The fastest way to add friends on Letterboxd

To add a friend on Letterboxd, search for their username in the search bar at the top of the page, click on their profile, and then click the "Follow" button. Letterboxd uses the word "follow" instead of "friend," but following someone means you see their reviews, ratings, and activity in your feed — it works the same way as friending on other platforms.

The person you follow does not have to follow you back for you to see their activity. However, if you want a mutual connection where you both see each other's posts, you can send them a direct message asking them to follow you as well. There is no formal friend request system on Letterboxd the way there is on Facebook or Instagram.

You can also add friends by connecting your account to other platforms. If you link your Letterboxd account to your Twitter or Mastodon account, the app will suggest people you follow on those platforms who also use Letterboxd, and you can follow them from there.

Key Takeaways

  • Search for a username in Letterboxd's search bar, open their profile, and click "Follow" to add them to your feed.
  • Following on Letterboxd is one-way — the other person does not have to follow you back to see your activity.
  • You can find friends faster by connecting your Letterboxd account to Twitter or Mastodon and following people you already know on those platforms.
  • Once you follow someone, their reviews, ratings, and list activity will appear in your home feed.

Finding people you already know

If you want to follow friends you already know offline or from other social media, the search bar is the simplest route. Type their username or real name into the search box at the top of any Letterboxd page. If they have a public account, their profile will show up in the results.

Many people use their real name as their Letterboxd username, but some use a nickname or handle instead. If you cannot find someone by their real name, try asking them directly what username they use on Letterboxd — it is faster than guessing. You can also check their other social media profiles; many people link to their Letterboxd account on Instagram or Twitter.

Once you find their profile, scroll down to see their recent reviews and ratings. This gives you a sense of what they have watched and what they think before you decide to follow them.

Using social media connections to find friends

Letterboxd lets you connect your account to Twitter or Mastodon. When you do, Letterboxd scans the accounts you follow on those platforms and shows you which ones also have Letterboxd profiles. You can then follow them directly from the suggestions list.

To set this up, go to your account settings and look for the "Connected accounts" or "Social connections" section. Click the option to connect Twitter or Mastodon, and Letterboxd will ask for permission to see who you follow. Once you grant permission, the app generates a list of suggestions based on your existing followers.

This method works best if you already follow film critics, movie accounts, or friends on Twitter or Mastodon. If most of your followers on those platforms are not interested in movies, you may not see many Letterboxd suggestions.

What happens when you follow someone

When you follow someone on Letterboxd, their activity starts appearing in your home feed. This includes their movie ratings (the star scores they give films), their written reviews, and any lists they create or update. You will see when they mark a film as watched, when they add a film to their watchlist, and when they write a review.

Following someone does not give them access to your private information. Your email address, phone number, and any personal details you have not made public remain hidden. However, your public activity — your ratings, reviews, and lists — will be visible to anyone who visits your profile, whether they follow you or not.

If you follow someone and later change your mind, you can unfollow them by going back to their profile and clicking "Following" to toggle it off. They will not be notified that you unfollowed them.

Making your profile easier for others to find

If you want friends to find and follow you, make sure your profile is set to public. Go to your account settings and check the privacy section. A public profile means anyone can see your username, your reviews, your ratings, and your lists. A private profile restricts who can see your activity.

You can also add a profile picture and a bio to make your account more recognizable. Use a clear photo of yourself or an avatar that your friends would recognize. In your bio, mention your real name or a nickname your friends know you by — this makes it easier for them to confirm they have found the right person.

If you want to make it even easier, you can share your Letterboxd profile link directly. Copy the URL from your profile page and send it to friends via text, email, or social media. They can click the link and follow you when ready without having to search.

Blocking and controlling who sees your activity

If someone follows you and you do not want them to see your activity, you can block them. Go to their profile, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block user." Once you block someone, they cannot see your profile, your reviews, or your ratings, and they cannot send you direct messages.

You can also control privacy on a per-review basis. When you write a review, you can choose to make it public, visible only to your followers, or private. This lets you share some reviews with everyone and keep others just for yourself or your close followers.

If your account is public but you want to limit who can message you, check your messaging settings. You can restrict direct messages to people you follow, or turn off messages entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do people get notified when I follow them?

No, Letterboxd does not send notifications when someone follows you. However, if your account is public, they may notice you following them if they check their follower list. Some users check their followers regularly, but most do not.

Can I follow someone without them following me back?

Yes. Following on Letterboxd is one-way. You can follow someone and see all their activity in your feed even if they never follow you back. This is different from platforms like Facebook where friendship has to be mutual.

What if I cannot find someone on Letterboxd?

They may not have a Letterboxd account, or their account may be private or deleted. Ask them directly if they use Letterboxd and what their username is. If they do have an account, they may have set their profile to private, which makes it harder to find through search.

Can I see who follows me?

Yes. Go to your profile and click on "Followers" to see a list of everyone who follows you. You can click on any follower's name to visit their profile and follow them back if you want.

What information do people see when they visit my profile?

If your account is public, they see your username, profile picture, bio, all your ratings and reviews, your lists, and your follower and following counts. They do not see your email, phone number, or any information you marked as private in your settings.