Where to Find the Relationship Status Setting
Your relationship status lives in your Facebook profile, not in settings. Open your profile by clicking your name or profile picture, then look for the "About" section — it's usually the second tab after your cover photo. If you don't see "About" right away, click the three dots next to your profile name and select "Edit profile".
Once you're in the About section, scroll down until you see "Relationship" listed among your personal details. This is where you'll make the change. The exact location shifts slightly depending on whether you're on mobile or desktop, but the About section is always the starting point.
Key Takeaways
- Your relationship status is stored in your About section, not in account settings or privacy controls.
- You can set your status to single, in a relationship, engaged, married, or in a civil partnership, or leave it blank.
- Facebook lets you choose who sees your relationship status — you can hide it from everyone, show it to friends only, or make it public.
- If you're in a relationship with another Facebook user, you can add them as your partner, and they'll receive a notification to confirm.
- Changing your status does not automatically notify your friends, but it will appear on your timeline if your privacy setting allows it.
The Steps to Update Your Status
Click on the word "Relationship" or the pencil icon next to it. A dropdown menu will appear with options: single, in a relationship, engaged, married, in a domestic partnership, in a civil partnership, or "prefer not to say." Select the one that matches your situation.
If you choose "in a relationship," "engaged," "married," or "in a domestic partnership," Facebook will ask if you want to add your partner's name. Type their name and select them from the list if they have a Facebook account. They'll get a notification asking them to confirm the relationship — they can accept, decline, or ignore it. If they confirm, your relationship will appear on both profiles.
After you've selected your status and added a partner (if applicable), click "Save" or the checkmark button. The change takes effect when ready.
Controlling Who Sees Your Relationship Status
Right next to the relationship status field, you'll see a privacy icon — usually a globe, a group of people, or a lock. Click it to choose who can see your status. Your options are typically "Public" (everyone), "Friends" (friends only), "Only Me" (hidden from everyone), or "Custom" (specific people or groups).
Many people choose "Friends" to keep the information visible to people they know but not searchable by strangers. If you're concerned about privacy or prefer to keep your personal life off Facebook, "Only Me" hides it completely — your status will still exist in your profile, but no one else will see it.
You can change the privacy setting without changing the status itself. If you've already set a status and want to adjust who sees it, go back to the Relationship field, click the privacy icon, and select a new audience.
What Happens When You Change Your Status
Facebook does not send a notification to your friends when you change your relationship status. However, if your privacy setting is set to "Public" or "Friends," the change will appear in your friends' News Feed as an activity update — something like "[Your name] is now in a relationship." This happens automatically and you cannot turn it off once the status is changed.
If you want to change your status without it showing up in the News Feed, set the privacy to "Only Me" before you make the change. You can adjust it later if you decide you want people to see it.
If you add a partner and they confirm the relationship, both of your profiles will show the connection. Their name will appear next to your status on your profile, and yours will appear on theirs.
Removing or Hiding Your Relationship Status
To remove your relationship status entirely, go back to the Relationship field and select "prefer not to say" or leave it blank. This removes the status from your profile completely. If you had a partner listed, that connection will be removed from both profiles.
If you want to keep the status but hide it from view, set the privacy to "Only Me" instead. The status will remain in your profile but won't be visible to anyone else. You can change it back to public or friends-only at any time.
If you're ending a relationship and had a partner listed, removing the status will also remove the connection from their profile. They won't receive a notification, but they'll see that the relationship is no longer listed when they check their profile.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
If you don't see the Relationship field in your About section, it may be hidden. Click "Edit profile" and look for an option to add or show sections. You should see a list of profile sections you can turn on or off — make sure "Relationship" is toggled on.
If you're trying to add a partner and their name doesn't appear in the dropdown, they may not have a Facebook account, or their profile may be set to private. You can still set your status to "in a relationship" without naming them — just don't fill in the partner field.
If your partner confirmed the relationship but it's not showing on your profile, check your privacy settings. If the status is set to "Only Me," only you can see it. Change the privacy setting to "Friends" or "Public" to make it visible to others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my family see my relationship status if I set it to friends only?
Only if they're on your friends list. "Friends" means everyone you've added as a friend on Facebook. If you want to hide it from specific people, use the "Custom" privacy option to exclude them by name or group.
What happens if my partner doesn't confirm the relationship?
The relationship won't appear on their profile, but it will still show on yours (unless you change your privacy setting). They can confirm it later, or you can remove it from your profile at any time.
Can I change my relationship status on mobile?
Yes. Open the Facebook app, tap your profile picture, go to "About," scroll to "Relationship," and tap to edit it. The process is the same as on desktop, though the layout may look slightly different.
Does changing my status notify my ex or the person I was in a relationship with?
No. Facebook does not send notifications when you change your status. However, if they follow your profile or see your News Feed activity, they may notice the change appear there.
Can I have a relationship status if I don't have a Facebook account for my partner?
Yes. You can set your status to "in a relationship" without naming a partner. Just select the status and leave the partner field blank. You can add their name later if they create an account.