1. 1 · Retrieval1,500 posts at mostFrom authors you engaged with and posts similar to ones you engaged with, found by collaborative filtering and personalized PageRank.
2. 2 · Early ranking100 postsA fast two-tower network scores how well each post matches you.
3. 3 · Late rankingGridA larger network predicts likes, saves and other actions and orders what you see.

Explore's three stages, as Meta's Transparency Center describes them (updated June 2026). Each dot is 5 posts in stage 1 and 1 post in stage 2.