Facebook shows different parts of your profile to different people, and you can see exactly who falls into each group
Facebook divides your audience into layers: public (anyone on or off Facebook), friends only, specific friend lists you create, and people you have blocked. You cannot see a complete list of "who viewed your profile" — that feature does not exist, despite what ads claim — but you can see who can see each individual post, photo, or piece of information you share. You can also see which friends have access to your full profile, which friend requests you have sent and received, and which people you have blocked.
The privacy controls are scattered across different pages in Facebook's settings, so most people never find them. This guide shows you where each control lives and what each one actually does.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook does not offer a "profile viewers" list, and no third-party tool can show you who looked at your profile without breaking Facebook's rules.
- You can control who sees your posts, photos, and personal information by changing the audience setting on each item or by adjusting your overall privacy settings.
- Your friends list is visible to everyone by default, but you can hide it entirely or make it visible only to friends.
- You can see which friend requests you have sent, which ones are pending, and which people you have blocked from a single settings page.
- Changing your privacy settings does not hide past posts from people who already saw them — it only affects new content going forward.
Where to find your privacy settings on Facebook
Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner (on desktop) or the three horizontal lines at the bottom right (on mobile). Select "Settings and privacy," then "Settings." You are now in the main settings hub. On the left side, you will see a menu with options like "Personal information," "Privacy," and "Blocking." These three sections control most of what people can see about you.
The "Privacy" section is where you set your default audience for new posts. The "Personal information" section controls who can see your email, phone number, birthday, and other details. The "Blocking" section shows your blocked list and pending friend requests. Bookmark this page or take a screenshot of the menu, because you will need to return here to change different settings.
How to see who can view your posts and photos
Every post and photo you share has an audience button — usually a small icon showing a person, a group, or a globe. Click that icon to see who can currently see that specific item. You can change it right there: select "Friends," "Public," "Only me," or a custom list. If you want to change the audience for many old posts at once, go to Settings > Privacy > Who can see your posts, and select your preferred default. This only affects new posts, not old ones.
To change the audience on an old post, click the three dots in the corner of the post, select "Edit the audience," and choose a new setting. You can do this one post at a time, but Facebook does not offer a bulk edit tool for past content. If you want to hide all your old posts from the public, the fastest method is to set your default to "Friends only" going forward, then manually adjust any posts you want to remain public.
How to control who sees your friends list
Your friends list is public by default, meaning anyone — even people not on Facebook — can see the names of all your friends. To change this, go to Settings > Privacy > Who can see your friends list. You have three options: "Public" (anyone can see it), "Friends" (only your friends can see it), or "Only me" (no one else can see it, not even your friends). Choose the setting that matches your comfort level.
Hiding your friends list does not remove you from your friends' lists — they can still see that you are their friend. It only prevents other people from seeing your full friend network. If you have already shared your friends list with someone and then hide it, they will no longer be able to see it, but they may have already taken a screenshot or remembered the names.
How to see your pending friend requests and sent requests
Click the people icon (usually at the top of Facebook) and select "Friend requests." This page shows requests you have received but not yet accepted or declined. Scroll down to see "Sent requests" — these are people you have sent a friend request to who have not yet responded. You can cancel a sent request by clicking the "Cancel request" button next to their name.
This page also shows suggestions for people you might know. You do not have to act on these suggestions, and Facebook will keep showing them unless you tell it to stop. If you want to remove someone from your suggestions without blocking them, click the three dots next to their name and select "Remove from suggestions."
How to see and manage your blocked list
Go to Settings > Blocking to see everyone you have blocked. This list is private — blocked people cannot see that you have blocked them, and you cannot see their profiles or posts. They also cannot send you friend requests, messages, or see your posts. If you change your mind, you can unblock someone by clicking "Unblock" next to their name. Unblocking does not automatically send them a friend request or restore your old messages — it straightforward removes the block.
Blocking is different from unfriending. When you unfriend someone, they can still see your public posts and send you a message request (which lands in a separate folder you may not check). When you block someone, they cannot see your profile or contact you at all. If you want to remove someone from your friends list but still let them see your public posts, unfriend them instead of blocking them.
What you cannot see: profile viewers and third-party tools
No legitimate way exists to see a list of people who have viewed your Facebook profile. Facebook does not provide this feature, and any third-party app or website claiming to show you profile viewers is either lying or trying to steal your login information. These apps often ask for permission to access your account, and granting that permission can expose your data to hackers or scammers.
If you see an ad or a post claiming "See who viewed your profile," do not click it. These are almost always scams. Facebook's official help center explicitly states that profile viewer lists do not exist. If you are curious about who might be interested in you, the only real signal is engagement — who likes your posts, who comments, who sends you messages. That is the closest you can get to knowing who is paying attention.
How to limit who can contact you and see your activity
Go to Settings > Privacy to find additional controls. "Who can contact you" lets you choose whether anyone can message you or only friends. "Who can see your activity status" controls whether people can see when you were last active on Facebook. "Who can look you up using the email address you provided" and "Who can look you up using the phone number you provided" let you restrict searches by email or phone.
These settings are useful if you want to reduce unwanted contact or limit how discoverable you are. For example, if you set "Who can contact you" to "Friends," people who are not your friends can still send you a message request, but it will land in a separate folder instead of your main inbox. If you set activity status to "Friends only," only your friends will see when you are online.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see who looked at my Facebook profile?
No. Facebook does not offer a profile viewers list, and no tool can show you this information without breaking Facebook's rules or stealing your login credentials. If someone claims they can show you who viewed your profile, they are running a scam.
If I change my privacy settings, will old posts become hidden?
No. Changing your default privacy settings only affects new posts you create going forward. Old posts keep their original audience setting unless you manually change each one. To hide past posts, you must edit them individually or change their audience one at a time.
What happens when I block someone?
Blocked people cannot see your profile, posts, or activity status. They cannot send you messages or friend requests. They will not be notified that you blocked them, but they may figure it out if they try to visit your profile and cannot. You can unblock them anytime from your blocking settings.
Can my friends see my activity on other people's posts?
Yes, unless you change your activity status setting. By default, your friends can see when you like or comment on posts. Go to Settings > Privacy > Who can see your activity status and change it to "Friends only" or "Only me" to limit this visibility.
Does hiding my friends list remove me from my friends' lists?
No. Hiding your friends list only prevents other people from seeing who your friends are. Your friends can still see that you are their friend, and you still appear on their friends lists. Hiding your list does not change your actual friendships.