With so much personal information available on Facebook, including birthdays, jobs and family updates, it’s no surprise that you don’t want all of your information shared with the world. When you want to exercise more control of what other Facebook users see, especially those who are not your friends, it’s incredibly easy to do. Follow these few steps to make your Facebook private.
Tip: be sure to check whether your posts can be shared with others.
Content
- How to Make Your Facebook Profile Private
- How to Make Facebook Posts Private
- How to Make a Specific Facebook Post Private
- How to Make Facebook Private By Excluding From Search
- How to Limit Facebook Messages You Receive
- Frequently Asked Questions
How to Make Your Facebook Profile Private
To start moving your profile toward complete privacy, there are several settings you need to change, and thankfully, Facebook allows you to make all these changes within a single section.
To get started, click on your profile picture in the upper-right corner (or the hamburger menu if you are using the Facebook app), and choose Settings & Privacy -> Settings -> Privacy Checkup.
Choose Who can see what you share -> Continue. You can view and manage the visibility of your profile information, including personal details and your friends/following. Make sure to select either Friends or Only me, depending on your preference for each category, to ensure maximum privacy.
Another option is to also lock your Facebook profile, especially if you are concerned about being viewed by people you haven’t explicitly approved. When you lock your profile, people who aren’t on your friend’s list cannot access your post history. They will only be able to see a smaller version of your profile picture and cover photo.
Open your profile page, and click on the three dots near your profile picture. Choose Lock profile.
Also turn off your active status on Facebook for a more uninterrupted experience.
Good to know: you can download all the photos you have uploaded to Facebook before you delete your Facebook account.
How to Make Facebook Posts Private
If you want to make your future and past Facebook posts private, head to Settings & Privacy -> Settings -> Privacy Checkup -> Who can see what you share -> Continue -> Next.
In the Post and stories dialog box, adjust your default audience preference for your future posts and stories. There is also an option to limit all the past posts on your Facebook timeline by clicking on the Limit button, then Next.
How to Make a Specific Facebook Post Private
To adjust the visibility of a specific post, click on your profile picture in the top-right corner if you are using Facebook on the Web, and the hamburger menu if you are using the app. Select your profile. Navigate to the targeted post, click on the three dots associated with it, then click Edit audience.
Select who you want to see the post: Public, Friends, Friends except, Specific friends, Custom, Close friends, or Only me. If you want to customize who among your friends can see the post, select Friends except or Custom, then choose the friends to include or exclude.
After selecting the desired audience, click Done to apply your new privacy settings to the post.
How to Make Facebook Private By Excluding From Search
Anyone can search Facebook for people, posts, businesses, and more. However, if you want your profile to be harder to find for those not directly connected to you, adjust the Audience and visibility settings on Facebook. Click on your profile icon in the top right, choose Settings -> Settings & Privacy, then navigate to the Audience and visibility section in the menu on the left.
Click on the section labeled How people find and contact you. You’ll find several options, including Who can send you friend requests? and Who can Facebook suggest your profile to based on your phone number or email address? Set these to Friends or Friends of Friends, depending on your preferences.
Additionally, if you don’t want your profile to appear in search engine results outside Facebook, turn the Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile? toggle off. However, remember that this setting does not affect searches performed directly on Facebook.
How to Limit Facebook Messages You Receive
To adjust the message deliveries on Facebook on the Web, open the Audience and visibility section discussed above, and navigate to the How you get message requests section. You can adjust the settings for who can send you message requests and where the messages should be delivered. If you do not want to receive any requests at all, choose Don’t receive requests for all options.
If you are using the Messenger app, tap on the More button (three bars) at the top left, then select Settings (gear icon). Scroll down to the Preferences section, and choose Privacy & Safety -> Message delivery. Adjust the settings for each option according to your preferences.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can you tell whether someone’s Facebook post is public?
There’s a tiny icon next to the time the post was made. A globe icon means the content is public, while the silhouettes of two people show the content is for friends only.
How can I make a Facebook page private?
Click on your profile picture in the upper-right corner, select Settings & Privacy -> Privacy Checkup -> Who can see what you share. Go to the Posts and stories tab, and change the settings according to your preferences.
How can I make photos private on Facebook?
Select the desired photo, select the three dots in the right corner, then choose Edit post audience, and change it according to your preferences. Want the ultimate in photo organization? Check out this review of Mylio Photo.
Image credit: Unsplash. All screenshots by Zainab Falak.
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Zainab Falak –
Staff Writer
Zainab is an Actuarial Sciences graduate from Pakistan with a passion for technology. When she’s not busy writing insightful pieces on Windows and the latest tech trends, you’ll find her with her nose buried in a productivity book, always on the lookout for ways to optimize her workflow and stay ahead of the curve.
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