How to Post on Facebook and Choose Who Can See It

Create a Facebook post, add text or media, choose the audience, and review the final settings before you publish.

โšกShort answer

Tap What's on your mind? at the top of Feed, add your text or media, and tap Next. Open Post audience, choose who can see the post, tap Done, then review the preview and tap Post when you are ready.

Before you start

Check which Facebook profile you are using and look over the post for names, locations, or other personal information. Public means anyone on or off Facebook may be able to see it. The audience shown in this guide is Only me, and the demonstration post was discarded without being published.

Follow the steps

  1. Start a new post

    From Feed, tap What's on your mind? to open the post composer.

    The New post composer in the Facebook Android app.
    Open the Facebook post composer. ยท Tap to enlarge
  2. Add the content

    Write your text and use the available controls if you want to add photos, video, people, a location, or another post element. Tap Next.

    A text post prepared in the Facebook Android composer.
    Add text or media, then continue. ยท Tap to enlarge
  3. Choose who can see the post

    Open Post audience and select an option such as Public, Friends, Friends except, or Only me. Read the description for the audience before you choose it, then tap Done.

    Facebook audience choices for a new post on Android.
    Choose the audience for the post. ยท Tap to enlarge
  4. Review and publish

    Check the preview, the selected audience, and any other settings. Tap Post only when everything is correct.

    Facebook's final post review screen on Android.
    Review the post before publishing. ยท Tap to enlarge

A couple of useful details

What does Public mean on Facebook?

Facebook describes Public as anyone on or off Facebook. Use Friends, Only me, or a more limited custom audience when the post should not be public.

Can I choose a different audience for one post?

Yes. Open Post audience before publishing and choose the audience for that post. Facebook may also offer an option to make the selection your default audience.

Can I save the post instead of publishing it?

When you close an unfinished post, Facebook may offer Save as draft. Draft behavior can vary by device and post type.

Can I add photos or videos?

Yes. Use the gallery button in the composer, select the media, and review it before continuing.

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