Skip to main content

Facebook knows what you did last summer, introduces flashback feature to remind you

facebooks on this day feature lets users block unwanted memories onthisday
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Do you remember what you were doing this time last year? Facebook does, and it wants to remind you with its newest feature. Dubbed “On This Day,” it will take you back in time to see what you posted in the past.

On This Day will begin its roll out today and make its way into your Facebook feed by the end of the week. It will be available online, an icon on the bookmark bar, using the search bar, or via stories in your news feed. Mobile users on iOS and Android will have the ability to opt in to notifications from On This Day. Desktop users can also subscribe to daily notifications that will show them something they shared on Facebook years ago.

What will you see? Simple – daily blasts from the past. If you shared a photo of yourself and some friends two years ago today, Facebook will bring it back up so you can feel a bit of nostalgia for that moment. You’ll also see status updates, posts from friends, and posts that you’ve been tagged in.

Of course, there’s always the chance that Facebook will accidentally trigger some memories you’d rather stayed forgotten. If that happens, don’t despair, it’s easy to delete or edit the post, giving you the ability to retroactively touch up your life.

But this is Facebook, where it’s appropriate to share the best things in life, and you’ll be able to share those On This Day special moments with your friends. It presents a great way to relive the best parts of your past and look back on forgotten times and forgotten friends. Facebook is all about connecting, so what better way to get people to connect than by getting them back in touch with their friends and family via flashback?

Editors' Recommendations

AJ Dellinger
AJ Dellinger is a freelance reporter from Madison, Wisconsin with an affinity for all things tech. He has been published by…
You can now use the Add Yours sticker on Reels for Facebook and Instagram
A series of three mobile screenshots on a gray background showing the new Add Yours sticker for Facebook Reels.

As of today, Facebook and IG creators have six new features they can use for their Reels content. But of the six, the most intriguing feature is support for a sticker prompt that was first used and popularized in Instagram Stories.

Meta announced via a Facebook video post that, in addition to all of its other new Reels-focused features, it would now offer support for its Add Yours sticker prompt in Reels for both Instagram and Facebook.

Read more
The new ways Meta will pay you to make content for Facebook and Instagram
facebook hacked

Creators on Facebook and Instagram will soon have more ways to generate revenue from their content.

On Tuesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg shared via a Facebook post (and in a series of comments on that post), a few updates on monetization for creators on Facebook and Instagram. These updates included expansions to existing monetization options, as well as a few new ways to make money.

Read more
Instagram and Facebook apps add features, move ever-closer to TikTok parity
Screenshots of full-screen posts on Instagram.

Meta has introduced new tools for the Reels video feature on Instagram and Facebook that are a one-two punch against TikTok. The company announced the new features on Thursday, saying they would make it easier for content creators who prefer one or both of the platforms to their behemoth long-form video competitor to better connect with their audience.

On Instagram, Meta has extended Reels to 90 seconds, giving users more time to express themselves and promote their brands and products. In addition to the extended run time, Reels is also getting stickers that were once exclusive to Instagram Stories. Aside from the captions that are present at the beginning of a video, users will be able to use polls, stickers, and emoji slider stickers when showing their viewers new things or comparing what hairstyle, outfit, or product design they might like best.

Read more