How to Delay a Post on Facebook

Want to schedule your Facebook posts to go live at a later time or date? It’s one of the easiest ways to streamline your social media workflow and keep your audience engaged, even when you’re busy. This guide will show you exactly how to delay posts using Meta's native tools, walk you through the process on both desktop and mobile, and offer some best practices for getting the most out of your scheduled content.

Why Bother Scheduling Facebook Posts at All?

Delaying a Facebook post - or "scheduling" it, as it's more commonly known - is more than just a convenience. It's a strategic move that helps you take control of your content strategy instead of letting it control you. If you’re not already scheduling content, here are a few powerful reasons to start.

• Reach People at the Right Time: Your audience isn’t online 24/7, and neither are you. Scheduling lets you publish content when your followers are most active and likely to engage, whether that’s during their morning commute, their lunch break, or late at night. This is especially helpful if your audience is in a different time zone.
• Post Consistently: Consistency is a huge factor in building an engaged following. The Facebook algorithm tends to favor accounts that post regularly. Scheduling allows you to maintain a steady stream of content, keeping your brand top-of-mind without you having to manually publish posts every single day.
• Batch Your Work and Save Time: Instead of thinking about what to post every day, you can dedicate a block of time once a week (or even once a month) to creating and scheduling all your content at once. This "content batching" is incredibly efficient and frees up your mental energy for other tasks.
• Stay Organized for Campaigns: Launching a new product or running a promotional campaign? Scheduling allows you to plan out your entire sequence of posts in advance. You can build anticipation, share key details, and launch with precision, ensuring every message goes out exactly when it’s supposed to.
• Keep Your Feed Active During Time Off: Taking a vacation or stepping away for a holiday shouldn't mean your social media goes dark. You can schedule content to cover your time off, keeping your page active and your audience engaged while you recharge.

Finding Where to Schedule Posts on Facebook (Things Have Changed)

If you’ve been managing a Facebook Page for a while, you might remember being able to schedule posts directly from the page itself using a tool called "Publishing Tools." Those days are mostly gone. Meta has since consolidated its business features into a centralized platform called the Meta Business Suite.

Today, the Meta Business Suite is the primary, no-cost tool for scheduling posts to your Facebook Page and connected Instagram Business account. While it combines many features into one dashboard, from advertising to analytics, its core content planning and scheduling functions are powerful once you know where to look. Both the desktop and mobile versions are free to use for anyone with a Facebook Business Page.

How to Delay a Post on Facebook Using a Desktop Browser

The desktop version of Meta Business Suite offers the most comprehensive view and is the easiest environment for scheduling multiple posts. Here is a step-by-step guide to get it done.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Navigate to Meta Business Suite: Open your web browser and go to business.facebook.com. If you’re not logged in, you'll be prompted to do so with the Facebook profile that has admin access to your Page. Make sure you’ve selected the correct business account from the dropdown menu in the top left if you manage more than one.
2. Start Creating a Post: Look for a big, blue button labeled "Create post" near the top of your dashboard. Clicking this will open the content creation window, which is your main workspace.
3. Craft Your Post: This is where you bring your content to life.
   • Select Placement: At the top, under "Post to," choose your Facebook Page. If you also want to post the same content to Instagram, you can select that account here as well.
   • Add Media: Click "Add photo" or "Add video" to upload your visuals from your computer.
   • Write Your Text: Type or paste your caption into the "Text" box. You can add hashtags, tag other pages with the @ symbol, and include links as needed. A live preview of your post will appear on the right side of the screen.
4. Find the Scheduling Options: At the bottom of the creation window, you’ll see a blue button that says "Publish." Don't click it! Instead, look for the small dropdown arrow next to it. Clicking this arrow will reveal a couple of options.
5. Choose "Schedule": Select "Schedule" from the dropdown menu. This will open up a calendar view.
6. Pick Your Date and Time: The calendar will often suggest "Active times," which are dates and times Meta predicts your followers will be most engaged. You can click one of these recommendations or manually select any future date and time for your post to go live.
7. Confirm and Schedule: Once you've set your desired publication time, the blue button at the bottom will change to "Schedule." Click it. That's it! Your post is now saved and will be published automatically at the time you chose.

