Meta released on March 27, 2025, a new feature, the Friends tab, on Facebook aimed at boosting connections between users through posts from friends and relatives only. It marks a dramatic divergence from the previously algorithm-driven content suggestions that have dominated the timelines of users lately.
The Friends tab will be created to restore the original Facebook setting, where sharing personal information with friends was the focus. The move is a nod to what Zuckerberg describes as “OG Facebook,” or old Facebook, and highlights the importance of organic social interactions. The new tab will feature different types of content, including stories, posts, reels, birthday reminders, and friend requests, and exclude non-relevant suggested posts.
First brought out in Canada and the United States, the Friends tab is replacing a piece that previously displayed friend requests and suggestions for potential connections. The change comes from users complaining that they desire greater depth in engagement on the site. Zuckerberg cited that while many users keep returning to Facebook on a daily basis, there are possibilities to expand its cultural impact further by bringing back its initial purpose.
The introduction of the Friends tab is one aspect of Meta’s broader plan to reorient people toward their friends in the midst of growing competition from platforms such as TikTok and Instagram. The company has seen that, over time, Facebook has placed greater emphasis on user-generated community content and algorithmic-driven suggestions, which led some users to view as intrusive. In light of this backlash, Meta is trying to restore the sense of friendship and personal human connection that characterized Facebook in its early days.
Users can find the Friends tab in their navigation menu on the Facebook app or pin it on their Home Feed for direct access. It is part of the overall effort by Meta to roll out other changes incrementally during the course of 2025, laying the foundation for more powerful social connections within the platform. “Ensuring Facebook is still where people are really connected, both to friends and family and to people who matter is at the very heart of Facebook’s mission into the future,” Zuckerberg added.
