How to Find a Post ID on Facebook

Finding a specific Facebook Post ID can feel like a hunt for a needle in a haystack, but it’s a straightforward task once you know exactly where to look. This unique number assigned to every photo, video, and status update is essential for everything from embedding content on your website to tracking ad conversions. This guide will walk you through several easy methods for finding a Post ID on desktop and mobile, for both organic posts and ads.

What Exactly Is a Facebook Post ID (and Why Do You Need It)?

Every single piece of content you share on Facebook - whether it’s a status update on your personal profile, a photo on your business page, or a video ad - is given a unique identification number. Think of it as a specific address for that one post out of the billions on the platform. This string of numbers is called the Post ID.

You might be a social media manager, a developer, or a business owner, but at some point, you'll likely need to grab one. Here are a few common reasons:

• Embedding Posts: If you want to feature a specific Facebook post on your blog or website, you'll often need the Post ID to use with Facebook's embed code generators.
• Running Ads: When you want to run an engagement ad or boost an existing post, using the Post ID lets you promote the exact same post, keeping all its likes, comments, and shares together. This is called using a "dark post" vs. an "existing post" for promotion and is a common technique for social proof.
• API Integration: If you're using third-party tools or developing a custom application that interacts with Facebook, the Post ID is how your software will identify which piece of content to fetch or modify.
• Reporting and Analytics: Some advanced social media analytics tools may require a Post ID to pull specific metrics for that content, helping you track performance with greater detail.
• Troubleshooting: If a post has an issue and you need to contact Facebook support, providing the Post ID allows them to locate the content immediately and address your problem faster.

How to Find Your Facebook Post ID: 4 Methods That Work

There isn’t just one single way to find a Post ID. The method you use will depend on whether you’re on a desktop computer or your mobile phone, and the type of post you’re looking for. Let's cover the most effective techniques.

Method 1: Find the Post ID from the URL (The Universal Method)

For any public post on Facebook from a Page or Profile, the simplest way to get the ID is by pulling it directly from the URL. All it takes is one click.

Step 1: Navigate to the Individual Post

Go to the Facebook Page or Profile and scroll to the post you need. Instead of interacting with the like or share button, look for the post's timestamp. This could say "5h," "Just now," or a specific date like "June 3 at 10:15 AM."

Click the timestamp.

Step 2: Examine the Address Bar

Clicking the timestamp opens the post on its own dedicated page. Now, look at the URL in your browser's address bar. The Post ID is the string of numbers at the end of the URL. Facebook has a few different URL structures, so here’s what to look for:

For a regular text or link post:

The URL will often look like this. The Post ID is the series of numbers at the very end.

https://www.facebook.com/YourPageName/posts/347892301134267

In this case, the Post ID is 347892301134267.

For a photo post:

When the post is primarily a single photo, the URL may look a bit different. You might also see a `permalink` structure.

https://www.facebook.com/YourPageName/photos/a.123456789/789123456754321/

OR

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid02xJ...&id=100063994273541

In the first photo example, the last series of numbers (789123456754321) is your Post ID. The smaller number sequence after `/a.` is the Photo Album ID. In the permalink URL, the ID you're looking for follows story_fbid=. It may be a very long string beginning with "pfbid." Just copy that entire value. The numbers after id= refer to the Page or Profile ID.

For a video post:

The URL structure for a video contains a different path but follows the same logic. It can appear in two ways:

https://www.facebook.com/YourPageName/videos/987654321098765/

OR

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=987654321098765

For both formats, the Post ID is the string of numbers at the end: 987654321098765.

Method 2: How to Find a Post ID on a Desktop

If you prefer not to use the URL method or need another way to confirm, you can use the post’s embed options to grab the ID.

Step 1: Locate the Post's Options Menu

Find the post on its respective Facebook page. In the top-right corner of the post box, you'll see a three-dot icon (…). Click on it to open a dropdown menu.

Step 2: Select the "Embed" Option

From the menu, choose Embed. This will open a new pop-up window showing you a preview of the post and a code snippet.

Step 3: Find the ID in the Embed Code's URL

Right inside that code snippet, you'll see a long URL that begins with `https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=`. Look at the encoded URL right after that. The Post ID is the last string of numbers in that link.

<,iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FYourPageName%2Fposts%2F347892301134267&...">,<,/iframe>,

It’s a little hidden, but the Post ID is right there in the code, waiting for you to copy it. You can ignore the rest of the code.

Method 3: How to Find the Post ID on Mobile (iOS and Android)

Finding a Post ID on the Facebook mobile app is also quite simple, though it involves copying the link and pasting it somewhere you can view it. It's the most reliable way to find the ID when you're not at a computer.

Step 1: Go to the Post and Open the Options

Open your Facebook app and navigate to the post you need. Tap the three-dot icon (...) located in the top-right corner of the post.

Step 2: Copy the Link

A menu of options will appear from the bottom of the screen. Look for the Copy link option and tap it. The app will confirm that the link has been copied to your clipboard.

Step 3: Paste and Identify the Post ID

Now, open any application where you can paste and view text, like your Notes app, a new email draft, or even a text message. Paste the link you copied.

The URL will look something like this:

https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid0LremG...&id=100063994273541

The string of alphanumeric characters after `story_fbid=` is your Post ID. In other cases, the link might be shorter and look more like the desktop links we saw earlier, with the Post ID as the final set of numbers.

Method 4: Finding the ID of a Facebook Ad Post

For social media marketers, finding the ID of a specific Facebook ad is a common task, especially for "dark posts" that don't appear on the page's public timeline. You'll need to use Facebook Ads Manager for this.

Step 1: Open Facebook Ads Manager

Go to your Business account and navigate to the Ads Manager.

Step 2: Select Your Ad

Drill down to the campaign and ad set that contains the specific ad creative. Once a list of ads appears, tick the checkbox next to the one whose ID you want to find.

Step 3: Preview the Ad

With the ad selected, a toolbar should appear above it. Click the Preview button on the right-hand side of this toolbar.

Step 4: Open the Post in Facebook

A preview panel will slide out from the right. Under the `Ad Preview` title, look for a button or link with a small share icon next to it. It will say "Facebook Post with Comments." Click on it.

Step 5: Grab the ID from the URL

This action will open the ad as a standalone post in a new browser tab. You have now arrived at the ad's permanent link! Just look at the URL in your address bar.

The URL will look similar to this:

https://www.facebook.com/yourpagename/posts/1234567891234567

The final string of numbers is the ad's Post ID. You can now use this ID to promote it in other ad sets, reference it, or analyze its performance with other tools.

Final Thoughts

Finding a Facebook Post ID might seem like a technical task, but once you know the core method of clicking the timestamp to isolate the post, you can quickly grab it from the URL on any device. Whether you're working in Ads Manager or just browsing your feed on your phone, locating that unique string of numbers is just a few clicks away.

While gathering details like a Post ID is a small but important part of managing content, the real challenge for marketers is keeping the big picture in view across multiple platforms. At Postbase, we focused on solving that very struggle. We built a visual calendar that gives you a high-level view of your entire multi-platform content strategy, making it effortless to plan, schedule, and track the performance of all your posts without getting bogged down in tiny details. If you're looking for order in the chaos of modern social media marketing, our streamlined workflow could be the home base you need to build and grow your brand.