Where to Find Facebook Privacy Settings

Your privacy settings live in the same place whether you use Facebook on a computer or phone. Open Facebook and look for the downward-pointing arrow or three horizontal lines (called a menu icon) in the top right corner. Click or tap it, then select Settings and privacy, then Settings. You are now in your main settings area.

Once you are in Settings, look for Privacy in the left-hand menu. This is where you control who sees your posts, who can contact you, and who can find your profile. The privacy menu is organized into sections, and each one controls a different part of your account.

Key Takeaways

  • Your privacy settings are in Settings and privacy > Settings > Privacy, accessible from the menu icon in the top right corner.
  • The Who can see your posts setting controls whether your content is visible to everyone, friends only, or a custom list you create.
  • The Who can contact you setting lets you limit messages to friends only or allow anyone to message you.
  • The Who can look you up setting determines whether people can find your profile using your email address or phone number.
  • Changes take effect when ready, and you can adjust these settings at any time without losing your account or posts.

Controlling Who Sees Your Posts

The first and most important privacy setting is Who can see your posts. This controls whether new posts you write are visible to everyone on Facebook, only your friends, or a group you choose. Click on this setting and you will see three main options: Public (anyone can see it), Friends (only people you have friended can see it), and Custom (you pick specific people or groups).

Most people choose Friends as their default. This means only people you have accepted as friends can see your new posts. If you select Public, your posts may show up in search results and on other people's feeds even if they are not your friends. Choose Custom if you want to exclude certain people or allow only specific friends to see your posts.

Remember: this setting only affects posts you create from now on. Posts you made before changing this setting keep their original privacy level unless you go back and change each one individually.

Limiting Who Can Message You

The Who can contact you section controls whether strangers can send you messages. By default, Facebook allows anyone to message you, though messages from non-friends may land in a separate folder called Message Requests. If you want to block messages from people who are not your friends, find the setting labeled Who can message you and change it to Friends only.

If you choose Friends only, people who are not your friends can still see your profile and send you a friend request, but they cannot send you a direct message. This is useful if you receive unwanted messages or want to keep your inbox quieter. You can always change this back if you want to receive messages from anyone.

Controlling Who Can Find Your Profile

The Who can look you up section has two separate settings: one for email and one for phone number. These control whether people can search for you using your email address or phone number and find your profile. By default, both are turned on, which means anyone with your email or phone number can locate your Facebook account.

If you want to make yourself harder to find, turn off Allow people to search for you using the email address you provided and Allow people to search for you using the phone number you provided. People can still find you if they search your name directly, but they cannot discover you through your contact information. This is a good choice if you want to limit who knows you are on Facebook.

Managing Past Posts and Old Content

Facebook offers a setting called Limit past posts that changes the privacy level of everything you posted before you made this change. When you click this button, all your old posts automatically switch to Friends only, even if they were originally set to Public. This is a quick way to lock down your entire history without editing each post one by one.

Keep in mind that this only affects posts you created. It does not change posts where other people tagged you or posts you are mentioned in. If you want to hide those, you will need to untag yourself or ask the person who posted to change the privacy setting on that specific post.

Adjusting Settings for Specific Apps and Websites

Facebook also lets you control what information apps and websites can see about you. In the Privacy section, scroll down to find Apps and websites. This shows which apps have permission to access your Facebook data, like your friends list or profile information. You can remove access for any app you no longer use or do not trust.

Click on any app to see exactly what information it can see. If you do not recognize an app or do not want it to have access anymore, click Remove. This does not delete the app itself — it just disconnects it from your Facebook account. The next time you try to use that app with Facebook, you will be asked to give permission again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I set different privacy levels for different posts?

Yes. When you create a new post, you will see a privacy icon (usually showing a person, a group, or a globe) just before you hit Post. Click that icon to choose who sees that specific post. You can make one post public and another friends-only without changing your default setting.

What happens if I change my privacy settings — will my friends be notified?

No. Changing your privacy settings is silent. Your friends will not receive a notification that you changed who can see your posts or contact you. The change takes effect when ready for posts you create after the change.

If I set my posts to friends only, can my friends share them with other people?

Yes. Even if you set a post to Friends only, your friends can still share it with their own friends or make it public. If you want to prevent sharing entirely, you can turn off the share button for individual posts, but this option is not available for all post types.

How do I hide my profile from someone without unfriending them?

You cannot hide your entire profile from a specific person without unfriending them. However, you can use the Custom privacy option when posting to exclude certain people from seeing that post. You can also block someone entirely, which prevents them from seeing your profile, messaging you, or finding you in search.

Will changing my privacy settings affect my old posts?

No, unless you use the Limit past posts button. Changing your default privacy setting only affects new posts you create. Old posts keep their original privacy level. If you want to change the privacy of a specific old post, click the three dots on that post and select Edit privacy.