If you were on the internet in the early 2000s, you probably remember Facebook in its raw social platform era. The one without any advertisements, metaverses, or AI algorithms.

Back then, one tiny interaction caught everyone’s eye and later disappeared. The “Poke.”

But here’s the thing: pokes never truly disappeared; they just drifted into the background where only determined users could find them. And now, they’re back in plain view so more people could actually use them!

The Poke button is now back on the profile, and there’s even a separate page to keep track of all your pokes. As friends trade pokes, a running count appears between them, sometimes with little celebratory icons. It feels familiar, but tidier, like an old habit making its way back to popularity.

How to use Pokes on Facebook in 2025?

You don’t have to hunt through old menus anymore. Open a friend’s profile and tap Poke right there. If you prefer a list, go to facebook.com/pokes to check recent pokes, poke back, or ignore the ones you don’t want to return. When you poke someone, they get a notification. If you don’t see the button yet, it’s likely rolling out in waves across apps and regions, which is common for Facebook updates.

Why Facebook is bringing back Pokes now?

There’s a recent signal that the feature still works when people can actually find it.

In March 2024, Facebook moved Pokes closer to search and reported a 13× jump in usage the next month, with more than half of the new pokes coming from users aged 18–29.

That’s a strong hint that small, low-effort interactions still create activity, especially for younger users. The new placement on profiles, plus the visible poke count, builds on that idea and borrows a familiar pattern from other apps where streak-style counters nudge people to check in.

It’s not a new product, just a simpler path back to a quick “hey” that doesn’t require a message.

Bottomline

Pokes are easy to find again. If the counter turns into a habit between friends, you’ll see more of them; if not, it’ll be a short nostalgia wave that’s easy to ignore. Either way, the option is back and it’s straightforward to use.