Follow these steps to get a sneak peek (at your own risk!)
How to try out the new Facebook Timeline feature right now If you've heard the buzz about Facebook's upcoming profile page revolution, you're probably eager to take the new features for a test drive — and you can. If you need to get up to speed, Facebook is killing off profile pages as we know them in favor of Timelines, pages that collect the status updates, events, and photos that you (and Facebook's algorithm) deem worthy of your newfangled profile. Like many Facebook users, you may not welcome the update with open arms, but like they say, don't knock it 'til you've tried it. While the new Timeline feature won't begin officially rolling out to users until next week, you can cheat and get a sneak preview now by following these steps.
Warning: This process is an unofficial loophole in Facebook's system. It is intended for Facebook developers only, so once you activate the Timeline you may encounter some bumps along the way — after all, this is an unreleased feature. Follow these steps at your own risk — but if you do, have fun tooling around with your Timeline!
Go to your Facebook page and use the search box at the top to find the official Facebook Developer app. Typing in "developer" should bring it up as the top choice. After you select the app, grant it permission to access your basic information by clicking "allow."
2. Now that you've got the Facebook Developer app installed, you'll be brought to a welcome screen. Click the "Create New App" box in the upper right-hand corner. A pop-up box will appear titled "New App." In this box, you need to input an App Display Name and an App Namespace. This sounds confusing, but it doesn't matter what you enter here.
Just pick a few words and plug them in. Note that they must be unique (be creative) and the App Namespace doesn't allow spaces between words. Then you need to check that you you agree to the Platform Privacy Policy (read over it first).
Note: To complete this step, you must have a verified Facebook profile, so if you get an error message, you can follow Facebook's instructions for verifying your profile, which entails connecting it to a phone number or credit card, if you're comfortable with that.
3. You should then be returned to the developer portal's homepage. Look in the left-hand column and click a link named "Open Graph" to access the page titled "Get started using Open Graph." It should be above Roles, Credits, and Insights. Now you'll be prompted to create an action for your app. This sounds complicated, but it doesn't really matter what you type here because you aren't making a real app anyhow. Just choose an action and a noun, like "read" and "magazine." Enter your words of choice and click the "Get Started" button.
4. After you click through the first "Get Started" button, you'll be presented with a series of pages in sequence. Scroll to the bottom of each (we counted three) and click "Save Changes and Next." Don't worry about the content of these pages; it isn't relevant for your Timeline test drive.
Once you've clicked through and saved on each page, you should be returned to the dashboard where you began (you can tell because the app name you typed in earlier should be at the top). Now you're almost done!
Just wait a couple of minutes and then return to your normal Facebook homepage. Facebook should now recognize that you've registered a developer account, and you'll be prompted to try out the Timeline at the top of the page.
5. Keep in mind that this is a developer preview, so again, things might be buggy. If your profile behaves oddly after the installation, that's why.
Also, be warned: It doesn't appear to be possible to roll back to the original profile pages after you've enabled the Timeline. If you have any concerns or doubts about this process, you'll probably want to wait until the official release begins next week. If not, click "Start Tour" at the top of your Timeline and start exploring!
If you aren't into Facebook off-roading, flip through our Timeline photo gallery to get a safer sneak peek, or opt in to be first in line by clicking the "Sign Me Up" button on Facebook's official site!
4. After you click through the first "Get Started" button, you'll be presented with a series of pages in sequence. Scroll to the bottom of each (we counted three) and click "Save Changes and Next." Don't worry about the content of these pages; it isn't relevant for your Timeline test drive.
Once you've clicked through and saved on each page, you should be returned to the dashboard where you began (you can tell because the app name you typed in earlier should be at the top). Now you're almost done!
Just wait a couple of minutes and then return to your normal Facebook homepage. Facebook should now recognize that you've registered a developer account, and you'll be prompted to try out the Timeline at the top of the page.
5. Keep in mind that this is a developer preview, so again, things might be buggy. If your profile behaves oddly after the installation, that's why.
Also, be warned: It doesn't appear to be possible to roll back to the original profile pages after you've enabled the Timeline. If you have any concerns or doubts about this process, you'll probably want to wait until the official release begins next week. If not, click "Start Tour" at the top of your Timeline and start exploring!
If you aren't into Facebook off-roading, flip through our Timeline photo gallery to get a safer sneak peek, or opt in to be first in line by clicking the "Sign Me Up" button on Facebook's official site!
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