How To Block Strangers From Finding You On Facebook

This article shows you how to customize your Facebook settings so you don’t appear in a Facebook search.

What to Know

• Go to Account > Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy.From there, select who you want to be able to find and see your profile and posts.

How to Adjust Who Can See Your Facebook Posts in a Browser

Here’s how to adjust the relevant privacy settings if you’re using the browser version of Facebook.

• On your Facebook home page, select the down arrow in the upper-right corner.
• Select Settings & Privacy.
• Select Settings.
• From the left menu pane, select Privacy.
• In the Your Activity section next to Who can see your future posts, select Edit.
• Select the Friends (or your current setting) drop-down arrow.
• Select Public to allow anyone on or off Facebook to see your posts.
• Select Friends to allow all your Facebook friends to see your posts.
• Select Friends except to block specific friends from seeing your posts. Select the minus sign next to the name of the friend you want to block.
• Select Save Changes when you’re done choosing friends.
• Select Only me to hide posts from everyone except yourself.
• Select More to choose Specific friends, which allows you to choose who sees your posts, or Custom, which allows you to include or exclude certain friends.
• After you make your adjustments, select Close in the upper-right corner of the Your Activity window.
• To restrict access to previous posts, go to Privacy > Your Activity. Next to Limit the audience for posts you’ve shared with friends of friends or Public, select Limit Past Posts and follow the prompts.

How to Hide Yourself From Searches Using the Facebook Mobile App

It’s also easy to modify who can see your posts if you use the Facebook mobile app for iOS or Android.

On your Facebook home page, select the down arrow in the upper-right corner.

Select Settings & Privacy.

Select Settings.

From the left menu pane, select Privacy.

In the Your Activity section next to Who can see your future posts, select Edit.

Select the Friends (or your current setting) drop-down arrow.

Select Public to allow anyone on or off Facebook to see your posts.

Select Friends to allow all your Facebook friends to see your posts.

Select Friends except to block specific friends from seeing your posts. Select the minus sign next to the name of the friend you want to block.

Select Save Changes when you’re done choosing friends.

Select Only me to hide posts from everyone except yourself.

Select More to choose Specific friends, which allows you to choose who sees your posts, or Custom, which allows you to include or exclude certain friends.

After you make your adjustments, select Close in the upper-right corner of the Your Activity window.

To restrict access to previous posts, go to Privacy > Your Activity. Next to Limit the audience for posts you’ve shared with friends of friends or Public, select Limit Past Posts and follow the prompts.

• Tap the hamburger menu icon.
• Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy > Settings.
• Tap Privacy Checkup.
• Tap Who can see what you share.
• Tap Continue and then tap Next.
• Tap Friends (or your previous setting) under Future Posts.
• On the Edit Audience page, under Who can see your post, tap the circle next to Public, Friends, Friends except, Only me, or See More > Specific Friends. Facebook applies the changes automatically.

Adjust Your Visibility Using Facebook on the Desktop

Facebook allows you to set boundaries on who can find you, send you messages, and access your Facebook profile. Adjust these settings to make yourself as open or invisible as you like.

Tap the hamburger menu icon.

Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy > Settings.

Tap Privacy Checkup.

Tap Who can see what you share.

Tap Continue and then tap Next.

Tap Friends (or your previous setting) under Future Posts.

On the Edit Audience page, under Who can see your post, tap the circle next to Public, Friends, Friends except, Only me, or See More > Specific Friends. Facebook applies the changes automatically.

• On your Facebook home page, select the Account icon (the down arrow) in the upper-right corner.
• Select Settings & Privacy.
• Select Settings.
• From the left menu pane, select Privacy.
• Under Privacy Settings and Tools, go to How People Find and Contact You, then select Edit next to Who can send you friend requests.
• The default is Friends of friends.
• Select the drop-down arrow next to Friends of friends (or your current setting).
• Select Everyone to allow anyone to send you a friend request, or keep the default Friends of friends setting. Select Close after you make a selection.
• Next to Who can look you up using the email address you provided, select Edit.
• The default is Friends.
• Select the Friends (or your current setting) drop-down arrow.
• Select Everyone, Friends of friends, Friends, or Only Me. Select Close after you make a selection.
• Select Only me for the highest privacy level.
• Next to Who can look you up using the phone number you provided, select Edit.
• Select the Only Me (or your current setting) drop-down arrow.
• Select Everyone, Friends of friends, Friends, or Only me. Select Close after you make a selection.
• Select Only me for the highest privacy level.
• Next to Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile, select Edit.
• Clear the Allow search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile check box if you want search engines to stop linking to your profile. Tap Turn off in the warning box to confirm. Select Close after you make your selection.
• If you adjusted your privacy settings and a stranger or undesirable person contacts you, consider blocking that person on Facebook to eliminate any chance of future contact.

Adjust Your Visibility Using the Facebook App

Follow these steps to make yourself less visible via the Facebook app.

On your Facebook home page, select the Account icon (the down arrow) in the upper-right corner.

