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I'm trying to find a post I made on my timeline (aka wall) several months (or even years) ago, but can't find a way to search for it. I see there's a way to download my entire content, but that's very heavy.

Currently, I open the activity log (e.g., https://www.facebook.com/username/allactivity) and start scrolling down to get some info on the page. Then I use my browser to search for the text. But this is slow and, depending on how far back I want to go, tedious. Clicking on the earliest month/year in the filter only loads those periods specifically.

Anyone know of a better way that will find the search words anywhere on your activity log quickly?

Edit: There's a "bug report" (not really a bug, but lack of a feature) related to this on Facebook's developers forum.

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8 Answers 8

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12

In the search bar, type posts by me and then the string you are searching for.

The new Facebook Graph Search should return all relevant posts by you.

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  • +1 and it's faster than the app that brute-force searches, too
    – Fuhrmanator
    Oct 22, 2013 at 1:55
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    Doesn't work in Belgium. Facebook says: "This search isn't available for you yet"
    – e-motiv
    Oct 29, 2013 at 13:06
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    I get the same message as @R-U-Bn and I'm in the US.
    – Tyler Collier
    Nov 5, 2013 at 22:40
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    @R-U-Bn I guess it's still being rolled out progressively. facebook.com/about/graphsearch shows you have to enable it, and it's available for "English audiences."
    – Fuhrmanator
    Dec 19, 2013 at 22:11
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    Interesting. When I try a search like posts by me, Facebook still tell me "This search isn't available for you yet". However, facebook.com/about/graphsearch says "Graph Search is available now for English audiences.", which should include me. I live in the US and I speak English.
    – Stefan Lasiewski
    Feb 10, 2014 at 17:32
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I wrote an app that will let you perform a text search for your Facebook photo albums, videos, notes, status posts and recent events:

http://www.facebook.com/appcenter/searchforposts

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4
  • Excellent app! I appreciate the limited number of permissions that you required (1). And it worked pretty easy.
    – Rebecca Dessonville
    Dec 16, 2012 at 2:44
  • Please don't post identical answers - particularly ones just advertising your application. Astroturfing is not allowed.
    – ChrisF ♦
    Dec 16, 2012 at 9:40
  • +1 for getting the job done with limited number of permissions (and being transparent about it)
    – Fuhrmanator
    Dec 16, 2012 at 18:04
  • It tells me that the app is incorrectly configured. :/
    – Hjulle
    Sep 14, 2014 at 9:49
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+100

You should be able to search your timeline with Qsearch

Enter your query after authorizing the application and you should see something like the following

Search query "swag"

There is also the option to search other timelines

Search Friends Timelines

It searches the metadata as well so you can search for YouTube videos like

Youtube videos in search

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  • 3
    Like so many Apps on Facebook, QSearch (if you choose to allow use it) requires you grant it access to your confidential information. This includes: your email address and your likes. Neither of these is needed to search your wall, so it's clear you have to "pay" for this service. QSearch doesn't say what it uses these things for, despite stating in their privacy policy "Before or at the time of collecting personal information, we will identify the purposes for which information is being collected."
    – Fuhrmanator
    Nov 24, 2012 at 17:54
  • I don't know why I cannot find this app on Facebook App Center by searching for facebook qsearch ?
    – Nam G VU
    Feb 1, 2013 at 10:09
  • @NamG.VU, in the blue bar, I can find "QSearch". Because QSearch is too powerful, facebook doesn't want anyone to find this?
    – Shih-En Chou
    Feb 5, 2013 at 2:28
  • The permissions are less onerous now, but I got an error message when I tried to actually start using the app.
    – tripleee
    Jul 6, 2013 at 21:02
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    And the link is just to their fan page; the actual app is at app.qsearch.cc
    – tripleee
    Jan 3, 2014 at 8:03
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  1. Navigate in Facebook to Privacy Settings > Use Activity Log.

  2. Find something heavy and pointy enough to hold down the End or Page Down key on your keyboard, and set it into place.

  3. Enjoy some fresh squeezed lemonade. Come back later.

  4. Use Ctrl+F to search within the web browser page.

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  • How is this different than the alternative I mentioned in the question (ie not a good way)?
    – Fuhrmanator
    Dec 18, 2013 at 1:42
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    @Fuhrmanator: The difference is the automation via heavy object. As you indicated, manually pressing end for the minutes (hours?) it would take to load the entire history would not be fun. I also couldn't resist the irony that in our advanced modern age an appropriately shaped rock had a useful digital function.
    – Edward Brey
    Dec 18, 2013 at 12:53
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Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about it. There is currently no better way to do this via Facebook UI.

At the maximum what you can do is keep pressing the end key instead of Scrolling down, that would make it a little quicker.

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  • 2
    Sorry.. wrong answer! There is always a way to do this.. I'm working on it now and will have something available soon.. either my own app or an already available one. I'm thinking about using either Google search as an engine or OpenGrok.
    – user24650
    Sep 20, 2012 at 0:06
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    @Johana Keyword: currently. There is currently no better way, that's not to say something cannot be done in the future.
    – phwd
    Sep 20, 2012 at 0:25
  • @phwd Is saying it can't be done really a good way to answer on SE? "Currently" means nothing in internet time and seems the answer is not constructive (apart from using the END button, the only reason I didn't down-vote it).
    – Fuhrmanator
    Nov 23, 2012 at 16:16
  • @Fuhrmanator If nothing can be done within the UI then yes, "currently" seems completely reasonable. You can build an application but that's outside the scope of this site.
    – phwd
    Nov 23, 2012 at 16:26
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The following site will pull up your entire history naturally you need to be logged into to use it and if you have been a member for several years as I have it will take awhile http://archivedbook.com/

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  • when you say that being a member for several years takes a long time i assume you are refering to facebook, is that correct? if so please update your answer to reflect this
    – user53056
    Jun 29, 2013 at 19:20
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Advanced Search has gained quite some popularity and is listed on first page of Google Search results when searching for 'Facebook Search'. Though their Goal is a bit different as compared to other existing Search Applications, i.e. it allows you to find the Best Content by allowing you to Rank the results via Social Metrics(such as Likes, Comments and Shares).

Facebook Page Advanced Search

It allows you to Search your Newsfeed, any of your Fried's Newsfeed or any Facebook Page's Newsfeed, and the Best part is that they simply ask for your Public Information and no extra detail.

It has got an amazing UI, great speed and here are some Screenshots of the Search Results of the Application:

advanced search facebook application screenshot

and the Best part is that you can even Add it in your Facebook Pages.

add facebook page tab dialog

Here's how it looks inside Facebook Pages:

facebook page tab advanced search

I am the founder of this Application, please leave your comments below in case of queries.

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2
  • The Link is now Broken.
    – tripleee
    Jan 2, 2014 at 21:48
  • Was temporarily down.
    – Apoorv Saxena
    Jan 3, 2014 at 13:10
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Bei337's answer works and if you put a quote in the search you can avoid all the type-forward suggestions from Facebook.

For example, 'posts by me lemon' type-forward lists things in Facebook with "lemon" that FB thinks you might be interested in.

If instead, 'posts by me "lemon' no type-forward listings -- only your own posts are returned.

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