Facebook Secrets: 10 Hidden Facebook Features That the Pros Use

Did you know that as of the first quarter of 2019, Facebook had a whopping 2.38 billion monthly active users?

In the U.S. alone, 69% of adults are on this super popular social networking platform. Of these Facebookers, three-fourths check their accounts at least once a day.

That’s how big Facebook is, what with its messaging, gaming, and video features.

But did you know that there are likely as many hidden Facebook features as the visible ones you may not be aware of?

That’s right! And it’s time you learn more about these to up your Facebook experience. Many of them are also for your own privacy and security.

Ready to learn more about these features? Then let’s get this list of lesser-known Facebook tips and features started!

1. The “Friends Organizer” Feature

Facebook already has default friend lists like “Close Friends”, Acquaintances”, and “Restricted”. But you can also create a custom list, say “Family” or “Co-Workers” to help you better organize your friends. Custom lists also make placing restrictions easier (we’ll go deeper into this later).

To create a custom list, head to your Facebook home page or News Feed page. On the left panel, look for “Explore”, under which is the “Friends List”. If it’s not there, click on the “See More” option to bring it up.

On the “Friend Lists” page, click on “+ Create List”. Enter the names of all the “friends” you want to include in that list. Hit “Create” to save the list.

2. The “Restricted Friends” List

In 2016, 38.35% of Facebook users in the U.S. had between 200 and 500 friends. Almost 21% of users also had over 500 friends.

Let’s say you’re part of either group. The question is, do you really want all these “friends” to see all your posts? It’s possible you have a few who aren’t real-life buddies, so you don’t want to share all posts with them.

The good news is, there are several nifty Facebook features you can use in such cases. One is the “Restricted” option we mentioned above.

Before you post something, click on the “Friends” option beside “News Feed”. This will let you change who can see your post. Click “More” > “See All” > and then “Custom”. You can now specify who gets to see your posts and who doesn’t.

You can put individual names and entire friend lists in your custom privacy settings.

3. The “Previous Post” Finder

Maybe you were half-asleep when you posted something on Facebook. Or you were busy when someone tagged you in a post and then forgot about it.

Either way, you have vague recollections of something post-related. Now, you want to find it amidst the sea of posts on your timeline.

The “Posts” feature is one of the Facebook tricks to use in such cases. See that small inverted triangle on the upper right-hand corner of your Facebook page? Click that to bring down your account options and then choose “Settings”.

On the “Settings” page, click “Your Facebook Information” > “Access Your Information” > “Posts”. Under “Posts”, you’ll find several options, like “Your Posts” and “Posts You’re Tagged In”. Choose the one you want to check and review.

4. The “Past Comments” Finder

There’s also a similar feature for previous comments you posted. The option is still under the “Access Your Information” page, right below the “Posts” option. Click the “Comments” options, which will make the clickable “Comments” link appear.

Clicking that will direct you to a page containing all your posted comments. You’ll also find here comments of other people who mention your name.

This is a good way to review your comments and make edits as you wish. It can also refresh your memory in case you forgot to reply to someone.

5. The “Personal Facebook Data Back-Up Creator”

Want to have your own backup of everything you did on Facebook? Maybe you want to keep track of polls you’ve created for your business. Perhaps you want a backup of all conversations you’ve had.

Whatever the reason is, you can download your entire (or select) Facebook information. Head back to your settings and click on “Your Facebook Information”. Click on the “Download Your Information” option so you can start making backups.

6. The “Call-a-Friend” Feature (In Case of Account Lock Out)

One study found that over a third of Internet users forget a password at least once every week. If you’re one of these folks, you have a high risk of getting locked out of your Facebook account.

Luckily, you can “call a friend” in such cases, up to five them in fact. You can nominate these friends by going to “Settings” then “Security and Login”. Here, you’ll find the “Recommended” action to nominate friends you can call in case of a lockout.

7. The Human Facebook Support Expert

Speaking of calling a friend, Facebook doesn’t offer a direct phone or email support line. Yes, they may all be about socializing, but they’re not big on customer support. If you have a question, you need to rely on the Help Center, which is only a knowledge database.

So, here’s one of the best kept Facebook secrets: You can get expert Facebook help via phone or online chat. If you need Facebook support from experts, this is the fastest way to get the help you need.

8. The “Snooper-Finder” Feature

Another of the best Facebook secrets for security is the “Where You’re Logged In” feature. You’ll find this under “Security and Login”, right below the call-a-friend option. Here, you’ll find all devices that have accessed your account, including the time and place.

This is a great way to know if someone else aside from you have logged in to your account. If there’s something fishy in the list, you can log out from that device. You can also log out of all devices at once by hitting “Log Out of All Sessions”.

9. The “Hidden Inbox”

Did you know that there’s another Messenger folder aside from the main one? That’s right! This is the “Message Requests” inbox, where messages from people you aren’t friends with go to.

On the web platform, you’ll find this by clicking on the Messenger icon. Right beside the “Recent” option is the “Message Requests” folder. Click this to find out if there’s anyone you actually know trying to connect with you.

On the Messenger mobile app, you can access this “hidden” folder by tapping on the “People” icon. On the upper right hand, you’ll find a message balloon with three dots on it. That’ll bring up the Message Requests inbox.

10. The “Restricted Friend Request” Setting

Ever wondered how in the world you get those friend requests from people you don’t even know? Well, that’s because your Facebook friend request setting is set to “Everyone”.

You can change this to “Friends of Friends” by going to “Settings” then “Privacy”. Click “Edit” beside the question, “Who can send you friend requests?” then choose “Friends of Friends”.

Use these Hidden Facebook Features Now

There you have it, some of the hidden Facebook features you should know about and should use ASAP. With these, you can enjoy a higher level of privacy without having to unfriend people. Best of all, you can worry less about cybersecurity concerns.

Need more help with your Facebook account and want answers ASAP? Then ask a Facebook expert who can address your concerns right away!