How to Edit a Reel on Facebook After Sharing

That sinking feeling hits right after you press Share on your latest Facebook Reel. You spot a glaring typo in the caption, realize you used the wrong hashtag, or forgot to tag a collaborator. Don't panic. While you can't re-upload the video or change the music on a live Reel, you absolutely can fix many common mistakes without starting over. This guide walks you through exactly what you can edit on a Facebook Reel after it's been published, what you can't, and the best way to handle both situations.

First Things First: You Can Edit Your Reel (with a Few Catches)

Let's get this out of the way: you cannot fundamentally change the video or audio of a Facebook Reel once it’s live. The clips, the transitions, the on-screen text you added in the editor, and the song you chose are all locked in. If you have a major issue with the video content itself, your only option is to delete and re-upload (we’ll get to the pros and cons of that later).

But for everything else? You have options. The caption (including hashtags), location tags, audience settings, and people you've tagged can all be updated directly on the live post. This is a lifesaver for fixing those small but annoying errors that can distract from your amazing content. So take a deep breath, you probably don't have to sacrifice all that precious initial engagement.

How to Edit a Facebook Reel After Sharing: The Step-by-Step Guide

Editing a published Reel takes just a few seconds. The process is straightforward and works the same way on both the iOS and Android Facebook apps, as that’s where most users manage Reels. Here’s how to do it.

Step-by-Step Instructions:

1. Open the Facebook App and Navigate to Your Reel. You can find your Reel by going to your profile, tapping on the "Reels" tab, or by finding it directly on your feed if you recently posted it.
2. Open the Reel. Tap on the Reel you want to edit to open it in the full-screen viewer.
3. Tap the Three-Dot Menu. Look for the three horizontal dots (...) on the right-hand side of the screen, usually located next to the share and comment icons. Tap it to open up a menu of options.
4. Select "Edit Reel". In the menu that pops up, you'll see several options like "Save Reel," "Delete," and "Remix this Reel." Tap on "Edit Reel".
5. Make Your Changes. This will open an editing screen where you can modify the text fields associated with your Reel. You can update the caption, add or remove hashtags, edit tagged friends, change the audience, and more.
6. Save Your Edits. Once you're finished with your changes, tap the "Save" button, typically in the top right corner. Facebook will update the Reel instantly, and your new caption, tags, or settings will be live.

That's it. Your Reel is updated without affecting the video itself or the existing comments and likes.

The Complete Breakdown: What You CAN Actually Edit

Knowing exactly what’s editable helps you decide whether a quick fix is possible or if you need to consider the more drastic "delete and re-upload" approach. Here's what you have control over after your Reel is published.

Your Caption (Description and Text)

This is the most common reason to edit a Reel. That embarrassing typo, an awkward phrase, or a call-to-action you need to reword can all be fixed here. You can completely rewrite the caption, add more information, or just fix a single spelling error.

• Fixing typos: "Check out or new collection!" becomes "Check out our new collection!"
• Adding more context: Maybe your original caption was too brief. You can go back and add more detail about the project or event featured in the Reel.
• Updating a call-to-action (CTA): If you wrote "Link in bio!" but forgot to update the link first, you can edit the CTA to something more general until the link is ready.

Hashtags

Forgot to add your branded hashtag? Used one that’s irrelevant or has a typo? You can easily edit the hashtag block in your caption. Adding strategic hashtags after posting can even help your Reel get discovered by new audiences as the algorithm re-categorizes it based on the new tags.

Tags and Collaborators

Whether you forgot to tag a friend who was in the video or need to add a brand partner as a collaborator, you can manage this in the edit menu. When you tag someone, they’ll receive a notification, which can help kick-start a new wave of engagement on your post.

Audience and Privacy Settings

Did you accidentally post a Reel for "Friends Only" when you meant it to be "Public"? This is an easy fix. You can change your Reel's visibility directly from the edit screen. This is a big deal, especially for creators and businesses who need their content to reach as many people as possible. You can switch between:

• Public
• Friends
• Friends except...

