Facebook has gone through countless different iterations over the years with update after update ensuring that the platform has stayed on top of the social media game. However, not everyone likes change, do they?
And this is absolutely the case when it comes to mobile phone apps and websites with millions of people around the world complaining every time a new update is added to their favourite app/website.
When this happens, some platforms give the users the ability to revert back to the original version of said app/website. Is this the case when it comes to Facebook?
Well, if you want to know the answer to that then you’ve come to the right place because that is exactly what we are going to be looking at today. Let’s get started.
How to switch back to classic Facebook – Is it possible?
In the past, Facebook has allowed user to switch back to the ‘Classic’ look shortly after each update is rolled out.
However, as there hasn’t been an update to the Facebook interface in a while, that option is no longer there meaning that Facebook just wants users to adjust and get used to the platform’s new look.
That doesn’t mean to say that it is impossible, it just means that you are going to have go away from Facebook and use a third party app/plugin to experience the classic Facebook design. You can still switch back to a classic Facebook page, but not a profile.
Sadly, there are no mobile phone apps that are currently available that will do this for you, so if you’re looking to revert back to the ‘classic’ Facebook app interface then we have some bad news for you.
However, if you just want to change how the interface looks on a web browser, then all is not lost. Well, if you’re using Google Chrome that is anyway.
One of Google Chrome’s best feature are its ‘extensions’ which are basically plugins which enhance a user’s browsing experience.
Within the extension marketplace, there are a couple of plugins that will revert you back to the classic Facebook look if you choose to download them.
Google Chrome extensions
The Google Chrome extensions that we would recommend for this functionality are:
If neither of these extensions work for you but you want to look for alternatives, then please follow these instructions:
- Fire up Google Chrome.
- Select the three dots on the top right hand side of Chrome and select ‘settings’
- From the left hand side menu, select ‘extensions’.
- Select the three lined icon on the top left of the screen and click ‘open chrome web store’.
- Search for terms related to reverting back your Facebook interface to its classic look.
Switching back to Classic Facebook Page
Although Facebook isn’t currently allowing users to revert back the standard Facebook interface to the classic look, it is allowing users who have pages on the platform to do it.
Due to the fact that pages fall under the remit of Facebook Business, it would be unwise for Facebook to put off millions of Facebook users who are used to dealing with their accounts in a certain way.
Facebook Business makes it easy to fulfil certain tasks, like banning someone from your Facebook Business page.
As a result Facebook has given them the option to revert their pages interface to ‘classic. If you are a page owner who is looking to do this, then please follow these steps:
- Log in to your Facebook account via web browser on a desktop computer or laptop.
- Navigate to the pages section of the platform and make sure you are logged in as the admin.
- Select the three dotted icon next to ‘edit page’ and click ‘switch to classic page’
- Confirm your decision by selecting ‘continue’.
What happens when you revert your page to ‘Classic’
Although making this move may seem like a good idea at the time, there are a few things that you will lose out on should you decide to switch your page to ‘classic’. They are as follows:
- The new and improved insights function will also revert back to its classic look and functionality meaning you will lose out on potentially key insights into your page’s performance.
- Any ads that you created while on the updated version will be stopped.
- Any posts that you created on the updated version will be lost forever.
- You will lose out on all the new features, meaning all you’ll have access to will be ‘feed’, ‘groups’ and ‘events’.
- You may find that Facebook is slow, especially in comparison to the newest version.
To cut a long story short, it shouldn’t be a decision that you make lightly, as switching back to the old Facebook layout can have an effect on both your Facebook interface but also your posts too.
Conclusion
To conclude, Facebook isn’t currently allowing standard users to change back to the ‘classic’ Facebook look. They used to allow users to switch back to the old Facebook layout easily, but this is no longer the case.
If you are adamant that you want to do this, though, then check out the chrome extensions we’ve suggested above and you should have you classic Facebook look back in no time.
