Where to find the relationship status setting
Your relationship status lives in the "About" section of your Facebook profile, not in your main settings. To reach it, click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select "Profile" from the menu that appears. On your profile page, look for the "About" tab below your cover photo — it's usually the second tab after "Posts".
Once you're in the About section, you'll see several categories listed on the left side: Work and Education, Places, Contact Information, Basic Information, and Family. Relationship status is part of the Basic Information category. Click on "Basic Information" and scroll down until you see the "Relationship" field.
Key Takeaways
- Your relationship status is stored in your profile's About section under Basic Information, not in general settings.
- You can choose from Single, In a Relationship, Engaged, Married, It's Complicated, In an Open Relationship, Widowed, or Divorced.
- Facebook lets you control 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, you can link your profile to your partner's profile so the connection shows on both accounts.
- Changing your status triggers a notification that appears on your timeline and in your friends' feeds, unless you turn off timeline visibility.
The steps to update your relationship status
Click the pencil icon next to the "Relationship" field to edit it. A dropdown menu will appear with these options: Single, In a Relationship, Engaged, Married, It's Complicated, In an Open Relationship, Widowed, or Divorced. Select the status that applies to you.
If you choose "In a Relationship," "Engaged," or "Married," Facebook will ask if you want to add your partner's name. You can search for their Facebook profile and link to it. This is optional — you can update your status without naming anyone. If you do link to your partner, they'll receive a notification asking them to confirm the relationship before it shows on both profiles.
After you've selected your status, click "Save" or "Confirm." The change takes effect when ready.
Controlling who can see your relationship status
By default, your relationship status is visible to everyone on Facebook. If you want to limit who sees it, look for the audience icon next to the Relationship field — it usually shows a globe, a group of people, or a padlock. Click that icon to change the visibility.
Your options are: Public (everyone can see it), Friends (only your Facebook friends can see it), or Only Me (no one else can see it). Choose whichever level of privacy you prefer, then save your changes. You can adjust this setting anytime without changing the status itself.
What happens when you change your status
When you update your relationship status, Facebook creates a post on your timeline announcing the change. This post appears in your friends' News Feeds by default, so they'll see it unless they've muted your updates. The announcement includes the date and time of the change.
If you don't want this announcement to appear on your timeline at all, you can hide it from your timeline visibility settings. In the About section, next to the Relationship field, look for a visibility icon and set it to "Only Me" before you save. This hides the field from your profile entirely, so no one will see your status or any announcement about it.
Linking your profile to your partner's
If you select "In a Relationship," "Engaged," or "Married" and add your partner's name, Facebook sends them a notification. They must confirm the relationship from their own account before the connection shows on both profiles. Until they confirm, only your profile will display the relationship status and the link to their name.
Your partner can confirm the notification by clicking on it in their notifications menu, or by going to their own About section and accepting the pending relationship. Once confirmed, the relationship appears on both timelines and both profiles. Either of you can remove the link anytime by editing your own relationship status.
Removing or changing your relationship status later
To remove your relationship status entirely, go back to the Basic Information section, click the pencil icon next to Relationship, and select the blank option at the top of the dropdown menu. This removes the status from your profile without creating a public announcement.
If you want to change from one status to another — for example, from "In a Relationship" to "Married" — follow the same steps: click the pencil icon, select the new status, and save. Facebook will post an announcement of the change to your timeline unless you've set the visibility to "Only Me."
Troubleshooting common issues
If you can't find the Relationship field in your Basic Information section, it may be hidden. Scroll down to make sure you're looking at the full list. If it still doesn't appear, try refreshing your browser or logging out and back in.
If you're trying to link to your partner's profile but their name doesn't appear in the search, make sure you're spelling their name correctly and that their profile is set to allow others to find it. Some people restrict their profile visibility, which can prevent them from appearing in searches. Ask your partner to check their privacy settings if the search keeps failing.
If your partner received a relationship confirmation request but can't find it, they can navigate to their own About section and look for a "Pending" or "Awaiting Confirmation" notification near the Relationship field. They can confirm or decline from there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my relationship status without telling my partner?
Yes. You can update your status without linking to anyone's profile, and you can set the visibility to "Only Me" so it doesn't appear anywhere on your profile. If you do link to your partner's profile, they'll be notified, but you can change your status without linking.
What happens if my partner doesn't confirm the relationship?
The relationship will show on your profile as pending confirmation, but it won't appear on their profile until they accept it. They can confirm it anytime by clicking the notification or going to their About section. If they decline, the link is removed from your profile.
Can I hide my relationship status from certain people?
Facebook doesn't let you hide your status from specific people — only from groups (Public, Friends, or Only Me). If you need to hide it from one person, set the visibility to "Only Me" or "Friends" depending on who you want to exclude.
Does Facebook notify my friends every time I change my status?
Yes, unless you set the visibility to "Only Me" before saving. Each change creates a post on your timeline that appears in your friends' News Feeds. You can delete the announcement post afterward if you want to remove it from your timeline.
Can I change my relationship status on the Facebook mobile app?
Yes. Open the app, tap your profile picture, go to the About tab, tap Basic Information, and then tap the Relationship field. The process is the same as on the desktop version.