Under Privacy Settings and Tools, go to How People Find and Contact You, then select Edit next to Who can send you friend requests.

The default is Friends of friends.

Select the drop-down arrow next to Friends of friends (or your current setting).

Select Everyone to allow anyone to send you a friend request, or keep the default Friends of friends setting. Select Close after you make a selection.

Next to Who can look you up using the email address you provided, select Edit.

The default is Friends.

Select Everyone, Friends of friends, Friends, or Only Me. Select Close after you make a selection.

Select Only me for the highest privacy level.

Next to Who can look you up using the phone number you provided, select Edit.

Select the Only Me (or your current setting) drop-down arrow.

Select Everyone, Friends of friends, Friends, or Only me. Select Close after you make a selection.

Next to Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile, select Edit.

Clear the Allow search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile check box if you want search engines to stop linking to your profile. Tap Turn off in the warning box to confirm. Select Close after you make your selection.

If you adjusted your privacy settings and a stranger or undesirable person contacts you, consider blocking that person on Facebook to eliminate any chance of future contact.

• Open the Facebook app on your mobile device.
• Tap the hamburger menu icon.
• Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy > Settings.
• Tap Privacy Checkup.
• Select How people can find you on Facebook > Continue.
• Under Who can send you friend requests, tap the arrow to open Choose Audience.
• Tap Everyone to allow anyone on or off Facebook to send a friend request, or tap Friends of friends (the default) for more privacy. Select Next to continue.
• Under Phone Number and Email, choose who can look you up by your phone number and email address. Select Everyone, Friends of friends, Friends, or Only me.
• Only me is the most private option.
• Select Next to continue.
• Under Search Engines, use the slider to determine whether you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile, then tap Next.
• Use the back arrow to return to Facebook.

Facebook Privacy Shortcuts

Since Facebook frequently updates its privacy controls, it’s made some easy shortcut tools so you can quickly see and adjust your privacy settings.

You don’t need to change your settings in both the mobile and web versions of Facebook. Changes you make in one will carry over to the other.

Open the Facebook app on your mobile device.

Select How people can find you on Facebook > Continue.

Under Who can send you friend requests, tap the arrow to open Choose Audience.

Tap Everyone to allow anyone on or off Facebook to send a friend request, or tap Friends of friends (the default) for more privacy. Select Next to continue.

Under Phone Number and Email, choose who can look you up by your phone number and email address. Select Everyone, Friends of friends, Friends, or Only me.

Only me is the most private option.

Select Next to continue.

Under Search Engines, use the slider to determine whether you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile, then tap Next.

Use the back arrow to return to Facebook.

To access the Facebook Privacy Shortcuts:

• Go to Account > Settings & Privacy > Settings and select Privacy. Below Privacy Settings and Tools, is Privacy Shortcuts. Select Check a few important settings.
• The Privacy Checkup page appears. Select each privacy subject area and follow its prompts to see, keep, or change settings.
• Return to the Privacy Shortcuts section and select Manage Your Profile to adjust who can see your birthday, relationships, and other information.
• Under Privacy Shortcuts, select Learn more with Privacy Basics to open an interactive guide to the Facebook privacy controls.

Go to Account > Settings & Privacy > Settings and select Privacy. Below Privacy Settings and Tools, is Privacy Shortcuts. Select Check a few important settings.

The Privacy Checkup page appears. Select each privacy subject area and follow its prompts to see, keep, or change settings.

Return to the Privacy Shortcuts section and select Manage Your Profile to adjust who can see your birthday, relationships, and other information.

Under Privacy Shortcuts, select Learn more with Privacy Basics to open an interactive guide to the Facebook privacy controls.

• How do I block someone on Facebook?
• To block someone on Facebook on the desktop, select Account > Settings & Privacy > Settings > Blocking. In the Block Users box, enter the name of the person or page you want to block, then select Block. In the Block People list, choose the specific person or page you want to block, and then select Block.
• When you block someone on Facebook, what do they see?
• When you block a Facebook user, they can’t communicate with you or see your posts; you won’t see their posts or comments. However, a blocked user can see you on games, apps, and groups if you’re both members. They could also use a mutual friend’s account to view your activity.
• How do I block ads in Facebook?
• To get rid of Facebook ads, go to the top right of the ad and select More (three dots), then select Hide ad. Choose a reason you’re opting to hide the ad. You’ll see a confirmation window with additional information. Select Done.

To block someone on Facebook on the desktop, select Account > Settings & Privacy > Settings > Blocking. In the Block Users box, enter the name of the person or page you want to block, then select Block. In the Block People list, choose the specific person or page you want to block, and then select Block.

When you block a Facebook user, they can’t communicate with you or see your posts; you won’t see their posts or comments. However, a blocked user can see you on games, apps, and groups if you’re both members. They could also use a mutual friend’s account to view your activity.

To get rid of Facebook ads, go to the top right of the ad and select More (three dots), then select Hide ad. Choose a reason you’re opting to hide the ad. You’ll see a confirmation window with additional information. Select Done.

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