Location Tag

If you forgot to add the location of your business, a favorite spot, or the event you're attending, you can add or change it later. A location tag can make your Reel discoverable to users searching for content in that specific area, increasing local visibility.

The Hard Truth: What You Absolutely Cannot Edit

Understanding the limitations is just as important. For these elements, your only option is to delete the Reel and upload it again. It’s a tough choice, but sometimes it’s necessary.

The Video Itself

The core video content - the clips, their order, the trim points - is completely locked. If you notice a glitch in one clip or left in a part you meant to cut, you cannot replace or modify it. The video is processed and finalized when you upload it.

The Audio, Music, or Voiceover

This is a big one. The audio track you selected from Facebook’s music library or your original audio is permanently attached to the video. You can't swap the song for a different one, adjust the volume mix between your audio and the music, or correct a mistake in a voiceover. If the audio is wrong, a re-upload is your only choice.

On-Screen Text, Stickers, and Effects

Any creative elements you added within the Facebook Reels editor are "baked in" to the video file. Text overlays with typos, a sticker that covers something important, or a filter you’ve decided you don’t like are all permanent. You can't move them, edit them, or remove them from the live Reel.

The Cover Image (Thumbnail)

The thumbnail you chose for your Reel before posting is locked in. If you picked an unflattering frame or designed a custom cover that has a typo, you're stuck with it. The thumbnail is especially important because it's what people see on your profile tab and can determine whether they click to watch.

When to Delete and Re-upload: The Big Decision

If your mistake falls into the "cannot edit" category, you face a tough decision: leave it as is or delete it and start over?

Consider deleting and re-uploading if:

• The mistake is so glaring it undermines the message (e.g., a significant product flaw is visible or a name is misspelled in an on-screen graphic).
• The audio is out of sync or the wrong song completely changes the vibe.
• It's a branded post for a client, and the error violates their brand guidelines.

The Catch: When you delete a Reel, you lose all the likes, comments, shares, and views it has accumulated. If the Reel has already been live for a while and gained significant traction, you have to weigh which is more harmful: the mistake itself or the loss of social proof and algorithmic momentum.

If you're going to re-upload, do it quickly - preferably within a few minutes of the original post, before engagement starts piling up.

Proactive > Reactive: The Pre-Flight Checklist for Posting Reels

The best way to handle post-publishing stress is to avoid it in the first place. Building a quick quality check into your workflow can save you from having to debug a live Reel.

1. Play It Back (With Sound): Before hitting Share, watch the final version one last time. Make sure the timing is right, the cuts are clean, and the audio sounds good. Don't just watch it, listen to it.
2. Proofread Everything Twice: Read your caption, hashtags, and any on-screen text out loud. This simple trick helps you catch typos and awkward phrases that your eyes might skim over.
3. Confirm Your Tags & Collaborators: Double-check that you've correctly spelled the usernames for anyone tagged or invited as a collaborator.
4. Choose the Perfect Thumbnail: Scrub through the video to find a compelling, clear, and high-quality frame to use as your cover image. This is your Reel's first impression.
5. Check Your Audience Setting: Is it set to "Public"? For creators and brands, this is almost always the correct setting. Confirm it's right before you post.

Final Thoughts

So, can you edit a Facebook Reel after sharing? Yes and no. While you have full control over vital elements like the caption, tags, and audience settings, the video and audio content are set in stone. Being able to fix a typo or add a forgotten hashtag is a fantastic option for quick corrections, but prevention is always the best strategy for bigger elements.

The best way to avoid hitting "edit" is to nail the details before you ever hit "share." At Postbase, we believe in getting it right the first time, which is why we built our platform with a visual calendar that lets you see everything - your video content, captions, and hashtags - all in one clear view. Planning and proofreading your content in a dedicated space lets you and your team catch those little mistakes before they become public-facing problems, so you can publish with total confidence.