How to Make a Post Shareable on Facebook

Introduction

Have you ever posted something amazing on Facebook, only to have friends tell you they can't share it? Or perhaps you're running a business page and want your content to go viral, but the "Share" button is mysteriously missing for some users.

The reason for this is almost always Privacy Settings. If your post is not set to "Public", people who aren't your friends (and sometimes even your friends, depending on settings) won't be able to share it.

In this guide, we'll walk you through exactly how to make your Facebook posts shareable, whether you're using a computer or the mobile app.

Why Can't People Share My Post?

By default, Facebook protects your privacy. If your account is set to "Friends Only", any post you make is visible only to your friends. Even if a friend sees it and wants to share it to their timeline, Facebook prevents this because sharing it would make it visible to their friends (who might not be your friends).

To enable sharing, you must change the audience of the post to Public.

How to Make a New Post Shareable

When creating a new post, you can choose the audience before you hit "Post".

On Desktop (Web Browser)

1. Start a post: Click on "What's on your mind?" at the top of your Feed.
2. Check the audience selector: Below your name, you will see a button that likely says "Friends" or "Public".
3. Change to Public: Click that button and select Public.
4. Post: Create your content and click Post. Now, anyone can see and share this post.

On Mobile (iOS & Android)

1. Tap "What's on your mind?" to start a new post.
2. Tap the audience button: Located under your name (it usually has an icon of people or a globe).
3. Select "Public": Choose Public from the list of options.
4. Done: Go back and finish your post.

How to Make an Existing Post Shareable

If you've already posted something and realized people can't share it, don't worry! You don't need to delete and repost it. You can edit the privacy settings of any past post.

On Desktop

1. Find the post on your profile.
2. Identify the privacy icon: Look at the small icon next to the date/time stamped on the post.
   • 👥 Two people icon: Shared with Friends only.
   • 🌎 Globe icon: Public (Shareable).
3. Click the icon: If it's not a globe, click the icon.
4. Select "Public": Changing this instantly makes the share button available to everyone.

On Mobile

1. Go to your post.
2. Tap the three dots (...) in the top right corner of the post.
3. Tap "Edit Privacy" (on some versions, this might be under "Edit Audience").
4. Choosing "Public": Select Public and then go back. The post is now shareable.

How to Lock Your Profile but Keep Posts Shareable?

Many users want to keep their profile information private (like their friends list or photos) but still want specific posts to be shareable.

• You do not need to unlock your entire profile to make a post shareable.
• Privacy is set on a per-post basis. You can have a "Friends Only" profile but make one specific holiday photo "Public".

Note: If you have locked your profile completely (a feature available in some countries), you genuinely cannot make Public posts. You must unlock your profile first to allow public sharing.

Troubleshooting: Why Is It Still Not Working?

If you've set your post to Public but people still report issues:

1. Group Posts: If you post inside a Private Group, your post can never be shared outside that group, regardless of your personal settings. This is to protect the group's privacy.
2. Share Button Glitch: Sometimes the mobile app caches old settings. Ask your friend to refresh their feed.
3. Restricted Accounts: If your account has been flagged for spam, Facebook might temporarily disable sharing features for your content.

Summary

Making a post shareable is as simple as finding the Audience Selector 🌎 and changing it to Public. You can do this before you post or anytime afterwards.

Now go ahead and spread your message to the world!