How to Reset the Facebook Algorithm

Feels like your Facebook feed is full of random videos, angry comments, and posts from people you barely know? You're not alone. While there’s no single “reset” button to magically fix it, you can retrain the algorithm to show you more of what you actually want to see. This guide will walk you through, step by step, how to take back control of your feed and clean up the content you consume.

Why Your Facebook Feed Feels So... Off

Before we jump into the fixes, it helps to understand what’s happening behind the screen. The Facebook algorithm is a complex system designed with one main goal: to keep you on the platform for as long as possible. To do this, it watches everything you do - every like, comment, share, click, and even how long you pause on a video - and uses that data to predict what you’ll find most engaging.

The problem is, the algorithm isn’t a mind reader. It can get confused. Here’s why your feed might have gone sideways:

• Passive Scrolling: If you scroll without interacting, the algorithm has to guess. It might start showing you random 'viral' content instead of posts from your friends.
• "Hate-Watching" or "Rage-Engaging": The algorithm doesn't know why you’re engaging. If you comment on an inflammatory political post to argue, the algorithm just sees "engagement!" and shows you more of it.
• Old Habits: Pages or groups you liked years ago might be filling your feed with irrelevant content now, drowning out the things you currently care about.
• Shifting Content Strategies: Pages you follow might have changed their content style to chase viral trends, and now it no longer aligns with why you followed them in the first place.

Essentially, your feed becomes a reflection of your past behavior, not your current interests. To fix it, you need to start giving it clear, new signals about what you want to see moving forward.

How to Retrain Your Facebook Feed: A Step-by-Step Guide

This process is like tidying up a messy room. You need to declutter first before you can organize what you want to keep. Follow these steps consistently for a week or two, and you’ll notice a major difference.

Step 1: Go on an “Unfollow” Spree (But Keep Your Friends)

This is the most powerful action you can take. You don't have to unfriend your aunt or remove yourself from your local community group, but you can stop their posts from appearing in your feed.

Unfollowing simply removes a person, Page, or Group’s content from your feed. You’ll still be friends or a member, and you can visit their profile or page anytime you want to see their updates. It's the perfect way to declutter without creating any social drama.

How to do it:

1. Navigate to your "Settings &, Privacy" menu.
2. Select "Feed" (sometimes called "News Feed Preferences").
3. Tap on "Unfollow."

From here, Facebook will show you a list of the people, pages, and groups you’ve interacted with most frequently. Scroll through and mercilessly unfollow anything that doesn't bring you value, inspiration, or joy. Be ruthless! That page you liked in 2012 for a contest doesn't need to be in your feed today.

Step 2: Actively "Show Less" and Hide Posts

Think of this as giving the algorithm direct feedback in real-time. Whenever you see a post in your feed that feels irrelevant or annoying, you need to tell Facebook.

For any post, click the three little dots `(...)` in the top-right corner. You'll see several options:

• Show less: This is a gentle nudge. You're telling the algorithm, "I'm not a huge fan of this type of content, please dial it back a bit." It helps reduce similar suggested content in the future.
• Snooze [Name] for 30 days: A great option if a friend is posting way too much about their vacation or a group is in the middle of a heated debate. It’s a temporary unfollow.
• Unfollow [Name]: The permanent solution, as described in Step 1.
• Hide post: This removes that specific post from your feed and signals a mild disinterest in a similar fashion to "show less."

Do this five to ten times a day when you’re scrolling. It seems small, but these little signals add up and teach the algorithm your preferences much faster.

Step 3: Tell Facebook Who Your Favorites Are

While decluttering is about sending negative signals, using the "Favorites" list is about sending strong positive ones. You can choose up to 30 people and Pages to add to a special list. Their posts will appear higher in your feed, and you can even view a "Favorites-only" feed if you want to filter out all the noise.

This is your way of telling Facebook: "No matter what happens, I always want to see content from this source." It’s an invaluable tool for making sure your closest friends, family, and most-loved creators don't get lost.

