Where to find the relationship status setting

Your relationship status lives in your Facebook profile, not in a separate settings menu. Open your profile by clicking your name or profile picture anywhere on Facebook, then look for the "About" section — it's usually the second tab after your cover photo and name.

Click "About" and scroll down until you see "Relationship." If you haven't filled this in before, it may show as blank. Click directly on the word "Relationship" or the pencil icon next to it to open the editing box.

Key Takeaways

  • Your relationship status is in your profile's "About" section, not in settings or privacy controls.
  • You can choose who sees your status — only you, friends, or everyone — when you change it.
  • Changing your status does not automatically notify your partner or post to your timeline unless you choose to announce it.
  • You can change it back or hide it at any time without leaving a record of the change.
  • Facebook offers six standard options: single, in a relationship, engaged, married, in a domestic partnership, and in a civil union.

The six status options Facebook provides

When you click to edit, Facebook shows you a dropdown menu with six choices: "Single," "In a Relationship," "Engaged," "Married," "In a Domestic Partnership," and "In a Civil Union." Select whichever matches your situation. If none of them fit what you want to communicate, you can leave the field blank instead — that's a valid choice.

Some people use the status field differently than Facebook intends. You're not locked into the six options if you don't want to use the field at all. Leaving it blank is the same as not having a status.

Choosing who can see your relationship status

When the editing box opens, you'll see your status choice on the left and a privacy icon on the right — usually a small globe, lock, or silhouette. Click that icon to change who sees it. Your options are "Public" (everyone), "Friends" (your Facebook friends only), or "Only Me" (just you).

Many people set this to "Friends" or "Only Me" because relationship status can be personal. You can change the privacy level anytime without changing the status itself — or change the status without changing who sees it.

Whether Facebook announces the change

When you save a new relationship status, Facebook asks if you want to announce it. A popup will appear saying something like "Do you want to share this with your friends?" If you click "Share," it posts to your timeline and may appear in your friends' news feeds. If you click "Skip," the status changes silently — only people who visit your profile will see it.

This is different from changing other profile information. Facebook gives you the choice here because relationship changes are often sensitive. You control whether anyone finds out.

Changing or removing a status you've already set

Go back to "About," click "Relationship" again, and either select a different status or delete the current one. To delete it entirely, click the X or select a blank option if one appears. Save the change. Again, Facebook will ask if you want to announce it — you can share the update or keep it quiet.

There is no permanent record of your old status on your profile. Once you change it, the previous one is gone unless you posted about it separately in your timeline. Changing your status back and forth does not create a visible history.

What happens if you're in a relationship with another Facebook user

If both you and your partner have Facebook accounts, you can link your relationship statuses together. When you set your status to "In a Relationship" or "Married," Facebook offers an option to name your partner. Start typing their name and select them from the dropdown.

Once you do, Facebook sends them a notification asking them to confirm the relationship. They have to accept it from their end for it to show as confirmed on both profiles. Until they do, it shows as "pending" on your profile. Either of you can remove the link at any time, and you can change your status without unlinking — your status and the relationship link are separate things.

Troubleshooting if the relationship field won't appear

If you can't find the relationship status field in your "About" section, check that you're looking at your own profile, not someone else's. You can only edit your own information. If it's your profile and the field still isn't there, try refreshing the page or logging out and back in.

On mobile, the "About" section sometimes collapses. Tap "About," then scroll down — the relationship field should appear below other personal details like your phone number or email. If you're using the Facebook app on a phone, the layout may differ slightly, but the field is always in "About."

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my relationship status notify my partner automatically?

No. If you name your partner when you set your status, they get a notification asking them to confirm the relationship. But if you just change your status to "In a Relationship" without naming anyone, no one is notified. Only people who visit your profile will see it.

Can I hide my relationship status from certain people?

You can set it to "Only Me" so no one sees it, or "Friends" so only friends see it. Facebook does not let you hide it from specific people while showing it to others. Your choices are public, friends-only, or private to yourself.

What if my partner and I have different relationship statuses?

That's fine. You can be "Married" while your partner's status is blank, or one of you can be "In a Relationship" and the other "Single." There's no rule that they have to match. If you link your profiles together, both statuses will show the connection, but you can still have different primary statuses.

Does Facebook keep a history of my old relationship statuses?

No. Your profile only shows your current status. Old statuses are not visible to you or anyone else unless you posted about them separately in your timeline. Changing your status does not create a permanent record.

Can I change my relationship status on mobile?

Yes. Open your profile, tap "About," scroll to "Relationship," and tap it to edit. The process is the same as on a computer, though the layout may look different depending on which app or browser you're using.