Where to find the relationship status setting
Your relationship status lives in your Facebook profile, not in your main settings menu. Open Facebook, go to 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, right after "Posts".
Click "About" and scroll down until you see "Relationship." If you don't see it yet, keep scrolling — the sections are stacked vertically. Once you find it, click the pencil icon or the section itself to edit.
Key Takeaways
- Your relationship status is in your profile's "About" section, not in Settings.
- You can set it to Single, In a Relationship, Engaged, Married, It's Complicated, In an Open Relationship, Widowed, or leave it blank.
- 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, and they'll get a notification to confirm the connection.
- Changing your status does not automatically notify your contacts — only people who visit your profile will see the change.
The relationship status options Facebook offers
When you click to edit, Facebook shows you a dropdown menu with eight choices: Single, In a Relationship, Engaged, Married, It's Complicated, In an Open Relationship, Widowed, or no status at all. Pick the one that matches your situation.
If you select "In a Relationship," "Engaged," "Married," or "In an Open Relationship," Facebook will then ask if you want to add your partner's name. You can type their name or leave it blank — adding their name is optional. If you add their name and they have a Facebook account, Facebook will send them a notification asking them to confirm the relationship on their end.
If you choose "Widowed," Facebook does not ask for a partner name. If you leave the status blank, your profile straightforward won't display a relationship status at all.
How to control who sees your relationship status
Right next to the dropdown menu where you pick your status, you'll see a second dropdown or icon that controls privacy. This is usually a small globe, lock, or people icon. Click it to choose who can see your relationship status: Public (everyone), Friends (friends only), or Only Me (hidden from everyone).
The privacy setting is separate from your status itself, so you can change one without changing the other. Many people set their status to visible to friends only, or hide it entirely. Whatever you choose, only you can change it — your partner cannot override your privacy choice.
Adding or confirming a partner's name
If you type your partner's name when you set your status, Facebook searches for their account. If it finds them, you'll see their profile picture appear. Click to confirm it's the right person, then save your changes.
Facebook then sends your partner a notification that says you've added them to your relationship status. They'll see two buttons: "Confirm" or "Not Now." If they click "Confirm," your profiles will be linked and both of you will show the relationship on your "About" pages. If they click "Not Now," the status will stay on your profile but won't appear on theirs until they confirm it.
Your partner can also confirm the relationship from their own profile by going to their "About" section and adding you. Either way works — one of you has to confirm for the link to show on both profiles.
Changing or removing your relationship status later
You can change your status at any time by going back to your "About" section and clicking the pencil icon next to "Relationship." Pick a new status, adjust the privacy setting if you want, and save. The old status disappears and the new one takes its place.
If you had a partner linked to your old status, changing your status to Single or removing it will break that link. Your partner's profile will no longer show the relationship either. Facebook does not send them a notification about this — they'll only see it if they visit your profile or check their own "About" section.
To hide your relationship status without changing it, go back to the privacy dropdown and select "Only Me." The status stays on your profile but no one else can see it.
What happens when you change your status
Changing your relationship status does not create a post on your timeline or send notifications to your friends. Only people who visit your profile and look at your "About" section will see the change. Some people check profiles regularly; others might not notice for weeks.
If you want to tell people about a major life change, you can post about it separately — that's up to you. The relationship status itself is quiet.
Troubleshooting common problems
If you can't find the "Relationship" section in your "About" tab, scroll down further — it may be below other sections like Work, Education, or Places You've Lived. If it still doesn't appear, try refreshing the page or logging out and back in.
If you're trying to link to a partner's profile and their name doesn't appear in the search, make sure you're spelling it correctly and that they have a Facebook account. Some people use nicknames or have privacy settings that hide them from search. If you still can't find them, you can leave the partner field blank and add their name later.
If your partner confirmed the relationship but it's not showing on their profile, ask them to check their privacy settings — they may have set it to "Only Me" so only they can see it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my friends get a notification when I change my relationship status?
No. Facebook does not notify your friends when you change your status. Only people who visit your profile will see it. If you want to tell people, you'll need to post about it separately.
Can I hide my relationship status from certain people?
You can hide it from everyone, show it to friends only, or make it public — but you cannot hide it from specific people. If you want only certain friends to see it, set it to "Friends" and accept that all your friends will see it.
What if my partner won't confirm the relationship?
The status will stay on your profile but won't appear on theirs. They can confirm it anytime by going to their own "About" section, or you can remove the link from your profile and try again later. There's no time limit.
Does changing my status affect my privacy or who can message me?
No. Your relationship status is separate from your privacy settings and messaging controls. Changing it won't change who can see your posts, photos, or send you messages.
Can I change my relationship status on the Facebook app?
Yes. Open the app, tap your profile picture, go to "About," scroll to "Relationship," and tap the pencil icon. The steps are the same as on a computer.