How to do it:

1. Go back to the "Settings &, Privacy" >, "Feed" menu.
2. Select "Favorites."
3. Add the friends and Pages you want to prioritize.

Step 4: Clean Up Your Ad Interactions

The ads you see are directly tied to how the algorithm profiles you. By cleaning up your ad topics, you can refine the content - both paid and organic - that Facebook thinks you're interested in.

How to do it:

1. Navigate to "Settings &, Privacy" >, "Settings."
2. Scroll down and find "Ad Preferences" or "Ads."
3. Go to "Ad Topics." You’ll be horrified and amused to see all the things Facebook thinks you like based on your activity.

You’ll see a list of topics. Click on any topic and choose "Show less" to remove it. If you got targeted by an advertiser who uploaded a customer list, you can check the "Audiences" tab to remove yourself from lists you don’t want to be on. It's a quick privacy check-up and a great way to refine your profile.

Step 5: Be More Intentional With Your Engagement

Once you’ve done the manual cleanup, your future scrolling habits will determine whether the algorithm stays trained. Here’s what to do going forward:

• Be Selective with Likes: Don’t just like everything. Save your likes and especially your reactions (Love, Haha, Wow) for posts you genuinely appreciate and want to see more of.
• Leave Meaningful Comments: The algorithm weighs comments more heavily than likes. A short, genuine comment on a friend's post is a powerful signal.
• Click with Purpose: Only click on articles, videos, and links that you truly find interesting. Avoid clicking on shocking headlines just out of curiosity.
• Stop the Rage-Scrolling: If you see a post that makes you angry, scroll past it. Resist the urge to comment or share it. Engaging with negative content is the fastest way to invite more of it into your feed.

What About Resetting the Algorithm for Your Business Page?

If you're a creator or a business, you're on the other side of the equation. You can't "reset" the global algorithm, but you can change how it perceives your content, especially if your reach has been steadily declining.

Sagging reach usually means there's a disconnect between what you're posting and what your audience wants to see. A "reset" for you means re-evaluating your strategy.

Review Your Content Pillars

Your primary content themes - your pillars - are the foundation of your page. If they are no longer connecting, it's time to refresh them. Check your analytics. What formats are driving the most engagement right now, not a year ago? Are people responding more to behind-the-scenes content, educational tips, or entertaining videos? Double down on what's working and don’t be afraid to phase out what isn't.

Experiment with New Formats

Social media platforms reward creators for using their newer features. If you are exclusively posting static images, it’s time to start creating Reels. If you only do in-feed content, experiment with Stories and interactive stickers like polls and quizzes. Short-form video is dominating social media, and ignoring it means you’re fighting the algorithm instead of working with it.

Cultivate Intentional Engagement

Don't just post and walk away. Foster a community. Ask direct questions in your captions to encourage comments. Use a clear call to action. And most importantly, reply to as many comments as you can. A lively comments section is one of the strongest signals to the algorithm that your content is valuable and should be shown to more people. An active page that interacts with its audience will always be favored over one that just broadcasts information. Increasing your Facebook page engagement is key to boosting your content's reach.

Final Thoughts

Retraining the Facebook algorithm requires a little effort upfront, but it pays off by creating a more positive and relevant online experience. It's an ongoing process of being intentional with your clicks, unfollows, and engagement - providing clear signals to show the algorithm what you value.

That process of staying intentional is way easier when your workflow is simple and clean. At Postbase, we designed our platform to help creators and businesses manage their content without fighting old, clunky software. Our visual calendar makes it easy to plan content that your audience actually wants to see, preventing the slump that leads to poor reach in the first place. You can schedule for all your platforms at once - especially the short-form video that algorithms love - and see all your analytics dashboard to instantly know what’s working. It makes creating a consistent, engaging presence feel manageable. Find out how much simpler it can be with Postbase.