Facebook now lets people tell its algorithm what they want to see

On October 13, 2026, Meta announced Your Algorithm for Facebook, a way for people to shape their Feed and Reels recommendations by typing what they want in everyday language.

According to coverage from Android Headlines and Techlicious, it works like this:

• You tap the three-dot menu on a post in Feed or Reels.
• You choose Your algorithm and type topics you want more or less of, or you tap Interested or Not interested and answer a follow-up question in your own words.
• Meta says large language models (the same kind of AI behind chat assistants) read what you typed and combine it with the usual signals: likes, comments and watch time.
• Recommendations adjust in real time, within the same scrolling session.

Meta hasn't published a country-by-country schedule, so if you don't see the option yet, it may not have reached your account. The older controls, like hiding a post, snoozing and Favorites, are still there.

This isn't Meta's first try. In December 2025, Instagram launched its own Your Algorithm tool for Reels. It shows people the topics Instagram thinks they're interested in and lets them add or remove topics. It started in the U.S., and Instagram said it would expand.

Bringing the same idea to Facebook tells me where Meta is heading. Recommendations are moving away from guessing purely from behavior and toward people saying, out loud, what they want. That's a real shift in how your posts find an audience.

Think about what a person might type: "more home improvement tips," "less celebrity gossip," "local restaurants near me." Facebook has to connect those requests to actual posts, and the easiest posts to connect are the ones that clearly show what they're about.

Here's where I see small business Pages losing out:

• Vague posts. A photo with the caption "Another great day!" doesn't tell Facebook, or anyone, what topic it belongs to.
• Scattered subjects. A Page that posts memes one day and service tips the next is harder to place than one that sticks to its lane.
• Engagement bait. If people start typing "less of this kind of post," filler content is what gets filtered out first.

None of this guarantees reach. Meta doesn't share the details of how typed preferences are weighted. But clear, on-topic posts give you better odds of landing in front of someone who asked for exactly what you do.

Here's what I'd do this week if I were running your Page:

1. Say what the post is about in the first line. "Three signs your AC capacitor is failing" beats "Busy week!" every time. Write captions the way your customers would describe the topic.
2. Pick your three or four core topics and stay with them. An HVAC company might stick to cooling tips, maintenance reminders, behind-the-scenes job photos and local community posts. Consistency makes your Page easier to match.
3. Use text on your Reels. A short on-screen headline helps viewers, and it gives the topic away instantly.
4. Name your area naturally. If someone asks for more local content, posts that mention your city or the West Valley give Facebook a clear signal.
5. Watch your own feed. Try the feature yourself. Type in your industry and see what Facebook serves you. It's a free peek at your competition.

If keeping up with all of this sounds like a second job, that's exactly what my social media and video management covers. I write the posts, make the short videos, and you own all of it.

Every time a platform changes how its feed works, some businesses watch their reach rise and others watch it drop overnight. You don't control the algorithm, and now your customers have a little more say in it than you do.

That's why I always tell people Facebook should point back to something you own. Your website is the one place where you set the rules, your content stays put, and Google and AI search tools can find and quote you. If your site isn't pulling its weight, take a look at how I approach custom website design. Use social media to start the conversation, and your website to close it.