Step-by-step: switching between the new Facebook and Classic Facebook
Facebook.com rolled out a redesigned version of its website. Facebook called the old design Classic Facebook and the refreshed design the New Facebook (on some screens it was also labelled "Facebook Beta"). Here's how switching between the two versions worked.
Update
A growing number of users reported that they no longer saw the option to switch between the two interfaces. Facebook usually rolls out changes to some users at a time. At the time of writing, the option was still visible for some accounts, but Facebook was removing it gradually.
If the option hadn't been removed for you, you probably saw a warning when you signed in that Classic Facebook would be going away soon. Facebook announced that Classic Facebook would no longer be available starting in September, and the switch was changed to a temporary one that lasted 48 hours.
Once your account was fully moved to the New Facebook, there was no way to switch back.
Why Facebook changed its design
In mid-2020, Facebook began rolling out a new look for Facebook.com to bring it closer to the mobile app. Mark Zuckerberg announced the change a year earlier, and it was rolled out in stages.
As with most Facebook updates, the change was gradual. Many users didn't like the new version at first, and some important features were missing early on. To ease the transition, Facebook let users switch between the New Facebook and Classic Facebook for a limited time.
How to switch from Classic Facebook to the New Facebook
- Click the small white down arrow at the top right of the blue bar.
- Choose Switch to New Facebook.
How to switch from the New Facebook back to Classic Facebook
- Click the small dark arrow at the top right of the page (inside the light circle).
- Choose Switch to Classic Facebook, if the option is still available for your account.
Facebook rolled out the switchover to users in phases, so many people were moved automatically and no longer saw the option to go back.
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