The difference between Facebook stories and reels is time and reach. Stories are everyday moments visible for 24 hours to friends, followers and people you've chatted with on Messenger. Reels are short-form videos with music, audio and AR effects, and they start with a Public audience, which you can change.
They sit next to each other at the top of your Feed, they're both vertical and both quick, so it's easy to think they're the same thing. They're not. One is built to disappear and stay close to home; the other is built to travel.
| Stories | Reels | |
|---|---|---|
| What they're for | Everyday moments | Short-form videos with music, audio and AR effects |
| Who sees them first | Friends, followers and people you've chatted with on Messenger | Public, by default |
| Changing the audience | One choice covers all active stories | Per reel, while creating or any time after |
How stories behave
Stories are for the small stuff: what you're up to today, a snap from a walk, a quick update. They're only visible for 24 hours. After that, you can revisit the ones you've shared in your story archive.
The privacy works differently from a normal post. The audience you choose for stories applies to all your active stories at once, and future stories use the same choice until you change it. So if you narrow it for one story, every story currently showing gets the same setting.
How reels behave
Reels are short videos that can include music, audio, AR effects and other options. You can watch reels from creators and make your own to share with friends around the world. The key difference: reels are first set to Public. You can change a reel's audience while creating it or at any time afterwards, and you can set a default audience for future reels.
If you're keen to grow with reels, the ideas in getting more reach on Facebook Reels are worth a read. And if you've bookmarked a reel and can't find it, here's where Facebook keeps your saved reels.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
Switching between them in your Feed
At the top of your Feed, you'll see an option to switch between stories and reels. Facebook's help centre notes this isn't available for everyone, so if you can't see it, it may simply not be available on your account yet.
Which one to use: the bottom line
Use a story when the moment is personal and short-lived and you want it in front of people who already know you. Use a reel when you want a video to find new people, and check the audience before you share, because reels start as Public. If a reel feels too personal for the world, change its audience, or post it as a story instead.
Frequently asked questions
Can I change who sees my reel after posting?
Yes. You can change a reel's audience at any time, and you can also set a default audience for future reels.
Can I see a story after 24 hours?
Stories are only visible for 24 hours, but you can revisit stories you've shared in your story archive.
