Recently my colleague Martyn Casserly accused Facebook of being just like any other 10-year-old, and I have to agree with him at least in one respect: it has a tendency to throw a paddy and play havoc with your News Feed. Also see: How to stop videos and ads autoplaying on Facebook
“There was a time when Facebook was a docile and respectful creature. It did as it was told, when it was told. This made us happy, secure, and ensured that any Victorian chimneys we had remained soot free. But recently there has been a change in this tranquillity as our young charge has begun to show distinct signs of an independent streak. Whereas once you could decide to have your news feed in the sensible and mature order in which people actually post things, now anarchy reigns as Facebook automatically changes it back to Top Stories whenever it feels like it,” wrote Casserly. Also see: 13 best Facebook tips and tricks.
And he’s right. No matter how many times you switch your News Feed from Top Stories to Most Recent, Facebook will quickly change it back. All this means is every time you log into Facebook you’ll see a list of posts you’ve already read, some of them several days old.
Switching from Top Stories to Most Recent used to be a simple case of toggling the Sort option at the top of the page. It was frustrating to have to keep doing so, but it was at least a straightforward tweak to make. But just when we thought we had it figured out, Facebook kept us on our toes by removing the Sort option.
It’s still possible to view Most Recent rather than Top Stories in your Facebook News Feed; here’s how.
View Most Recent stories on Facebook: Desktop site
When viewed in a desktop browser, Facebook used to offer a Sort option at the top of the screen. You probably noticed its disappearance.
To switch between Top Stories and Most Recent in a desktop browser you must now look to the top left of the screen. Below your profile picture you’ll see a link for News Feed. Click the downward-pointing arrow to the right of News Feed, then choose Most Recent.
Of course, this being Facebook, you’ll probably have to remember to make this change the next time you log in.
View Most Recent stories on Facebook: Mobile site
Facebook’s mobile site still features a Sort option at the top right of the News Feed. Simply tap the Sort button, then choose Most Recent.
View Most Recent stories on Facebook: Android app
To view Most Recent stories in Facebook’s Android app you need to select the Settings tab, which is the icon with the three horizontal lines on the far right of the screen. Scroll down to Feeds and you’ll see a Most Recent feed. Tap this to view the Most Recent stories.
View Most Recent stories on Facebook: iOS app
The process is very similar in Facebook’s iPhone and iPad app as it is its Android app, except the Settings option is found at the bottom right of the screen and labelled More. Tap this and, as before, scroll down to Feeds and choose Most Recent.
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Author: Marie Black, Editorial Director, International
Marie is Editorial Director at Foundry. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she's worked in tech media for almost 20 years, covering all types of consumer tech from smartphones and their accessories to smart home gear. These days she manages our international editorial teams and leads on content strategy, having witnessed first-hand Foundry's transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.