What tagging means and why you might want to approve it first
Tagging is when someone labels you in a photo or post on Facebook — they type your name or click your profile picture to link the content to you. When you tag someone, that post appears on their timeline and in their friends' feeds. By default, Facebook lets anyone tag you without asking first, which means photos of you can show up on your profile without your permission.
Turning on tag approval means Facebook will ask you before any tagged photo or post goes live on your timeline. You see it first, decide whether you want it there, and can reject it if you don't. This gives you control over what appears under your name.
Key Takeaways
- Tag approval is a privacy setting that stops tagged posts from appearing on your timeline until you review and accept them.
- You turn it on in Settings under Privacy, in the section labeled "Who can see posts you're tagged in?"
- Once enabled, you'll get a notification each time someone tags you, and you can approve or decline from that notification.
- Turning on tag approval does not remove tags that are already on your timeline — you have to review and untag those separately.
- Even with tag approval on, the person who posted the photo can still see it and share it; your approval only controls whether it appears on your profile.
How to turn on tag approval in Facebook settings
Open Facebook on a computer or phone and click the downward arrow in the top right corner. Select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. On the left side, click Privacy.
Look for the section that says Who can see posts you're tagged in? Click the dropdown menu next to it. You'll see three options: Public (anyone can see), Friends (only your friends), or Only me (nobody sees it on your timeline). Choose whichever matches what you want, but this setting alone does not require approval — it only controls who sees the posts once they're on your timeline.
To actually require approval before tagged posts appear, scroll down in the Privacy section until you find Review tags people add to your posts? or Review posts you're tagged in before the post appears on your timeline? The exact wording varies by device and Facebook version. Click the toggle next to it to turn it On. Once it's on, you'll see a blue toggle switch.
What happens after you turn tag approval on
When someone tags you in a photo or post, Facebook no longer puts it directly on your timeline. Instead, you get a notification that says someone tagged you. You can open that notification and see the photo or post before deciding.
At the bottom of the notification, you'll see two buttons: Approve and Decline. Click Approve if you want the post to appear on your timeline and in your friends' feeds. Click Decline if you don't want it there. If you decline, the post stays on the other person's timeline and their friends can still see it — it just won't appear on yours.
You can also review pending tags anytime by going back to Settings, clicking Privacy, and looking for Review pending tags or a similar option. Facebook shows you a list of all the tags waiting for your decision.
Removing tags that are already on your timeline
Tag approval only affects new tags going forward. If photos of you are already tagged on your timeline, turning on approval won't remove them. You have to untag yourself from those posts manually.
Find the tagged photo on your timeline or on the other person's profile. Hover over the photo or click on it to open it. Look for three dots (a menu icon) in the corner of the post. Click it and select Remove tag or Untag myself. The photo stays on their timeline, but your name is no longer linked to it and it disappears from your profile.
The difference between tag approval and tag review
Facebook has two separate settings that sound similar but work differently. Tag approval (or "review tags people add to your posts") stops tagged posts from appearing on your timeline until you say yes. Tag review (or "review posts you're tagged in") is an older setting that does something slightly different — it shows you tags before they go live, but the exact behavior depends on your Facebook version.
Both settings accomplish roughly the same goal: you see tags before they appear on your profile. If you see both options in your Privacy settings, turning on either one will give you control. Most newer Facebook accounts have only the tag approval option.
Why someone might still see a tag even if you decline it
When you decline a tag, it disappears from your timeline and your profile. But the original post — the photo or status — stays on the person who posted it's timeline. Their friends can still see it, and if they look at the comments or the post itself, they might see your name mentioned or tagged in the caption, depending on how the person tagged you.
Tag approval only controls what appears on your profile. It doesn't remove you from the post entirely or prevent the other person from posting it. If you want the photo deleted completely, you'd need to ask the person who posted it to take it down.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I approve tags from only certain people?
No. Tag approval is all-or-nothing — once you turn it on, every tag from anyone goes through approval. You can't set it to approve only friends' tags or decline only strangers' tags. If you want more control, you can adjust your privacy settings to limit who can tag you in the first place by changing "Who can tag you in photos and posts?" in your Privacy settings.
What if I approve a tag by accident?
You can remove it anytime. Find the post on your timeline, click the three-dot menu, and select "Remove tag" or "Untag myself." The post stays on the other person's timeline, but it disappears from yours and your name is no longer linked to it.
Does turning on tag approval hide old tagged photos from my friends?
No. Tag approval only affects new tags going forward. Photos that are already tagged and approved on your timeline stay visible to whoever your privacy settings allow. You have to manually untag yourself from old photos if you want them off your profile.
Can I see who tagged me if I decline the tag?
Yes. When you get the notification that someone tagged you, you can see their name and the photo before you decide. Declining the tag doesn't hide who posted it — it just removes it from your timeline.
What if my tag approval setting isn't working?
Try logging out and back in, or clearing your browser cache if you're on a computer. If you're on the Facebook app, try closing it completely and reopening it. Make sure you're looking at the right setting — "Review posts you're tagged in before the post appears on your timeline?" is the one that requires approval. If it's already on and tags are still appearing without approval, contact Facebook support through the Help Center.