You can delete a Facebook contact in two steps from your phone or computer

Open Facebook and go to your friends list. Find the person you want to remove, click or tap the three dots next to their name, and select "Unfriend" or "Remove Friend". Facebook will ask you to confirm. Once you confirm, that person is no longer your Facebook friend — they cannot see your posts unless you make them public, and you will not see their posts in your feed.

The process is the same whether you use the Facebook app on your phone, the mobile website, or Facebook on a computer. The contact disappears from your friends list when ready. The person you removed will not get a notification that you unfriended them, though they may notice if they look at your profile or try to message you.

If you want to remove someone but keep the option to reconnect later without asking them first, unfriending is the right choice. If you want to block them entirely so they cannot find your profile, message you, or see anything you post, that is a separate action called blocking, which is stronger than unfriending.

Key Takeaways

  • Unfriending someone removes them from your friends list and hides your posts from their view, but they can still find your profile and send you a friend request again.
  • The person you unfriend will not receive a notification, though they may discover it by checking your profile or trying to message you.
  • You can unfriend someone from your phone, tablet, or computer using the same three-dot menu next to their name.
  • Blocking is stronger than unfriending and prevents someone from finding your profile, messaging you, or seeing any of your posts.

How to unfriend someone on the Facebook app

Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right of your screen. Tap "Friends" to see your full friends list. Scroll to find the person you want to remove, or use the search box at the top to type their name.

Once you find them, tap the three dots to the right of their name. A menu will appear with options including "Unfriend". Tap "Unfriend" and then confirm when Facebook asks if you are sure. The person will be removed from your friends list when ready.

How to unfriend someone on Facebook.com

Go to Facebook.com and log in. Click on your profile picture in the top right corner, then click "Friends" to see your friends list. You can also search for the person's name using the search bar at the top of the page.

When you find the person, hover your mouse over their name or profile picture. A button that says "Friends" will appear. Click it, and a dropdown menu will show "Unfriend" as an option. Click "Unfriend" and confirm when prompted. The person will be removed from your friends list right away.

What happens after you unfriend someone

Once you unfriend someone, they can no longer see posts you mark as "Friends only" or posts visible only to specific people. However, they can still see anything you post as public, and they can still find your profile by searching for your name. They can send you a new friend request at any time.

The person you unfriended will not see a notification saying you removed them. However, if they visit your profile or try to message you, they may realize you are no longer friends. Some people check their friends list regularly and will notice the change.

Any messages you sent to each other before the unfriend will still be in both of your message histories. Unfriending does not delete past conversations — it only changes your current friendship status.

The difference between unfriending and blocking

Unfriending removes someone from your friends list. They can still find your profile, see your public posts, and send you a friend request. You will not see their posts in your feed, and they will not see yours unless they are public.

Blocking is much stronger. When you block someone, they cannot find your profile, see any of your posts, message you, or send you a friend request. You also cannot see their profile. Blocking is the right choice if you want to cut off contact completely or if someone is harassing you.

To block someone, go to their profile, click the three dots in the top right, and select "Block". You can also block someone from your friends list using the same three-dot menu. Blocking is more private than unfriending because the person will not be able to see that you blocked them — they will just find that they cannot access your profile.

When you might want to unfriend instead of block

Unfriend someone if you straightforward do not want to stay connected but do not need to hide from them. This is common when you lose touch with old classmates, coworkers, or distant relatives. Unfriending keeps the door open for reconnection without awkwardness.

Block someone if they are harassing you, if you need privacy from them, or if you want to make sure they cannot contact you. Blocking is also the right choice if someone is posting content that upsets you and you do not want to see it or have them see your posts.

You can also use Facebook's "Restrict" feature, which is between unfriending and blocking. When you restrict someone, they can still see your public posts, but they cannot see when you are online, whether you have read their messages, or posts you mark as visible only to friends. Restricted people can still message you, but their messages go to a separate folder.

How to find your full friends list

On the Facebook app, tap the menu icon (three lines) at the bottom right, then tap "Friends". On Facebook.com, click your profile picture in the top right, then click "Friends". Both will show you all your current friends in one place.

You can sort your friends list by "Recently Added" or search for a specific person using the search box. This makes it easier to find someone you have not thought about in a while or to review who you are connected to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I unfriended them?

Facebook does not send a notification when you unfriend someone. However, they may notice if they visit your profile, try to message you, or check their friends list. There is no way to unfriend someone completely secretly if they actively look for you.

Can I unfriend someone and then add them back later?

Yes. After you unfriend someone, they can send you a new friend request, or you can search for them and send them a request. There is no waiting period or penalty for unfriending and reconnecting later.

What if I unfriend someone by accident?

You can search for their name and send them a new friend request right away. They will receive the request as normal. You can also check your "Friends" list to see if they are still there — sometimes the list takes a moment to update.

Does unfriending delete our old messages?

No. Unfriending does not delete any messages you sent to each other. Both of you will still be able to see your past conversation history. If you want to delete messages, you have to do that separately.

Can I unfriend someone without them seeing I removed them?

Yes. Unfriending does not trigger a notification, and there is no way for them to know unless they check your profile or their friends list. If you want even more privacy, blocking is stronger and prevents them from finding your profile at all.