You can delete a friend request you sent, or decline one someone sent to you
Facebook lets you remove a friend request in two directions: you can take back a request you sent to someone else, or you can reject a request someone sent to you. Both actions are permanent — once deleted, the request disappears from both sides. The person won't get a notification that you deleted it, but if they look at their requests, they'll see it's gone. You can send a new request later if you change your mind.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're using Facebook on a computer or phone, and whether you're canceling your own request or declining someone else's. Both take less than a minute.
Key Takeaways
- Deleting a friend request you sent removes it from the other person's pending requests without sending them a notification.
- Declining a request someone sent you rejects it permanently, and they won't see a notification unless they check their pending list.
- On a computer, you find pending requests in the Friends section of your profile or in the Friends menu.
- On a phone, the Friends icon at the bottom of the screen shows all your pending requests in one place.
- You can send a new request to the same person anytime after you delete the old one.
How to cancel a friend request you sent on a computer
Open Facebook and go to your profile by clicking your name or profile picture in the top right corner. Click the Friends button below your cover photo. Look for the Friend Requests section — it shows requests you've sent that are still pending. Find the person's name and hover over the button that says Cancel Request. Click it, and the request is removed.
If you don't see a Friend Requests section, try this route instead: click the Friends icon in the left menu, then look for Sent Requests near the top of the page. This shows every request you've sent that hasn't been accepted yet. Click Cancel next to the person's name.
How to decline a friend request on a computer
Go to the Friends icon in the left menu and select Friend Requests. You'll see a list of people who've sent you requests. Next to each name, you'll see two buttons: one to accept and one to decline. Click Decline (or the X icon) to reject the request. The request disappears from your list when ready.
You can also find pending requests on your profile. Click your name, then click the Friends button. Look for Friend Requests and you'll see requests waiting for your response. Decline works the same way — click the decline button and it's gone.
How to cancel or decline requests on your phone
Open the Facebook app and tap the Friends icon at the bottom (it looks like two people). You'll see a menu with options including Friend Requests. Tap that to see all pending requests — both ones you sent and ones you received.
For a request you sent: find the person's name and tap Cancel Request. For a request someone sent you: tap Decline or the X icon next to their name. Either way, the request is removed when ready and won't show up in your list anymore.
What happens after you delete a request
Once you delete a request — whether you sent it or received it — it's gone from both your account and the other person's account. They won't receive a notification saying you deleted it. If they visit your profile or you visit theirs, there's no record that a request ever existed.
You're free to send a new request anytime. There's no waiting period or penalty for canceling and resending. If you decline someone's request and later change your mind, you can visit their profile and send them a request yourself — they'll see it as a new request, not a reactivation of the old one.
Why you might want to delete a request
People delete requests for different reasons. You might have sent a request to someone you don't actually know well, or you might have changed your mind about connecting. On the receiving end, you might decline a request from someone you're not comfortable friending, or someone you don't recognize. Declining keeps your friends list smaller and more intentional.
Deleting a request also keeps your sent requests list clean. If you've sent many requests and want to see which ones are still pending, removing the ones you've reconsidered makes that easier to track.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I deleted their friend request?
No. Facebook doesn't send a notification when you decline a request. They'll only know if they manually check their sent requests and notice it's no longer there.
Can I undo a deleted friend request?
No, but you can send a new one. There's no undo button, but you can visit the person's profile anytime and send a fresh request. They'll see it as a new request.
What's the difference between declining and ignoring a request?
Declining removes the request permanently. Ignoring leaves it in your pending list so you can decide later. To ignore, just don't click decline — the request stays there until you act on it or the other person cancels it.
If I cancel a request, can they send me another one right away?
Yes. There's no cooldown period. They can send you a new request when ready after you cancel the old one, though Facebook may show a message reminding them you haven't responded to previous requests.
Does deleting a request affect my privacy settings?
No. Deleting a request doesn't change who can see your profile or send you requests in the future. Your privacy settings stay exactly as they were.