The two ways to remove someone from Facebook
You can remove a person from your Facebook friends list in two ways: unfriend them, which removes the friendship but lets them still see your public posts, or block them, which prevents them from seeing your profile, posts, or messages at all. Most people use unfriend when they straightforward want less contact. Block is for situations where you do not want someone to find you on Facebook.
The person you remove 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 block someone, they cannot see that you blocked them directly, but they will discover it if they search for your name or try to visit your profile.
You can undo an unfriend at any time by sending a new friend request. If you block someone, you can unblock them later, but they will not automatically become your friend again — you would need to send a new request.
Key Takeaways
- Unfriending removes someone from your friends list but still allows them to see your public posts and find your profile.
- Blocking prevents someone from seeing your profile, posts, messages, and profile picture, and stops them from finding you in search.
- The person you unfriend or block will not receive a notification, though they may notice if they try to interact with you.
- You can unfriend or unblock someone at any time and reverse the action by sending a new friend request.
How to unfriend someone on Facebook
Open Facebook and go to the person's profile by searching for their name or clicking on their name from a post or comment. Once you are on their profile, look for the button that says "Friends" — it usually appears near the top of their profile, often next to a "Message" button.
Click the "Friends" button and a small menu will appear. Select "Unfriend" from the menu. Facebook will remove them from your friends list when ready. You do not need to confirm the action a second time.
If you are on a mobile phone, the steps are the same: find their profile, tap "Friends," and select "Unfriend" from the menu that appears.
How to block someone on Facebook
Go to the person's profile using the search bar or by clicking their name. At the top of their profile, look for a three-dot menu icon (sometimes called a "more" menu). Click or tap this icon.
A menu will drop down with several options. Select "Block" from this menu. Facebook will ask you to confirm that you want to block this person. Click "Confirm" and the block takes effect when ready.
After you block someone, Facebook will remove them from your friends list, delete any existing messages between you, and prevent them from finding your profile, sending you messages, or seeing your posts. They also cannot see your profile picture, your friends list, or your past posts.
What happens after you unfriend or block someone
When you unfriend someone, they stay on Facebook but are no longer your friend. They can still see any posts you have marked as public, comment on those posts, and send you a message (though the message will go to your message requests folder, not your main inbox). They can also still see your profile picture and your name in search results.
When you block someone, they cannot message you, see your profile, or find you in search results. If they try to visit your profile directly using an old link, they will see a message saying the profile is not available. Any comments they made on your public posts before the block will remain visible, but they cannot add new comments or reactions.
If you change your mind about blocking someone, you can unblock them by going to your settings, selecting "Blocking," finding their name, and clicking "Unblock." Unblocking does not automatically restore your friendship — you would need to send a new friend request if you want to be friends again.
Removing someone from a specific list or group
Facebook also lets you organize friends into custom lists so you can control who sees certain posts without unfriending them. If you want to limit what one person sees without removing them entirely, you can create a list and exclude them from it.
To create a custom list, go to your settings, select "Privacy," and look for "Who can see your posts?" You can then choose specific lists of people to share with. This way, you can keep someone as a friend but prevent them from seeing certain content.
If someone is in a group you manage or administer, you can also remove them from that group without unfriending them. Go to the group, find their name in the members list, click the three-dot menu next to their name, and select "Remove from Group."
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know if I unfriend them?
Facebook does not send a notification when you unfriend someone. However, they may notice if they look at your profile or try to message you and see that you are no longer friends. Some people check their friends list regularly and will notice you are gone.
Can I unfriend someone and then friend them again later?
Yes. Unfriending does not prevent you from sending a new friend request in the future. You can send a request at any time, and they can accept or decline it like any other request. There is no waiting period or penalty for unfriending and refriending someone.
What is the difference between blocking and unfriending?
Unfriending removes them from your friends list but they can still see your public posts and find your profile. Blocking prevents them from seeing your profile, posts, messages, or profile picture, and stops them from finding you in search. Block is stronger and more private.
If I block someone, will they see my old comments on their posts?
Yes. Any comments you made on their posts before you blocked them will still be visible to them and to others. Blocking only prevents future interaction — it does not erase your past activity on their profile.
Can I block someone without unfriending them first?
You do not need to unfriend someone before blocking them. When you block someone, Facebook automatically removes the friendship at the same time. You can go straight to blocking without the extra step.