Where to find Facebook privacy settings

Facebook privacy settings live in one place: the Settings & Privacy menu in the top right of your screen. Click the downward arrow or three horizontal lines (the menu looks different on mobile and desktop, but both have this icon), then select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. You'll land on a page with a left sidebar listing different categories. Click Privacy to see all the controls that affect who sees your posts, profile information, and activity.

On mobile, the process is identical—tap the menu icon, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Privacy. The controls themselves are the same whether you're on a phone or computer, though the layout may shift slightly depending on your device.

If you can't find the menu icon, look in the very top right corner of Facebook. On desktop it's usually next to your profile picture. On mobile it's at the bottom of the screen on iPhone or at the top on Android.

Key Takeaways

  • Your main privacy controls are in Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy, where you choose who sees your posts and profile information.
  • The "Who can see your posts?" setting controls whether your content is visible to friends only, public, or a custom list you create.
  • You can limit who contacts you, who sees your friend list, and who can look up your profile by phone number or email address.
  • Individual posts can have their own privacy settings that override your default—click the audience selector on any post to change it for that post alone.
  • Facebook's default settings often allow more visibility than many people expect, so reviewing these controls when you first join or periodically is worth your time.

Controlling who sees your posts

The most important privacy setting is "Who can see your posts?" This appears near the top of the Privacy page and has three main options: Public (anyone on or off Facebook can see it), Friends (only people you've added as friends), or Custom (you pick specific people or groups). Most people choose Friends unless they have a reason to be more open.

When you change this setting, it applies to all new posts going forward—it does not change the privacy of posts you've already made. If you want to change the privacy of an old post, you have to edit that post individually. To do this, click the three dots on the post itself, select Edit privacy, and choose a new audience.

You can also set privacy for a single post before you post it. When you're writing a post, look for the audience selector (it usually shows a small icon like a globe, a person, or a group of people). Click it to choose who sees that specific post, and it will override your default setting for that post alone.

Limiting who can contact you and find your profile

Below "Who can see your posts?" you'll find "Who can contact you?" and "Who can look you up?" The contact setting controls whether people outside your friends list can message you. The default is usually Friends, but you can change it to Everyone or restrict it further. If you choose Everyone, messages from non-friends go to a separate "Message Requests" folder so they don't clutter your main inbox.

The "Who can look you up?" section has two parts: by phone number and by email address. By default, both are set to Friends. If you change either to Everyone, anyone who has your phone number or email can find your profile through Facebook's search. Many people leave these set to Friends or turn them off entirely if they don't want to be found by people they haven't added.

You can also control who sees your friend list on this same page. The setting is called "Who can see your friends list?" and defaults to Friends. Changing it to Only Me means no one can see who you're connected to, which is useful if you want to keep your social network private.

Controlling profile information visibility

Facebook lets you set privacy for individual pieces of information on your profile—your birthday, phone number, email address, work history, and education. To adjust these, go to your profile by clicking your name or profile picture, then click the pencil icon next to any field you want to change. A small menu will appear asking who can see that information: Public, Friends, Friends except, or Only Me.

Your birthday is a common one to restrict. By default it's visible to friends, but many people set it to Only Me so Facebook doesn't broadcast it to everyone. Your phone number and email address should almost always be set to Only Me unless you have a specific reason to share them.

Some fields like your name and profile picture have limited privacy options because Facebook needs certain information to be visible for the platform to work. You cannot hide your name or picture completely, but you can control most other details.

Managing app and website permissions

Facebook also tracks which apps and websites can see your information. If you've ever logged into a game, quiz, or other app using your Facebook account, that app received permission to see certain data about you. To see and remove these permissions, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings, then scroll down and click Apps and websites. You'll see a list of every app connected to your account.

Click any app to see what information it can access—usually your name, profile picture, email, and friend list. If you no longer use an app or don't want it to have access, click the three dots next to it and select Remove. This disconnects the app from your Facebook account when ready.

You can also change what information each app sees by clicking the app name and adjusting the permissions listed. However, most apps require certain permissions to function, so removing permissions may prevent the app from working.

Adjusting activity status and story privacy

Two additional settings worth checking are Activity Status and Story Privacy. Activity Status shows your friends when you're active on Facebook—a green dot next to your name. To turn this off, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy, scroll down to Who can see your active status? and change it to Only Me. You can also create exceptions so certain people always see your status or never see it.

Story Privacy controls who can see your Stories (the temporary posts that disappear after 24 hours). This setting is separate from your regular post privacy. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy and look for Who can see your Story? You can set it to Friends, Public, or Custom, just like regular posts. You can also hide your Story from specific people without blocking them.

Reviewing and updating privacy settings regularly

Facebook changes its interface and occasionally adjusts default settings, so it's worth reviewing your privacy page every few months to make sure your settings still match what you want. You can also take Facebook's Privacy Checkup, a guided tool that walks you through the most important settings. To find it, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy and look for a link or button labeled Privacy Checkup.

Keep in mind that even with strict privacy settings, anything you post to Facebook is stored on Facebook's servers and could potentially be seen by Facebook employees or shared with third parties in certain circumstances. Privacy settings control who among other users can see your content, not whether Facebook itself can access it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make my profile completely private so no one can see it?

No, but you can get close. Set "Who can see your posts?" to Friends, "Who can look you up?" to Friends, and "Who can see your friends list?" to Only Me. Your profile will still exist and your name will be visible to anyone who searches for you, but they won't see your posts, photos, or friend list unless you add them.

If I change my privacy settings, does it explore to old posts?

No. Changing your default privacy setting only affects new posts you make going forward. Old posts keep their original privacy setting. To change the privacy of an old post, click the three dots on that post, select "Edit privacy," and choose a new audience.

What does "Custom" privacy mean?

Custom lets you choose exactly who sees a post or piece of information. You can select specific friends by name, exclude certain people, or choose a custom list you've created (like "Close Friends" or "Family"). This is useful if you want to share something with most friends but not everyone.

Why can't I hide my name or profile picture?

Facebook requires your name and profile picture to be visible to some degree so the platform can function—people need to be able to identify you. However, you can control almost everything else about your profile, including your birthday, phone number, email, and work history.

If I remove an app's access to my Facebook account, will it delete my data from that app?

No. Removing an app's access only stops it from seeing your Facebook information going forward. Any data the app already collected remains on that app's servers. To delete your data from an app entirely, you usually need to contact the app's support or delete your account within that app directly.