Facebook shows you fewer personalized ads when you limit what the platform knows about you
Facebook's ad system works by collecting data about what you do on and off the platform, then selling advertisers the ability to target you based on that data. You cannot stop Facebook from showing you ads — the platform is free because ads are how it makes money. But you can reduce how much information Facebook uses to pick which ads you see.
The most direct route is Facebook's Ad Preferences tool, which lets you see the categories Facebook has assigned to you and remove the ones you do not want. You can also limit how much data Facebook collects about your activity outside Facebook, turn off certain types of tracking, and hide your activity from specific advertisers. None of these steps will make ads disappear, but they will make the ads you see less targeted to your specific behavior and interests.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook's Ad Preferences tool shows you the interest categories and demographic data the platform uses to target ads to you, and you can remove categories you do not want to see.
- The "Off-Facebook Activity" tool lets you see and clear data Facebook has collected about your activity on other websites and apps, which reduces how much it can use to target you.
- You can hide your activity from specific advertisers and request that Facebook not use your sensitive information like health data for ad targeting.
- These settings reduce targeting precision but do not stop ads from appearing; Facebook will show you less personalized ads instead.
How to view and edit your ad interests in Facebook's Ad Preferences
Open Facebook on a computer or phone and go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Ads. You will see a section called "Ad Preferences." Click on it.
Facebook will show you a list of interest categories it has assigned to you — things like "Technology," "Travel," or "Fitness." These come from what you have liked, clicked, and searched for on Facebook, as well as from data brokers and other websites that sell information to Facebook. You can remove any category by clicking the X next to it. Removing a category tells Facebook not to use that interest when picking ads for you.
You will also see sections for "Advertisers you have interacted with" and "Your information." The "Your information" section shows demographic data Facebook thinks it knows about you — your age range, gender, location, and language. You can edit some of this information, though Facebook may have collected it from sources other than what you told the platform directly.
How to see and clear data Facebook collects about you outside Facebook
Facebook tracks your activity on other websites and apps through a tool called the Facebook Pixel — a piece of code that websites install to monitor what you do. This data feeds into your ad profile even though you are not on Facebook when it happens. The "Off-Facebook Activity" tool shows you what Facebook has collected this way and lets you clear it.
To access it, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Apps and Websites. You will see "Off-Facebook Activity" at the top. Click View Activity. Facebook will show you a list of websites and apps that have sent data about you to Facebook, along with how much data each one has sent. Click "Clear All Activity" to tell Facebook to disconnect this data from your account. This does not stop Facebook from collecting the data going forward — it only clears what has already been collected.
If you want to stop Facebook from collecting this data in the future, you can turn off "Off-Facebook Activity" entirely. Go back to the same Apps and Websites section and toggle off the switch that says "Clear your off-Facebook activity." This tells websites and apps not to send your activity data to Facebook, though some may still collect it for their own purposes.
How to limit data collection from your Facebook activity
Facebook also collects data from what you do inside the app — which posts you look at, how long you spend looking at them, which ads you click, and which ones you ignore. You cannot turn this off entirely, but you can limit some of it.
In Settings & Privacy, go to Settings, then Privacy. Look for "Who can see your posts" and set it to "Friends" or "Only Me" rather than "Public." This limits who can see your activity, which reduces how much data advertisers can gather about you from your public posts. You can also go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Apps and Websites, and review which apps have permission to access your Facebook data. Remove access for apps you no longer use.
How to hide your activity from specific advertisers
If you see ads from a particular company and do not want to see them again, you can hide your activity from that advertiser. When you see an ad, click the three dots in the top right corner of the ad and select "Hide ad." Facebook will ask why you are hiding it — you can say you are not interested in the advertiser or the product. This tells Facebook not to show you ads from that advertiser for a while, though the advertiser may still be able to reach you later.
For more control, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Ads. Under "Advertisers you have interacted with," you will see a list of companies that have shown you ads. Click on any advertiser's name to see what data they have about you and what ads they have shown you. You can then click "Remove" to tell Facebook not to let that advertiser target you anymore.
How to request that Facebook not use sensitive data for ads
Facebook collects data about sensitive topics — your health conditions, financial situation, political views, and religious beliefs — often from third-party data brokers. You can ask Facebook not to use this information for ad targeting, though the company may still collect it.
Go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Ads. Look for "Sensitive ad topics" and click on it. You will see options to opt out of ads related to health, finances, politics, and other sensitive categories. Selecting these options tells Facebook not to use that data when picking ads for you. This does not delete the data Facebook has collected — it only tells the platform not to use it for targeting ads.
What these changes do and do not do
Turning off personalized ads reduces how much Facebook knows about you and how precisely it can target you. You will still see ads — that is how Facebook makes money. But instead of ads picked because Facebook knows you are interested in running shoes or saving for a house, you will see ads based only on basic information like your location and language.
These changes do not stop Facebook from collecting data about you. The platform still tracks what you do on and off Facebook, and it still sells advertisers the ability to reach people like you — just with less precision. If you want to stop Facebook from collecting data about you altogether, the only option is to delete your account or stop using the platform.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will turning off personalized ads stop Facebook from collecting data about me?
No. Turning off personalized ads tells Facebook not to use the data it collects to target ads to you, but the platform still collects the data. If you want Facebook to stop collecting data, you would need to delete your account or stop using the platform entirely.
Can I stop Facebook from tracking me on other websites?
You can clear the data Facebook has already collected through the Off-Facebook Activity tool and turn off future collection by disabling Off-Facebook Activity in your settings. However, websites can still collect data about you for their own purposes — turning off Off-Facebook Activity only stops them from sending that data to Facebook.
If I remove an interest category, will Facebook stop showing me ads about that topic?
Facebook will stop using that specific interest to target ads to you, but you may still see ads related to that topic if Facebook has other reasons to show them to you — for example, if you recently searched for it or visited a website about it. Removing interests reduces targeting precision but does not may provide you will never see related ads.
What happens if I clear my Off-Facebook Activity?
Clearing your Off-Facebook Activity disconnects the data Facebook has collected about your activity on other websites from your ad profile. Facebook will no longer use that historical data to target ads to you. However, Facebook will continue collecting new data about your activity on other websites going forward unless you turn off Off-Facebook Activity entirely.
Can advertisers still reach me if I hide my activity from them?
Hiding your activity from a specific advertiser tells Facebook not to let them target you for a period of time, but advertisers may still be able to reach you later through other targeting methods — for example, if they upload a list of email addresses that includes yours. Hiding activity is a temporary measure, not a permanent block.