Where Facebook stores your unsent posts

Your draft posts on Facebook live in a folder called Drafts, which you reach through your profile or the compose window. Facebook automatically saves anything you write but don't publish — whether you close the window, step away, or deliberately save it for later. The drafts folder holds these posts until you finish them, delete them, or they expire after a set period.

The location of your drafts depends on whether you're using Facebook on a computer or phone, and whether you're posting as yourself or as a business page. On a computer, drafts are easiest to find through your profile. On a phone, they're in the same place but the steps are slightly different because the layout is compressed.

Key Takeaways

  • Draft posts are saved automatically whenever you start writing but don't publish, and you can find them in a dedicated Drafts folder on your profile.
  • On a computer, go to your profile, click the three dots next to your cover photo, and select Drafts to see all unsent posts.
  • On a phone, tap the three horizontal lines at the bottom right, scroll to Drafts, and tap it to view your saved posts.
  • Facebook keeps drafts for a limited time — if you don't return to them, they may disappear after several months of inactivity.
  • Business page drafts are stored separately from personal drafts and are found through the page's settings rather than your personal profile.

Finding drafts on a computer

Open Facebook and go to your profile by clicking your name or profile picture in the top left corner. Once you're on your profile page, look for the three dots (called the menu button) next to your cover photo on the left side of the screen. Click those three dots and a dropdown menu will appear with several options.

In that menu, look for the word Drafts and click it. This opens a folder showing every post you've started but not published. Each draft shows the date you began writing it and a preview of the text. Click on any draft to open it in the compose window, where you can finish writing, edit it, add photos or links, and then publish it when you're ready.

If you don't see a Drafts option in that menu, it may mean you haven't created any drafts yet, or your account settings are different. Try starting a new post by clicking "What's on your mind?" at the top of your feed, then close it without publishing — this creates a draft and should make the Drafts folder visible.

Finding drafts on a phone or tablet

On an iPhone or Android phone, open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) at the bottom right of your screen. This opens a sidebar menu with many options. Scroll down through this menu until you see Drafts listed.

Tap Drafts and you'll see a list of all your unsent posts. Each one shows when you started it and a preview of what you wrote. Tap any draft to open it, and you can then edit, add images, or publish it. The process is the same as on a computer — you're just navigating through a mobile layout instead.

If the Drafts option doesn't appear in your menu, scroll all the way to the bottom and look for a Settings option. Some phone versions of Facebook hide Drafts in a different location depending on your app version. You can also create a draft by starting to write a post and backing out without publishing, which should make the Drafts folder appear in your menu.

What happens to drafts over time

Facebook doesn't keep drafts forever. If you leave a draft unsaved for several months without returning to it, Facebook may delete it automatically. The exact timeframe varies, but most sources suggest drafts remain available for at least three to six months. If you have a post you want to keep, it's safer to publish it or save it as a note in another app rather than rely on the drafts folder as permanent storage.

Drafts are also device-specific in some cases. If you start a draft on your phone, you may not see it when you log in on a computer, depending on your Facebook settings and app version. For important posts, write them in a separate document first, then copy and paste them into Facebook when you're ready to publish.

Finding drafts for a business page

If you manage a business page, your page drafts are stored separately from your personal drafts. Go to your business page and look for the three dots menu (usually near the top of the page). Click it and select Drafts from the dropdown. This shows only posts you've started for that specific page, not your personal posts.

Some business pages also use Facebook's scheduling feature, which is different from drafts. A scheduled post is one you've finished and told Facebook to publish at a specific time in the future. Scheduled posts appear in a different section, usually labeled Scheduled or Publishing Tools. If you're looking for a post you meant to schedule but haven't published yet, check both the Drafts folder and the Scheduled section.

Recovering a draft you can't find

If you remember starting a post but can't find it in your Drafts folder, it may have been deleted or expired. Facebook doesn't send a notification when a draft disappears, so there's no way to recover it after it's gone. The best prevention is to finish and publish posts you care about rather than leaving them as drafts.

If you're on a computer and you started typing a post in the compose box but didn't save it, try refreshing the page — sometimes Facebook will prompt you to recover unsaved text. On a phone, closing the app and reopening it occasionally brings back text you were in the middle of writing, though this isn't may provide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see drafts from a different device than the one I created them on?

Not always. Drafts created on your phone may not appear when you log in on a computer, and vice versa. Facebook syncs some drafts across devices, but the process isn't reliable. If you need a post on multiple devices, finish writing it in a notes app or document first, then copy it into Facebook on whichever device you're using.

What's the difference between a draft and a scheduled post?

A draft is a post you've started but not finished or published. A scheduled post is one you've completed and told Facebook to publish automatically at a specific date and time in the future. Scheduled posts appear in a different folder and will publish on their own without you doing anything else.

If I delete a draft, can I get it back?

No. Once you delete a draft from your Drafts folder, Facebook doesn't keep a copy. If the post was important, you'll need to rewrite it. This is why it's useful to write longer posts in a separate document first — you'll have a backup if something goes wrong.

Why don't I see a Drafts option in my menu?

You may not have any drafts saved yet. Drafts only appear in your menu once you've created at least one. Start writing a post by clicking "What's on your mind?" and then close it without publishing — this creates a draft and should make the Drafts folder visible in your menu.

How long does Facebook keep a draft before deleting it?

Facebook typically keeps drafts for three to six months of inactivity, though the exact timeframe isn't publicly stated. If you have a post you want to preserve, publish it or save it elsewhere rather than leaving it as a draft indefinitely.