic using a main word associated with it, on a friend’s timeline.
Activity Log
Search for a post on the Activity Log. You get to discover any post you made, any tagged posts or even posts that you have hidden. All posts that come with photos are visible too on Activity Log. Access it at //facebook.com/me/allactivity.
QSearch
QSearch is a third party app that allows you to pick on your old posts via search results. Filter them as per link, status and photo. This app will display not just your posts but also those from friends.
Besides searching your Timeline, you could also search a friend’s Timeline, any group you are a member of and any page that you follow.
The third party app is a quicker way than the other options mentioned. However, all the methods are a better pick than having to find posts by endless scrolling. Take your pick among these means to find old Facebook posts without scrolling.
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Satarupa Bhattacharya
Satarupa B. Kaur has been writing professionally since a decade now. Always on the go; she loves to travel, books, playtime with her toddler--as she explores new places, amazing food and anything tech!