You can edit a Facebook post within a few minutes of posting it
Facebook lets you change the text, links, or photos in a post you've already shared. The edit option appears in a menu next to your post — look for three dots or a downward arrow in the top right corner of the post itself. Click that menu, select "Edit post," make your changes, and click "Save." The whole process takes under a minute.
There's a time limit: you can edit a post for up to one hour after you publish it. After that window closes, the edit option disappears and you can only delete the post entirely. Facebook doesn't tell you how much time is left, so if you notice a mistake, fix it right away rather than waiting.
When you edit a post, Facebook adds a small "Edited" label below the timestamp so people know the post was changed. The label doesn't show what changed — just that something did. Your edit appears when ready; there's no approval process.
Key Takeaways
- Open the three-dot menu on your post and select "Edit post" to change text, links, or photos within one hour of posting.
- After one hour, the edit option vanishes and you can only delete the post — there's no way to edit it after that window closes.
- A small "Edited" label appears below the timestamp when you change a post, but it doesn't show what you changed.
- Edits take effect when ready and don't require Facebook's approval or go through any review process.
Finding the edit menu on different devices
On a computer or laptop, hover your mouse over the post until a three-dot menu appears in the top right corner. Click it and you'll see "Edit post" as one of the options. If you don't see the menu right away, move your cursor directly over the post area.
On a phone or tablet, tap the three dots (or sometimes a downward arrow) in the top right corner of the post. The menu will slide up from the bottom of your screen. Tap "Edit post" from that menu. If you're using the Facebook app on iPhone or Android, the location is the same — top right corner of the post.
If you posted to a group or a page you manage rather than your own timeline, the menu works the same way. The three-dot icon appears in the same spot regardless of where the post lives.
What you can and cannot change when editing
You can edit the text of your post, add or remove links, and change which photo or video appears. If you posted multiple photos as an album, you can rearrange them, remove individual photos, or add new ones. You can also change who can see the post — switching it from public to friends only, for example — by editing the privacy setting that appears in the edit window.
You cannot change the date or time a post was published. You cannot move a post to a different location (like from your timeline to a group). If you posted a video, you can edit the text around it but not the video file itself — you'd have to delete and repost to change the actual video.
If someone has already commented on or reacted to your post, those comments and reactions stay there after you edit. Editing the post doesn't remove or hide existing comments.
Deleting a post instead of editing it
If you want to remove a post entirely rather than fix it, click the same three-dot menu and select "Delete." The post disappears from your timeline, your friends' feeds, and anywhere else it appeared. Deletion is permanent — Facebook doesn't keep a copy you can restore later.
Deleting a post also removes all comments and reactions people left on it. If someone shared your post to their own timeline, their copy stays up even after you delete yours.
You can delete a post at any time, unlike editing which has a one-hour window. There's no time limit on deletion.
Why Facebook might not show the edit option
If more than one hour has passed since you posted, the edit option won't appear. The only solution is to delete the post and write a new one.
If you posted as a page rather than as yourself, you may have a longer edit window — some pages can edit posts for up to 24 hours. Check the menu to see if "Edit post" is still there.
If the post contains a shared link or embedded content from another website, Facebook sometimes disables editing to prevent the link from breaking. In that case, delete and repost instead.
Editing posts you've shared from other sources
If you shared a link from a news site or another website, you can edit the text you added around it but not the link itself or the preview image. The preview (the thumbnail and headline that Facebook pulls from the linked page) updates automatically if the original website changes it, but you can't manually change it by editing your post.
If you shared someone else's post to your timeline, you cannot edit it — you can only delete it. To change anything about a shared post, delete it and share it again with different text.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can people see that I edited my post?
Yes, Facebook shows an "Edited" label below the timestamp. People can see that you changed something, but they can't see what the original text was or what you changed it to — only that an edit happened. The label appears for all edits, even if you just fixed a typo.
What happens to likes and comments when I edit a post?
Likes, comments, and reactions all stay exactly where they are. Editing doesn't affect them at all. If someone commented on your original text, their comment stays visible even after you change what you wrote.
Can I edit a post after I've deleted it?
No. Once you delete a post, it's gone. You cannot restore it or edit it. If you need to share that content again, you have to write a new post from scratch.
Does editing a post change when it appears in people's feeds?
No. Editing doesn't bump the post back to the top of anyone's feed or make it appear as new. It stays in the same position it was before, with the same timestamp.
Can I edit a post on Facebook if I'm using a web browser versus the app?
Yes, editing works the same way on both. The three-dot menu appears in the same location whether you're on facebook.com in a browser or using the Facebook app on your phone. The one-hour window applies to both as well.