Restore Deleted Stories on Facebook
Have you accidentally deleted your Facebook story and want to get it back? While Facebook doesn’t provide a direct way to undelete stories, there are a few proven methods to help you restore deleted stories on facebook. This guide covers all the latest ways to restore deleted stories in 2025 and tips to avoid losing your stories in the future.
Table of Contents
Method 1: Check Your Facebook Stories Archive
Facebook automatically saves your stories if the Archive feature is enabled. This is the easiest and most reliable way to recover deleted stories.
Steps to Access Your Story Archive:
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Open the Facebook app on your phone.
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Tap on your profile picture or go to your profile page.
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Tap the three-dot menu next to Add Story.
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Select Archive from the menu.
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Switch to the Stories Archive tab.
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Browse through your archived stories to find the deleted one.
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Tap the story and then tap Share to repost it or Save to download it to your device.
Note: If you don’t see the Archive option, it might be disabled. Enable it in Settings → Story Settings → Save Story to Archive.
Enabling the Archive feature is highly recommended because stories usually disappear after 24 hours. You can also customize who can see your archived stories, giving you full control over your privacy. For more on controlling your content visibility, check our comprehensive Facebook Privacy Settings for 2025 guide.
Method 2: Download Your Facebook Data
If your deleted story isn’t in the archive, your next option is to download your Facebook data. Facebook allows users to export all their data, including stories, posts, messages, and more.
How to Download Your Facebook Data:
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Open Facebook and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines).
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Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings.
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Scroll to Your Facebook Information and tap Download Your Information.
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Select the date range (choosing All Time is safest).
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Make sure the Stories checkbox is selected, along with any other data you want.
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Choose Format: HTML to make the files easier to browse.
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Tap Create File and wait for Facebook to prepare your download. This can take a few minutes to hours depending on data size.
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Download the file when it’s ready and open it to check for your deleted stories.
For detailed help on Facebook data download and privacy, visit Facebook’s official Data Download Help Center.
You can also read our guide on how to recover deleted Facebook messages for additional recovery tips.
Method 3: Check Your Phone’s Gallery or Camera Roll
Sometimes, Facebook automatically saves your stories directly to your phone’s local storage. Before trying complicated recovery methods, it’s a good idea to check your device’s Photos or Gallery app, where deleted stories might still be available.
How to Check for Saved Facebook Stories on Your Phone:
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Open the Photos or Gallery App
Launch the default app you use to view photos and videos on your smartphone. -
Look for Facebook or Stories Folders
Browse through your albums or folders to find ones labeled Facebook, Stories, or similar names. These folders often store media saved from the Facebook app. -
Search for Your Deleted Story Files
Scroll through the images and videos in these folders and look for the content matching your deleted Facebook story. -
Save or Restore Your Story Content
If you find the story files, you can copy or move them to your preferred folder or gallery section for easy access later.
Bonus Tip: Automatically Save Facebook Stories to Your Camera Roll
To avoid losing stories in the future, you can enable the Save Story to Camera Roll option within the Facebook app settings:
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Open the Facebook app.
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Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings.
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Navigate to Stories or Story Settings.
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Turn on Save Story to Camera Roll (or Save to Gallery).
This feature will automatically save every story you post to your phone, making it easier to recover deleted stories anytime without third-party tools.
Tips to Avoid Losing Facebook Stories in the Future
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Always enable Story Archive to keep automatic backups of your stories.
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Regularly download your Facebook data as an offline backup.
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Use the Facebook app’s save story feature to save copies on your device immediately after posting.
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Avoid deleting stories unless you’re absolutely sure.
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Use trusted backup apps or cloud storage services for extra security.
For more on protecting your data, visit Facebook’s Help Center.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q: Can I recover a Facebook story deleted more than 24 hours ago?
A: Only if the Story Archive was enabled or if you have downloaded your Facebook data backup.
Q: Does Facebook notify others if I restore or repost a deleted story?
A: No, restoring or sharing archived stories is a private action and not notified to others.
Q: Are there third-party apps that can recover deleted Facebook stories?
A: Be cautious with third-party apps — many are scams or violate privacy. It’s safer to rely on Facebook’s built-in features.