When Did Facebook Come Out? Launch Date and Timeline

Last checked October 2026.

Facebook is the grandparent of the big social networks, and plenty of people can't remember a time before it. It started as a website for one university, spread college by college, then opened to almost anyone with an email address. I've taken the dates on this page from Wikipedia's articles on Facebook, its history and Meta Platforms, so you can trace each one back.

If you run a business Page, the history explains a lot: why Facebook feels so different from its early days, why the News Feed matters so much, and why the company behind it's now called Meta.

TheFacebook at Harvard: the very first version of Facebook

On 4 February 2004, Mark Zuckerberg launched TheFacebook. It began as a site for Harvard students, a place to look up classmates and share a profile. That date is the answer to the question most people are asking when they want to know when Facebook came out.

It didn't stay at Harvard for long. Wikipedia's History of Facebook article says it expanded to Stanford, Columbia and Yale in March 2004, and the company moved to Palo Alto, California, in June 2004. Over the following months it became available at most universities in the US and Canada.

For comparison with the newer apps, my guide to Snapchat's launch date shows how much later the next wave of social apps arrived.

Facebook drops 'the' and opens to everyone

In 2005, the company dropped 'the' from its name and became simply Facebook. A high school version followed in September 2005, which widened the network beyond university students.

The real turning point came on 26 September 2006. That's the date Wikipedia's History of Facebook article gives for Facebook opening to anyone aged 13 or over with a valid email address. From then on, Facebook wasn't a student directory any more; it was a social network for the general public.

Facebook's milestones from 2004 to Meta

Every row below comes from Wikipedia's Facebook, History of Facebook or Meta Platforms articles, or from the Instagram and WhatsApp articles for the two purchases.

Date	What happened at Facebook
4 February 2004	TheFacebook launches at Harvard
March 2004	It expands to Stanford, Columbia and Yale
June 2004	The company moves to Palo Alto, California
2005	The name changes from TheFacebook to Facebook
September 2005	A high school version launches
2006	News Feed is introduced
26 September 2006	Facebook opens to anyone 13 or over with a valid email
2007	Facebook Pages launch for brands and celebrities
9 February 2009	The Like button is switched on
August 2011	Messenger becomes a standalone mobile app
September 2011	Profiles are redesigned as Timeline
9 April 2012	Facebook announces it's buying Instagram
19 February 2014	Facebook announces it's buying WhatsApp
28 October 2021	The company announces its new name, Meta

News Feed, the Like button and Messenger: how Facebook changed

Three features did more than anything else to turn Facebook into the app we know.

News Feed (2006). News Feed put friends' updates into one stream you scroll on the home screen. It's still the heart of Facebook, and it's why reach on Facebook depends so much on what the feed chooses to show.

The Like button (9 February 2009). Wikipedia records that the Like button was first switched on that day. It gave people a one-tap way to react, and it's now so familiar that most people can't picture Facebook without it.

Messenger (August 2011). Messaging moved into its own standalone app in August 2011. That's why you now switch between two apps on your phone: Facebook for the feed, Messenger for chats.

Profiles changed too. In September 2011, Facebook redesigned them as Timeline, which put your whole history in date order on one page.

From Facebook, Inc. to Meta Platforms

As Facebook grew, it bought other apps. It announced the purchase of Instagram on 9 April 2012 and of WhatsApp on 19 February 2014. On 28 October 2021, at its Connect event, the company announced it was changing its name to Meta Platforms.

The Facebook app itself kept its name. Meta is the parent company, and Facebook is one of its apps, alongside Instagram, WhatsApp and Messenger. If you've watched other platforms rebrand, my piece on when Twitter changed its name to X covers a very different kind of name change.

What Facebook's history means for business Pages now

Facebook launched Pages for brands and celebrities in 2007, and they're still the main way businesses show up there. A few lessons from the timeline:

• The feed decides who sees you. Since 2006, most people have met your posts in their News Feed, not on your Page. Write posts that make sense on their own.
• Reactions still count. The Like button opened the door to one-tap reactions, and they remain a quick way for people to show interest.
• Messages are where enquiries land. With Messenger as its own app, check your Page inbox often and set up instant replies.
• Keep your personal profile and Page separate. If you're tidying your accounts, my guide to deleting or deactivating a Facebook profile explains what each option does before you touch anything linked to your Page.

Facebook has had more than two decades to change, and it'll keep changing. The businesses that do well there are the ones that keep posting useful, human content whatever the feed looks like.

Frequently asked questions

When did Facebook open to the public?

Facebook opened to anyone aged 13 or over with a valid email address on 26 September 2006, according to Wikipedia's History of Facebook article.

What was Facebook originally called?

It launched as TheFacebook on 4 February 2004 and dropped 'the' from its name in 2005.

When did Facebook add the Like button?

The Like button was first enabled on 9 February 2009.

When did Facebook become Meta?

The company announced its new name, Meta Platforms, on 28 October 2021. The Facebook app kept its name.

When did Messenger become a separate app?

Messenger became a standalone mobile app in August 2011.