Facebook has been around for quite a while now and it’s still pretty relevant. However, not everyone likes having their friends list visible to the public, as this can lead to an invasion of privacy.

hide friends list on facebook

But don’t worry, you can easily prevent everyone from seeing who you’re friends with on Facebook by changing a setting. If you want to protect your privacy from prying eyes, just follow the steps in this guide.

Here’s a simple guide on how to hide friends list on Facebook on the web and on your phone.

How to Hide Friends List On Facebook

Depending on the platform you visit Facebook on, the steps to hide your friends list may vary. Nevertheless, we have found a solution for you. Read on to find out how to protect your friends list from strangers on the Facebook website and on your phone.

Hiding Your Friends List on the Facebook Website

If you use Facebook on your PC or laptop, you can change your privacy settings with a few simple clicks. Here’s how you can do the same.

1. Open the Facebook website: Open your preferred browser and visit the Facebook website. Also, make sure that you are logged in to the account for which you want to change the privacy settings.

2. You should now see the Facebook home/timeline page. Click on your profile picture in the upper-right section of the page.

open facebook settings

3. Next, click on the ‘Settings and Privacy‘ option, which expands to a new menu. Then select the ‘Settings‘ option to open the Facebook account settings page.

open facebook privacy settings on how to hide friends list on facebook

4. Once you are in the Facebook account settings section, you should see several options in the left sidebar. Now click the ‘Privacy‘ button in the sidebar to open the privacy options of your Facebook account.

open privacy settings

5. On the opened page, scroll down further and look for the ‘How can people find and contact you‘ section.

6. There you will see the ‘Who can see your friends list‘ option with a button to change the people who can see your friends list on Facebook.

7. Click the ‘Edit‘ button next to the second option ‘Who can see your friends list‘.

8. Facebook will display a brief description of the settings button and a drop-down menu below it. Click the menu button to see more options.

Note:
In the dropdown menu, the ‘Public‘ option should be selected by default if your friends list is already set to be seen by everyone.

how to hide your friends list on facebook

9. Select the ‘Only Me‘ option to hide your Facebook friends list from everyone else. You can also select another option to show only your friends with whom you are also friends on Facebook. Alternatively, there is a ‘Friends except…‘ option to hide your friends list from certain users.

10. Finally, return to the Facebook home page by clicking the Facebook icon at the top left of the screen.

Your Facebook friends list will now be hidden according to the privacy setting you have chosen.

How To Hide Friends List on the Facebook Mobile App

Regardless of the type of phone you use – Android or iOS – the process of hiding your friends list in the Facebook mobile app remains the same. Therefore, follow the steps below to hide your Facebook friends list. For this demonstration, we are using the Facebook Android app, but the method is the same if you are using an iPhone.

1. Open the Facebook app on your smartphone in the app drawer. You should now see the Facebook home/timeline page.

2. In the top navigation bar of the app, you will see various options such as Friend Requests, Facebook Marketplace, and Notifications. Select the three-line menu option on the far right of the navigation bar.

3. Next, scroll down the newly opened page and select the Settings option, which expands to a new menu under the buttons at the bottom.

open facebook settings on mobile app

4. Tap the ‘Settings’ button to open your Facebook Account Settings page.

5. This will display a new page with various settings options for your account.

6. Scroll down to find and open the ‘How people find and contact you‘ option under the ‘Audience and visibility‘ section.

open privacy page facebook app

7. There, tap the ‘Who can see your friends list?‘ option to change who can see your friends list on Facebook.

change privacy settings facebook app

8. Select the ‘Only me’ option to hide your Facebook friends list from everyone else. You can also choose another option to show only your friends with whom you are also friends on Facebook. Alternatively, there is a ‘Friends except…’ option to hide your friends list from specific users.

Note:
In the menu, the ‘Public’ option should be selected by default if your friends list is already set to be visible to everyone.

how to hide your friends list on facebook

9. Finally, return to the Facebook home page by using the ‘Back” gesture (which may vary on different devices) on your smartphone.

Your Facebook friends list will now be hidden according to the privacy setting you have chosen. It is important to keep an eye on your privacy settings on social media apps like Facebook. You can also change other privacy settings to protect yourself on Facebook and prevent stalkers and unwanted users from viewing your personal or private information on the platform.

Note:
You can also change your privacy settings and hide your Facebook friends list on Facebook mobile website. The process is similar to toggling the setting in the Facebook mobile app. Also log in to the Facebook mobile website, visit the Account Settings page and change your privacy settings to hide your friends list. Similar to the other methods, you can choose from different options on who can see your friends list on Facebook. After you change the setting, return to the Facebook home page and you are done.

Hiding Your Friends List On Facebook is Easy

When you create a new account, Facebook displays your friends list to everyone by default. However, given the growing privacy concerns around the world, it’s important to keep your privacy in mind. You can also try other privacy options to protect yourself from unwanted users on the platform and keep your profile under control. If you follow the above steps, no one will be able to see who you’re friends with on the platform unless you decide otherwise.

FAQs on how to hide your friends on Facebook

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To make your Facebook account private, follow these steps:

  1. Log in to your Facebook account and click on the downward-facing arrow icon in the top right corner of the screen.
  2. Click "Settings & Privacy" and select "Privacy Checkup" from the drop-down menu.
  3. In the "Privacy Checkup" section, you'll see options to review and adjust the privacy settings for your Posts, Profile, and Apps.
  4. For each section, review the current privacy settings and make changes as needed. You can choose to make your posts and profile visible to only your friends, or specific friends lists or customize your audience.
  5. Under "Apps and Websites," you can manage which apps and websites are allowed to access your Facebook information, and you can also restrict who can see your activity on these third-party apps.
  6. In the "Privacy Settings and Tools" section, you can also adjust other privacy settings, such as who can send you friend requests, who can look you up using the email address or phone number associated with your account, and more.

By following these steps, you can adjust your Facebook privacy settings to control who can see your posts, profile information, and other activity on the platform.

There are several reasons why someone may choose to make their Facebook friends list private:

  1. Privacy: By making your friends list private, you can protect your privacy and prevent strangers from seeing who you're friends with on Facebook.
  2. Security: If you're concerned about online security, hiding your friends list can help prevent hackers and cybercriminals from targeting your friends.
  3. Avoiding unwanted friend requests: If you have a large number of Facebook friends, making your friends list private can help prevent unwanted friend requests from strangers or acquaintances.
  4. Avoiding social pressure: In some cases, people may feel pressure to accept friend requests from people they don't know well or don't want to be friends with. By making your friends list private, you can avoid this type of social pressure.
  5. Personal reasons: Finally, some people may choose to make their friends list private for personal reasons, such as not wanting certain family members, co-workers, or acquaintances to see who they're friends with on Facebook.

Ultimately, the decision to make your Facebook friends list private is a personal one and depends on your individual privacy and security concerns and your social preferences.

No, you cannot see who is looking at your Facebook profile or posts. Facebook does not provide a feature that allows users to see who has viewed their profile or posts.

There are many third-party apps and websites that claim to provide this feature, but they are usually scams or malware. They may ask you to install software or complete surveys, which can compromise your privacy and security.

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