How to Turn Off Suggested Posts on Facebook

If you've spent time scrolling through Facebook, you've likely noticed "Suggested Posts" popping up in your feed. These posts are recommendations based on your interests, interactions, and trending topics, meant to keep you engaged. However, they can sometimes feel disruptive, especially if you're trying to focus on posts from friends, family, or groups. Unfortunately, Facebook doesn’t offer a direct way to fully disable suggested posts, but there are workarounds to minimize their appearance and improve your experience. Here’s a guide on how to reduce or avoid suggested posts on Facebook.

Why Does Facebook Show Suggested Posts?

Suggested posts are part of Facebook’s strategy to keep users engaged by showing them content that they may find interesting or relevant. This includes posts from Pages you don’t follow, trending topics, or posts similar to content you've previously engaged with. Facebook’s algorithm aims to increase time spent on the platform, and suggested posts are one method they use to achieve this.

While suggested posts can be useful for discovering new content, they can also crowd your feed, making it harder to see updates from friends and family.

How to Minimize Suggested Posts on Facebook

While there is no complete "off" switch for suggested posts, there are several methods to reduce their appearance:

Method 1: Use the "Snooze" Option for Suggested Posts

When you encounter a suggested post, you can snooze similar posts temporarily:

1. Tap the Three Dots: On the top right of the suggested post, tap the three-dot menu.

2. Select "Snooze All Suggested Posts for 30 Days": Facebook offers a snooze feature that lets you pause suggested posts for a month.

3. Confirm Your Selection: Choose to snooze suggested posts, and you won’t see them in your feed for the next 30 days.

This option is a temporary fix, but it gives you a break from suggested posts and makes your feed a bit cleaner.

Method 2: Give Feedback to Improve Your Feed

Facebook’s algorithm adjusts over time based on your activity and feedback. Giving feedback on suggested posts can gradually reduce similar content:

1. Open the Three-Dot Menu on the Post: In the top right of the suggested post, tap the three dots.

2. Select "Hide Post": This will hide the specific post, and Facebook will show fewer posts like it.

3. Choose "Why Am I Seeing This?": This option explains why Facebook recommended the post. If it’s not relevant, mark it as “not useful” to influence Facebook’s future suggestions.

By repeatedly hiding and marking posts as irrelevant, you may see fewer suggested posts based on those topics over time.

Method 3: Adjust Your Ad Preferences

Facebook uses your activity and interests to personalize ads and suggested posts. By adjusting your Ad Preferences, you can influence the type of content shown in your feed:

1. Go to Settings: In the Facebook app or website, open the main menu and navigate to “Settings & Privacy,” then select “Settings.”

2. Select "Ad Preferences": Under “Ads,” you’ll find options to adjust your ad settings and interest categories.

3. Review and Remove Interests: In the “Your Interests” section, you’ll see categories Facebook has marked for you. Remove or update any interests that don’t align with your preferences to potentially reduce related suggested posts.

Although this primarily affects ads, it can indirectly impact suggested posts by refining the topics that Facebook thinks are relevant to you.

Method 4: Interact More with Content You Want to See

Facebook’s algorithm is influenced by your activity and interactions. By engaging more with the content you actually want to see—such as posts from friends, family, and preferred groups—you signal to Facebook what’s important to you. Here’s how:

1. Like, Comment, and Share Preferred Posts: Regularly engaging with content from people or pages you care about will help Facebook prioritize these in your feed.

2. Turn On Notifications for Friends and Pages: For important profiles and Pages, enable notifications. This way, you’ll be alerted to new posts directly, and you’ll spend less time scrolling through suggested content.

3. Unfollow Suggested Pages: If you notice that specific Pages keep appearing as suggestions, unfollow or hide those pages directly to reduce similar suggestions.

The more you interact with content you enjoy, the more likely Facebook is to prioritize that type of content over generic suggested posts.

Method 5: Use Browser Extensions (Desktop Only)

If you’re using Facebook on a desktop browser, some browser extensions can help you manage your feed more efficiently.

1. Install a Facebook Feed Customizer Extension: Extensions like “FB Purity” allow you to customize your Facebook feed and filter out certain types of content, including suggested posts.

2. Adjust the Settings: Once installed, go to the extension’s settings and configure it to hide or minimize suggested posts.

3. Check Extension Permissions: Be cautious when using third-party extensions and check reviews or permissions to ensure privacy.

Browser extensions provide a powerful way to manage content visibility on Facebook, but remember, they’re only available for desktop users.

Method 6: Limit Facebook Usage on Mobile Apps

If you’re overwhelmed by suggested posts and prefer a simpler experience, consider using a lightweight or alternative Facebook app:

1. Use Facebook Lite: The Facebook Lite app is designed to use fewer data and resources, and some users report seeing fewer suggested posts on this version.

2. Disable Notifications: If suggested posts feel intrusive, try turning off non-essential notifications in the app settings. This reduces the impact of suggested content on your overall experience.

3. Set Daily Limits: Many mobile devices now have built-in screen time tracking. Setting a limit on your daily Facebook use can help reduce overexposure to suggested content.

While this doesn’t remove suggested posts directly, it helps make your Facebook experience more manageable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: Can I completely disable suggested posts on Facebook?
No, Facebook doesn’t provide a complete option to turn off suggested posts. However, using snooze, feedback, and content preferences can reduce their appearance.

Q2: Will snoozing suggested posts for 30 days remove them permanently?
No, snoozing only pauses suggested posts temporarily for 30 days. After that period, they will reappear in your feed, and you’ll need to snooze again if desired.

Q3: Do browser extensions for Facebook affect my account’s security?
Reputable browser extensions can be safe, but always check reviews, permissions, and ensure you’re downloading from trusted sources. Avoid extensions that ask for excessive access to personal data.

Q4: Can hiding ads help reduce suggested posts?
Adjusting ad preferences may have a slight impact on the types of suggested posts shown, though it’s primarily effective for controlling ad content.

Conclusion

While there’s no way to completely turn off suggested posts on Facebook, you have several options to minimize their appearance and refine your feed. By using features like snooze, hiding irrelevant posts, refining your ad preferences, and customizing your engagement, you can create a more personalized and enjoyable experience. Whether you're on mobile or desktop, these methods offer ways to take control of your Facebook feed and focus on the content that matters most to you.