Finding a Facebook account by phone number
Facebook lets you search for people using their phone number if they have added it to their account and made it searchable. This works because Facebook stores phone numbers as part of user profiles — when someone registers or updates their account, they can choose whether to let others find them this way. The search function is built into Facebook itself, not a separate tool.
The person you are looking for must have taken two steps for this to work: they added a phone number to their Facebook profile, and they did not turn off the setting that lets people search for them by phone. If their number is not in their profile, or if they hid that setting, you will not find them through phone search no matter what you do.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook's phone number search only works if the person added their number to their profile and left the search setting turned on.
- You can search by phone number directly in Facebook's search bar at the top of the page — type the full number including the country code.
- If the search returns no results, the person either did not add a phone number, or they turned off the setting that lets others find them by phone.
- Facebook does not show you whether a number belongs to an account — it only shows results if a match exists.
- This search method works the same way on the Facebook website, the mobile app, and Facebook Messenger.
How to search for someone by phone number on Facebook
Open Facebook and look at the top of the page. You will see a search bar that says "Search Facebook" — click or tap it. Type the phone number exactly as it appears, including the country code if you are searching for someone outside the United States. For a US number, type it as 1-555-123-4567 or just 5551234567 — Facebook recognizes both formats.
Press Enter or tap the search icon. Facebook will show you any accounts linked to that number. If you see a profile that looks right, click on it to view more details and confirm it is the person you are looking for. If nothing appears, the number is either not on Facebook, or the account owner turned off phone search in their privacy settings.
The same process works in the Facebook mobile app and in Messenger. Open the app, tap the search bar at the top, type the phone number, and press search. You will get the same results as you would on the website.
Why the search might not work
The most common reason a phone number search returns no results is that the person never added that number to their Facebook account. Some people only use email to sign up and never add a phone number at all. Others added a number years ago but have since deleted it or changed it.
The second reason is privacy settings. Even if someone added their phone number, they can turn off the setting that lets others search for them by phone. This is a deliberate choice — Facebook asks users whether they want their phone number to be searchable when they add it. If they said no, you will not find them through phone search.
A third possibility is that the number belongs to an account that has been deactivated or deleted. Deactivated accounts are hidden from search, so you will not see them even if the phone number is still attached to the account.
What to do if the phone search does not work
If you cannot find someone by phone number, try searching by their name instead. Go to the Facebook search bar and type their full name. This will show you all public profiles with that name, though you may have to scroll through several results to find the right person. If you know where they live or work, you can narrow the search by adding that information — for example, "John Smith Portland Oregon" — to filter the results.
Another option is to search for them on other platforms. Many people have the same username across Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn. If you know their email address, you can try searching that on Facebook instead — some people make their email searchable even if they do not make their phone number searchable.
If you know someone who is already friends with the person you are looking for, you can ask that person to send you a link to their profile. This is often faster than searching, and it guarantees you have found the right account.
How phone numbers are stored on Facebook
When someone creates a Facebook account or updates their profile, they can add a phone number in the "Contact Information" section. Facebook stores this number and uses it for two main purposes: account recovery (so you can reset your password if you forget it) and search (so other people can find you by phone).
The person who added the number controls whether it is searchable. When they enter the number, Facebook shows them a privacy option — they can choose to make it visible to everyone, to friends only, or to no one. If they choose "no one," the number is still stored in their account but will not show up in search results. They can change this setting at any time by going to their privacy settings.
Facebook does not sell or share phone numbers with third parties. The phone search is only available to other Facebook users who are searching within Facebook itself.
Searching by phone number on Facebook Messenger
Facebook Messenger has its own search function that works slightly differently from the main Facebook search. Open Messenger and tap the search bar at the top. Type the phone number and press search. Messenger will show you any accounts linked to that number, just as Facebook does.
One difference is that Messenger search may show you accounts that are not in your friends list, whereas the main Facebook search sometimes prioritizes people you already know. If you cannot find someone on Facebook's main search, trying Messenger search is worth a try — you may get different results.
Privacy and safety when searching by phone number
Searching for someone by phone number on Facebook is a normal, built-in feature. It does not alert the other person that you searched for them, and it does not leave any trace that you looked them up. Facebook does not notify users when someone searches for them by any method.
If you find someone and want to send them a message, you can add them as a friend or send them a message request. They will see your name and profile when they receive the request, just as they would if you had found them any other way. There is nothing hidden or unusual about this process.
Be aware that just because you can search for someone does not mean they want to be contacted. If someone has made their account hard to find or has not added a phone number, that may be a signal that they prefer privacy. Respect that choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I search for someone if I only have part of their phone number?
No. Facebook requires the full phone number to search. If you only have part of the number, you will need to search by name instead, or find another way to get the complete number.
Does Facebook tell someone if I search for them by phone number?
No. Facebook does not notify users when someone searches for them, whether by phone number, name, or any other method. Your search is private.
What if the phone number belongs to multiple accounts?
This is rare, but it can happen if someone has more than one Facebook account and added the same phone number to both. In that case, the search will show you both accounts. You will need to look at the profile details to figure out which one is the person you are looking for.
Can I search for someone using a phone number that is not on Facebook?
No. Facebook only searches its own database. If the phone number is not attached to a Facebook account, or if the account owner turned off phone search, you will not find any results.
Is there a way to search for someone by phone number outside of Facebook?
Yes, but the results are different. Reverse phone lookup websites and apps can tell you who owns a phone number, but they do not connect you to Facebook specifically. Those services are separate from Facebook and operate independently.