How to Delay a Post on Facebook from a Mobile Device

Don't have access to a desktop? No problem. You can easily schedule posts on the go using the Meta Business Suite mobile app, which is available for both iOS and Android. The workflow is slightly different, but just as effective.

What You Need

First, make sure you have the free Meta Business Suite app installed on your phone. It's a separate app from the main Facebook app. Once you have it downloaded and you’re logged in, you’re ready to start.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Open the App and Tap "Create": Launch the Meta Business Suite app. Along the bottom navigation bar, you’ll see a blue circular button with a plus sign (+) on it. Tap this master "Create" button.
2. Select "Post": A menu will pop up with several content options. Choose "Post" to begin creating a standard feed post.
3. Craft Your Post: The mobile creator is clean and straightforward.
   • Write Your Caption: Type your text into the primary text field.
   • Add Media: Tap the photo gallery icon to add photos or videos directly from your phone’s library.
   • Select Platforms: Just below your profile name, make sure your Facebook Page is selected. You can also select your Instagram account to post simultaneously.
4. Proceed to Publishing Options: Once your content looks good, tap "Next" in the top right corner.
5. Schedule for Later: This next screen is where you find the scheduling feature. Under the "Publishing options" heading, you will see a choice between "Publish now" and "Schedule for later." Tap on "Schedule for later."
6. Set Your Date and Time: The app will open a calendar and clock interface. Select the date and time you want your post to go out. Tap "Done" after you've made your selection.
7. Finalize the Schedule: You’ll be returned to the previous screen, but now your chosen date and time will be displayed under "Publishing options." To finalize, tap the "Schedule" button in the very top right corner. Your post is now queued up and ready to go.

How to Edit or Reschedule a Delayed Post

Plans change. Maybe you spotted a typo after scheduling, or a current event makes your scheduled topic feel out of place. Fortunately, editing, rescheduling, or even deleting a delayed post is simple in the Meta Business Suite.

Go to the "Planner" tab in the main sidebar on desktop (or the "Content" tab on mobile). Here, you’ll find a calendar view or list showing all of your published and scheduled posts. Find the post you want to change, click the three-dot menu (...) on it, and you'll see options to "Edit Post," "Reschedule Post," or "Delete Post."

Let's Be Honest: Common Frustrations with Facebook's Scheduler

The Meta Business Suite is a powerful tool, and it's great that it's free. But it isn't without its quirks. As your content strategy grows, you might run into a few common hurdles:

• An Overwhelming Interface: Business Suite packs a lot of features - ads, appointments, monetization tools, and more - into one dashboard. If all you want to do is schedule a post, it can feel like you're navigating a maze of features you'll never use.
• Reliability Issues: One of the most common complaints is that social accounts spontaneously disconnect. There's nothing more frustrating than scheduling a week's worth of content only to discover later that some of it failed to publish because your page needed to be re-authenticated - again.
• Limited Multi-Platform View: Business Suite works great for Facebook and Instagram. But what about your other platforms? If you’re also active on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), LinkedIn, or YouTube Shorts, you're still stuck juggling multiple apps and tabs. You can't see your entire content strategy in one single, unified calendar.

Final Thoughts

Scheduling Facebook posts is a fundamental tactic for any serious marketer or creator, helping you maintain consistency and save valuable time. By learning your way around the Meta Business Suite, you can take full control of your content calendar and publish posts at the most effective times for your audience.

We built Postbase because we’ve felt the frustration of juggling multiple platforms, dealing with unreliable scheduling tools, and trying to manage everything in a system that wasn't built for a modern, video-first world. Our goal was to create a clean, headache-free space where you can see and schedule all your content - from Facebook posts and Reels to TikToks and Shorts - in one simple, visual calendar. It just works, your accounts stay connected, and you can get a bird’s-eye view of your entire strategy without the clutter.