How to Make a Post Public on Facebook

Ever published a fantastic piece of content on Facebook, only to have a friend tell you they couldn't share it with their network? That little setting is the culprit, and it's holding back your content's reach from the wider audience you want to connect with. This guide breaks down exactly how to make your Facebook post public, whether you're about to post, need to change an old one, or just want to set Public as your default so you never have to think about it again.

Why Your Post's Audience Matters More Than You Think

Before getting into the step-by-step, it's worth understanding the choices you have and why "Public" is so powerful. Facebook is all about letting you control who sees your stuff, and it gives you a few primary options for your posts:

• Public: Anyone on or off Facebook can see your post. This is the setting you need for maximum reach, sharing, and discoverability.
• Friends: Only people you are friends with on Facebook can see it. This is the default setting for most personal profiles.
• Friends except...: Lets you show a post to all your friends while hiding it from specific people.
• Specific friends: Lets you hand-pick a small list of friends who can see the post, making it semi-private.
• Only me: Essentially a private post that only you can see. Great for saving drafts or storing information for yourself.

For brands, creators, marketers, or anyone trying to build a presence, the Public setting is essential. Think of it as opening the doors to your shop. When a post is public, it can be shared by anyone, appear in search results both on and off Facebook, and has the potential to travel far beyond your immediate list of friends. It's the only way to tap into the network effect that makes social media such a transformative tool for growth.

Making a New Post Public: Your Step-by-Step Guide

Getting it right from the start is the easiest way to manage your audience settings. Here's how to set a new post to Public before you hit that publish button, whether you're on a computer or your phone.

On a Computer (Desktop Website)

When you're working from your laptop or desktop, the audience selector is easily visible right inside the post creation window.

1. Start creating a new post from your News Feed or your profile page by clicking the "What's on your mind?" box.
2. Just below your profile name, you'll see a small button that likely shows an icon of two people and the word "Friends." This is the audience selector.
3. Click on that button. A dropdown menu titled "Select audience" will appear.
4. From the list of options, choose Public. It will have a globe icon next to it.
5. You'll now see the button has switched to show the globe icon and "Public." Go ahead and write your caption, add an image or video, and then click the blue "Post" button. Your post is now live and visible to everyone.

On Mobile (iOS and Android App)

The process on the Facebook mobile app is just as simple. The audience selector is in a similar location and is easy to change before you publish.

1. Open the Facebook app and tap the "What's on your mind?" bar at the top of your News Feed.
2. Underneath your profile name, you will see a button that says "Friends" or "Public."
3. Tap that button. This will take you to a new screen called "Select Audience."
4. Choose Public from the list. A blue checkmark will appear next to it.
5. Tap "Done" at the top right to save your choice and return to your post.
6. Now, compose the rest of your post and tap "Post." It's officially public.

Already Posted? How to Make an Existing Post Public

Don't worry if you've already shared something with a limited audience. Facebook makes it incredibly easy to go back and edit the visibility of any post you've made. This is useful for when an older post suddenly becomes relevant again and you want more people to see and share it.

On a Computer

Finding the setting on an existing post takes just a couple of clicks.

1. Navigate to your timeline and find the specific post you want to make public.
2. In the top-right corner of the post, click the three-dot menu icon (...).
3. From the dropdown menu that appears, select "Edit audience."
4. A list of audience options will pop up. Choose Public.

And that's it! The privacy setting for that specific post is instantly updated, and the icon next to the timestamp will change from the friends icon to the public globe icon.

On a Mobile Device

The steps on your phone are almost identical and just as quick.

1. Find the post you want to edit on your profile.
2. Tap the three-dot menu icon (...) in the top-right corner of the post.
3. From the menu, tap "Edit Audience."
4. On the next screen, select Public.

The change is saved automatically, and the post is immediately accessible to a public audience.

Save Time: Set Your Default Post Audience to Public

If you're a business owner, a public figure, or a content creator who always intends for their posts to be public, changing your default setting can save you time and prevent accidentally posting privately. Facebook's system typically remembers your last used audience setting and applies it to your next post, but you can check and set your global default to be sure.

Here's how to review and potentially change your default audience settings for future posts:

1. On the desktop site, click your profile picture in the top right and go to Settings & Privacy > Settings. On mobile, tap the menu (hamburger icon) and go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
2. Under the "Audience and Visibility" section, find the option for Posts.
3. Look for the line that says "Who can see your future posts?" and click or tap "Edit" next to it.
4. From here, you can select Public as your default audience.

After you set this, Facebook will default to "Public" anytime you create a new post, though you can still change the audience for any individual post before you publish it. It offers peace of mind that your content is going out with the broadest possible reach unless you decide otherwise.

Common Problems: "Why Can't I Make My Post Public?"

Sometimes you might run into a situation where the "Public" option is grayed out or simply not available. This almost always comes down to where you are posting, not a problem with your account.

You're Posting in a Private Group

This is the most common reason. If you're posting inside a Facebook Group that is set to "Private" or "Closed," the group's privacy settings override your personal settings. All content shared inside a private group is visible only to other members of that group. There is no way to make a post within a private group public. You would have to share the content on your own timeline or a Public Page instead.

Your Profile-Level Privacy Settings are Too Restrictive

Within Facebook's Privacy Settings, there's a tool called "Limit Past Posts." If you have ever used this feature, it automatically changed the audience of all your past public posts to "Friends" in one action. This tool is a one-way street, to make those posts public again, you must go back and change the audience for each one manually.

You're Posting on a Business Page vs. a Personal Profile

This is less of a problem and more of a clarification. Posts made from a Facebook Business Page are public by default. Pages are designed for public figures, businesses, and organizations, so content is meant for broad distribution. If you're managing a Page and your content isn't visible, check that the entire page is published and visible. This setting can be found in your Page Settings.

Think Like a Marketer: When and Why to Post Publicly

Flipping the switch to "Public" is more than a technical setting, it's a strategic decision. By making your content public, you unlock doors for growth that are simply not available otherwise.

• For Brand Awareness: Public posts are how strangers discover you. When your existing followers share your content, their friends see it, and their friends see it, creating a chain reaction that introduces your brand, art, or ideas to an exponentially larger audience.
• For Community Building: Public content invites conversation from everyone, not just your immediate circle. It allows for new followers to discover your work through hashtags, search, or shares, and participate in the discussion, turning a profile into a community hub.
• For SEO & Discoverability: Search engines like Google can index public Facebook posts. That means when someone is searching for a topic you've discussed, your Facebook post could show up in their search results, driving organic traffic directly to your content long after it was posted.

Deciding when to use "Friends" or a custom list is just as important. Save those settings for personal life updates, family photos, or discussions where you're seeking input from a trusted circle. For anything related to your business, brand, or personal creative work, think "Public" first.

Final Thoughts

Making a Facebook post public is a simple action, but it's central to using the platform for growth. By understanding how to check the settings for new posts, edit old ones, and set your default for the future, you gain full control over who sees your content and how far it can travel.

Consistently managing your public content across multiple platforms is the key to creating a strong, cohesive brand presence. At Postbase, we designed our platform to solve this exact challenge. Our visual calendar lets you plan and schedule all your content - from Facebook posts to Instagram Reels and TikToks - from one clean dashboard, making sure you reach the right audience, at the right time, every single time.