Where to find your follower count on Facebook

Your follower count appears on your profile page, in the same place whether you use Facebook on a computer or phone. On a computer, go to your profile by clicking your name in the top left corner, then look at the section below your cover photo — you will see a row of numbers showing friends, followers, and photos. The follower count is the middle number in that row. On a phone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, select your name, and scroll down past your bio — the follower count appears there in the same format.

If you do not see a follower count at all, it means you have not turned on the follower feature yet. Facebook lets you choose whether to allow people to follow your public posts without being your friend. The setting is off by default, so many people never see this number because they have never switched it on.

Key Takeaways

  • Your follower count sits on your profile page below your cover photo on desktop, or in your profile section on mobile.
  • Followers are different from friends — followers see your public posts without being connected to you as a friend.
  • If you do not see a follower count, the feature is turned off and you can turn it on in your privacy settings.
  • Your follower count updates in real time as people follow and unfollow you, but Facebook does not show you who unfollows you.

The difference between followers and friends on Facebook

A friend on Facebook is someone you have accepted a friend request from, and you can see each other's posts based on your privacy settings. A follower is someone who sees only your public posts — they do not need your permission and you do not need to accept anything. You can have followers without being friends with them, and you can have friends who are not followers.

This matters because your follower count and your friend count are two separate numbers. If you have 500 friends and 2,000 followers, that means 500 people are your friends and 2,000 people can see your public posts. The follower feature is useful if you want to share content publicly without managing a long friends list, or if you are a public figure or business account.

How to turn on the follower feature if you do not have one

If your profile does not show a follower count, you need to turn on the follower setting. On a computer, click your name to go to your profile, then click the three dots next to the "Edit Profile" button. Select "Settings and Privacy," then "Settings." In the left menu, click "Privacy." Scroll down to the section called "Who can follow you?" and select either "Everyone" or "Friends Only," depending on whether you want the general public or only your friends to be able to follow you.

On a phone, tap the menu icon at the bottom right, go to "Settings and Privacy," then "Settings." Tap "Privacy," then scroll to "Who can follow you?" and choose your preference. Once you save this setting, the follower feature turns on and your follower count will appear on your profile. If you already have followers from before you turned the setting on, they will still be counted.

What your follower count includes and does not include

Your follower count includes anyone who has chosen to follow your public posts, whether they are your friends or not. It does not include people who have you muted, people who have unfollowed you, or people who have blocked you. Facebook does not show you a list of who unfollowed you or when they did it — you only see the current total number.

The count updates in real time, so if someone follows you right now, the number will go up when ready. However, there can be a delay of a few minutes before the change shows on your profile if you are viewing it on a phone or if Facebook is syncing across devices. If the number looks wrong, refresh your page or close and reopen the app.

Why your follower count might be different from what you expect

Your follower count can seem lower than you think for a few reasons. Some people may have unfollowed you without you knowing — Facebook does not send a notification when someone unfollows you. Others may have blocked you, which removes them from your follower list. If you recently turned on the follower feature, you may not have had time to build followers yet, since the feature was off before.

Your follower count can also be different from your friend count because not all of your friends choose to follow you. When someone becomes your friend, they do not automatically become a follower — they have to choose to follow you separately. This is why you might have 300 friends but only 150 followers, or vice versa.

How to manage who can follow you

You can change your follower settings at any time. If you set "Who can follow you?" to "Everyone," anyone on Facebook can follow your public posts. If you change it to "Friends Only," only people who are already your friends can follow you, and anyone who was following you before will be removed from your follower list. You can also block specific people from following you without blocking them entirely as a friend.

To block someone from following you on a computer, go to their profile, click the three dots next to their name, and select "Block." On a phone, tap the three dots on their profile and choose "Block." This prevents them from seeing your public posts and removes them from your follower list. You can unblock them later if you change your mind.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I see a list of all my followers?

Facebook does not show you a complete list of your followers the way it shows your friends list. You can see who recently followed you by going to your profile and looking at the "Followers" section, but you cannot read or view all followers at once. Some third-party apps claim to show this information, but Facebook does not officially support them.

Does Facebook notify me when someone follows me?

Facebook does not send notifications when someone follows you. You only see your total follower count go up. If you want to know when specific people follow you, you would have to check your profile regularly or use a third-party tool, though these are not always accurate.

What happens to my followers if I deactivate my account?

If you deactivate your Facebook account, your profile becomes hidden and people cannot follow you anymore. If you reactivate your account later, your follower count returns to what it was before. If you permanently delete your account instead of deactivating it, your profile is gone and your followers cannot see your posts.

Can I have followers if my profile is private?

No. The follower feature only works if you have at least some posts set to public. If your entire profile is private and only friends can see your posts, the follower feature does not explore. You would need to change your privacy settings to allow public posts in order to have followers.