Your drafts are in the same place you start writing a post
Facebook stores drafts in your composer — the box where you write posts. When you start typing a post and then close it without publishing, Facebook saves what you wrote. To find your drafts, open Facebook on your computer or phone, look for the "Create" button or the post composer at the top of your feed, and you'll see a "Drafts" option that shows everything you started but didn't finish.
The exact location depends on whether you're using Facebook on a computer or a phone, and which version of the site you're on. But the principle is the same: Facebook assumes you might want to come back to something you started writing, so it holds onto it for you.
Key Takeaways
- Drafts appear in your post composer when you start writing and then close the window without publishing.
- On a computer, click "Create" at the top left, then look for the "Drafts" section to see all unsaved posts.
- On a phone, tap the "+" or compose icon, then scroll to find drafts from your recent writing sessions.
- Facebook keeps drafts for a limited time, so don't rely on them as permanent storage for important text.
- Drafts are private to you — no one else can see them unless you publish them.
Finding drafts on a computer
On a desktop or laptop, start by clicking the "Create" button in the top left corner of Facebook. This opens a menu with options to create a post, a story, a page, or other content. Click "Post" to open the composer. At the top of the composer window, you'll see tabs or options — one of them will say "Drafts." Click that tab and you'll see a list of posts you started but didn't publish.
If you don't see a "Drafts" tab right away, look for a dropdown menu or a three-dot icon in the composer. Facebook sometimes reorganizes where this option sits, but it's always in the post creation area. Once you find a draft, you can click it to open it, finish writing, and publish it. You can also delete a draft by clicking the trash icon next to it.
Finding drafts on a phone or tablet
On an iPhone or Android phone, tap the "+" icon or the compose button (usually at the bottom of the screen or in the top menu). This opens the post composer. Swipe left or look for a "Drafts" section at the top of the composer screen. You should see a number badge showing how many drafts you have. Tap "Drafts" to see the list.
If the interface looks different on your phone, try tapping the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the composer, then look for "Drafts" in that menu. The mobile app changes its layout periodically, but drafts are always accessible from the place where you write posts. Once you open a draft, you can edit it, add photos or links, and publish it whenever you're ready.
What happens to drafts over time
Facebook does not keep drafts forever. The exact timeframe varies — some sources suggest drafts may be stored for 30 days, while others report longer periods — but you should not treat drafts as permanent storage. If you write something important and want to keep it, copy the text and save it somewhere else, like a notes app or a document on your computer.
If you close the Facebook app or browser and come back days later, your draft may still be there, but there's no may provide. This is especially true if you clear your browser cache or uninstall and reinstall the app. For anything you care about keeping, the safest approach is to finish writing and publish it, or save the text outside of Facebook.
Why drafts disappear and how to prevent it
Drafts can vanish for several reasons. If you log out of Facebook, clear your browser data, or switch devices, your drafts may not follow you. If Facebook updates its app or you update your phone's operating system, cached data — including drafts — sometimes gets cleared. If you haven't opened Facebook in a very long time, the draft may have expired from Facebook's servers.
To protect yourself, finish and publish posts you care about rather than leaving them as drafts. If you're working on something you're not ready to share yet, write it in a private notes app or document first, then paste it into Facebook when you're ready. This way, you always have a backup, and you're not dependent on Facebook's draft storage.
Drafts versus scheduled posts
Drafts and scheduled posts are different things. A draft is something you started but haven't published yet. A scheduled post is something you've finished writing and told Facebook to publish at a specific time in the future. Scheduled posts are more reliable than drafts because they're tied to your account settings, not just your browser or app cache.
If you want to write a post now but publish it later, don't leave it as a draft. Instead, finish writing it, click "Schedule," pick the date and time you want it to go live, and confirm. Facebook will hold that post and publish it automatically at the time you chose. This is much safer than hoping your draft will still be there when you come back.
Privacy and security of your drafts
Your drafts are private. Only you can see them — they don't appear on your timeline, in your friends' feeds, or anywhere public until you publish them. No one can access your drafts unless they have your Facebook password and log in as you. This makes drafts a safe place to write things you're still thinking about.
However, if someone has physical access to your phone or computer while you're logged into Facebook, they could see your drafts. If you're concerned about privacy, log out of Facebook when you're done using it, especially on a shared device. You can also go into your Facebook settings and review your login activity to see if anyone else has accessed your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see drafts from other devices?
Not reliably. Drafts are usually stored on the device where you created them. If you start a post on your phone, it may not appear in drafts on your computer. For this reason, it's better to finish and publish posts rather than rely on drafts syncing across devices.
What if I accidentally deleted a draft?
Once you delete a draft, Facebook does not have an undo option. If you deleted something important, check your notes app or email to see if you forwarded it to yourself. In the future, copy important text before deleting a draft, just in case.
Can I recover a draft that disappeared?
No. If a draft has expired or been cleared from your device, Facebook does not store a recovery copy. This is why saving important text outside of Facebook is the best protection.
Do drafts count toward any Facebook limits?
No. Drafts are not published, so they don't trigger any posting limits or appear in your activity history. You can have as many drafts as you want without affecting your account.
Why can't I find the drafts section?
Facebook's interface changes frequently. If you can't find drafts, try opening the post composer and looking for a menu icon (three dots or three lines). You can also search Facebook's help center for "drafts" to see the current location for your version of the app.