How to Get a Facebook Post URL

Trying to find the direct link to a specific Facebook post can feel unnecessarily difficult, but once you know the right spots to click, you'll be grabbing URLs in seconds. This guide will walk you through exactly how to find a post URL on any device, troubleshoot common issues with privacy or group settings, and understand why having this link is so useful for marketers and creators.

Why You Need a Facebook Post URL in the First Place

You might think a screenshot is good enough, but having the direct URL - also known as a permalink - is much more powerful. It's a versatile tool that helps you amplify your content, streamline your workflow, and track your efforts more effectively. Here are a few common scenarios where you'll need it:

• Sharing Outside of Facebook: The most obvious reason! You want to share a fantastic customer review, an exciting announcement, or a hilarious meme in an email newsletter, a Slack channel, a blog post, or on another social platform. A direct URL is the only way to do that.
• Embedding a Post on Your Website: Want to showcase user-generated content or a great piece of social proof directly on your website? You'll need the post's URL to generate the embed code. It looks cleaner and is more interactive than a simple screenshot.
• Customer Support and Team Collaboration: When a customer has an issue with a specific post or a team member needs to review a piece of content, sending them a direct link is much more efficient than saying, “Go find the post from Tuesday afternoon.”
• Contests and Giveaways: If you're running a “comment to win” or “share this post” contest, you need the post URL to use in your official rules, promotional materials, and when tracking entries with a third-party tool.
• Compiling Reports and Analytics: For social media managers, gathering URLs for top-performing posts is standard practice for monthly or quarterly reports. It allows clients or stakeholders to click through and see the original post and its engagement. This process is key to understanding social media analytics.

How to Get a Facebook Post URL on a Desktop Computer

Grabbing a link from your desktop browser is perhaps the easiest and most reliable method. There are two primary ways to do it, but the first one is practically foolproof.

Method 1: The Timestamp Method (The Best Way)

Every post on Facebook has a timestamp that indicates when it was published. It's located right under the name of the person or page who posted it. This tiny piece of text is actually a direct link to the post itself. For those managing a brand presence, knowing how to create a Facebook Page is a foundational step.

1. Navigate to the post you want the link for. You can find it on your timeline, a page's feed, or within a group.
2. Find the timestamp. It might say something like “Just now,” “5m,” “2h,” or a specific date and time like “April 15 at 10:30 PM.”
3. Simply click on that timestamp.
4. The page will reload, and you'll now be on a dedicated page showing just that single post. The URL in your browser’s address bar is the direct permalink you’re looking for. Copy and paste it anywhere you need it.

This is the most dependable method because it directs you to the post’s permanent home on the web, free of any new feed distractions. It works every single time.

Method 2: Using the Three-Dot Menu

Facebook also provides a convenient “copy link” option in the post's menu. It’s a tiny bit faster since you don’t have to wait for a page to reload.

1. Find the post.
2. In the top-right corner of the post box, click the three horizontal dots (...).
3. A dropdown menu will appear. Near the bottom, you'll see an option like "Copy link."
4. Click it. The URL is automatically copied to your clipboard, ready for you to paste.

Both methods will give you the same URL. You may notice some links look like `facebook.com/username/posts/12345` while others might look like `facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=...`. Don't worry about the structure - both are valid permalinks that will lead to the same destination.

How to Get a Facebook Post URL on Your Phone (iOS &, Android)

The process on the Facebook mobile app is just as simple, though the menu options look a little different. The easiest way is to use the “Share” button.

Using the Share Button (The Universal Mobile Method)

The ‘Share’ button holds more options than just resharing to your own feed. It’s the gateway to the post’s URL.

1. Open the Facebook app and go to the post.
2. Beneath the post content and reaction counts, you'll see the “Share” button. Tap it.
3. This will open up your phone’s sharing options. You’ll see choices like "Send in Messenger" or "Share to Your Story." Look for an option that says "Copy Link" or "Copy." Sometimes it might be hidden under a “More options...” menu, depending on your phone and app version.
4. Tap “Copy Link,” and the URL will be saved to your device's clipboard. You can now paste it into a text message, email, note, or any other app.

This is generally the fastest way to get the job done on mobile and works consistently across both iPhone and Android devices.

Navigating Post Types, Privacy, and Groups

You’ve got the link, but now someone is telling you it doesn’t work. What gives? More often than not, the issue isn’t the link itself but the post's privacy settings. Understanding who can and can’t see a post is essential.

Public vs. Private Posts

A post's privacy setting dictates who can see it. Right next to the timestamp, you'll see a small icon: a globe, two figures, etc.

• Public (Globe Icon): Anyone, whether they have a Facebook account or not, can view this post if they have the link. This is the setting for almost all posts from Business Pages.
• Friends (Two People Icon): Only people who are Facebook friends with the poster can view it. If you send this link to someone who isn't their friend, they will see an error page that says “This content isn't available right now.”
• Custom/Private: If the post was shared with a specific list of people, only that original audience can see it through the link.

So, before sharing a link, always double-check its privacy settings. If you're a brand sharing user-generated content, you must make sure that the original post is set to public.

Posts in Private or Closed Groups

This is another common source of confusion. When you grab the URL of a post from a private or closed Facebook Group, that link will only work for other members of that same group. Anyone who isn't a member will get the “content not available” error, even if they're friends with the original poster. Groups function as walled gardens, and their content links won't work outside of them. For more on this, check out how to use Facebook Groups.

Video and Photo Posts

When you want to link to a video or photo post, it's best to use the timestamp method. If you click on the photo or video itself, it might open in Facebook’s ‘theater’ view, which has a different URL and lacks the context of the original caption and comments. Clicking the timestamp ensures you're linking to the post as a whole with its full text and engagement, not just the media file. This is particularly useful when you post a video on Facebook.

Common Problems and Quick Fixes

Even with simple tasks, things can occasionally go sideways. Here are a couple of quick troubleshooting tips.

"Someone clicked my link and saw an error!"

Ninety-nine percent of the time, this is a privacy issue. The person trying to view the post doesn't have permission. They are either not friends with the person who posted it (for a "Friends Only" post) or they aren't a member of the private group where it was shared. The other, less likely possibility is that the original post has been deleted.

"I can't find the 'Copy Link' button on my phone."

Facebook's mobile UI changes from time to time. If you tap the "Share" button and can't find "Copy Link" directly, tap the "More options" or similar button that appears. This should bring up your phone's full native share sheet, which will always include a copy function.

Final Thoughts

Grabbing a specific Facebook post URL is a fundamental skill for anyone using the platform for business. Whether you stick with the reliable timestamp click on desktop or use the quick share button on mobile, you now have a surefire way to link directly to any piece of content you need for sharing, embedding, or reporting.

As you gather those URLs for key posts - whether for a client report, a performance review, or tracking campaign-specific content - keeping them organized is the next step. At Postbase, we designed our platform to put your performance data right at your fingertips. Instead of just bookmarking links, you can see all your cross-platform analytics in a clean, straightforward dashboard. It helps you quickly identify what's working and what's not, allowing you to build on your wins without getting lost in spreadsheets.