How to Hide Your Facebook Friends List for More Privacy
Ever wondered who can see your friend list on Facebook? If you value your privacy online, that’s probably something you’ve asked yourself. The good news is—you can control it! Facebook gives you options to decide who can see your friends list and who can’t. In this easy-to-follow guide, I’ll walk you through exactly how to hide your friends list on Facebook for more privacy.
Whether you’re protecting yourself from nosy relatives, exes, or scammers, keeping your friends list private is a smart move. Don’t worry—it doesn’t take a tech genius to do it. Let’s dive in.
Why Should You Hide Your Friends List on Facebook?
Facebook is a place to stay connected, but unfortunately, it also attracts digital snoops. Hiding your friends list can help you stay safer online. Here’s why:
- Prevents people from seeing who you interact with
- Protects your friends from spam or scam attempts
- Reduces your visibility to strangers or unwanted individuals
Imagine someone pretending to be you to trick your friends—or messaging all your contacts to gather personal info. Scary, right? That’s why setting boundaries on who can see what is important.
How to Hide Your Friends List on Facebook (Step-by-Step)
Facebook doesn’t make it super obvious how to change these settings, but the steps are simple. Let’s break it down by platform:
Hiding Your Friend List on Facebook via Desktop
- Log into your Facebook account via a web browser.
- Click your profile picture or name to go to your profile page.
- Next, click the Friends tab right under your cover photo.
- On the top right corner of the Friends section, click the three-dot menu (⋯).
- Select Edit Privacy.
- In the popup, look for the setting next to Friend List.
- Click the dropdown menu and select who you want to see your friends list. You can choose from:
- Public – anyone on or off Facebook
- Friends – only your Facebook friends
- Only me – just you
- Custom – choose specific people or lists
- If you want total privacy, select Only me.
- Click Done to save your changes.
How to Do It on the Facebook Mobile App
Most of us are glued to our phones—so here’s how to hide your friends list using the Facebook app:
- Open the Facebook app and log in if you’re not already.
- Tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the bottom-right corner (or top-right, depending on your device).
- Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then select Settings.
- Under the “Audience and Visibility” section, tap How People Find and Contact You.
- Tap Who can see your friends list?
- Choose your desired privacy option. Again, Only me is the most secure.
That’s it! Your friends list is now private on mobile, and the changes will apply to your account across all devices.
Can You Hide Mutual Friends?
This is where things get a little tricky. Unfortunately, you can’t entirely hide your mutual friends on Facebook. If someone can see a friend you both have, that connection will still show up—even if you’ve hidden your full friends list.
Think of it like this: if both you and your friend allow others to see that you’re connected, Facebook will display the mutual connection no matter what your individual settings are.
Who Can Still See Your Friends List Anyways?
Even with your list set to “Only me,” keep in mind:
- Your friends control who sees their friends list too. If they haven’t restricted it, people may find your mutual connection.
- Mutual friends still appear on profiles.
- If you’re part of any public groups or tagged together in posts, people might still find clues about your connections.
So while you can’t be 100% invisible, you can still do a lot to maintain control.
Want to Go Even Further? Extra Tips for Facebook Privacy
Hiding your friends list is a great start, but here are a few more steps you can take if you want to dial up your privacy on Facebook:
- Limit who can send you friend requests. Go to Settings > Privacy > Who can send you friend requests, and choose “Friends of friends”.
- Make your posts visible to friends only (or create custom lists).
- Hide your likes and followers in the Settings menu under “Public Posts”.
- Watch for privacy changes in Facebook updates—they tweak things often, and your settings might revert.
Pro tip? Do a quick privacy check on Facebook every couple of months. It’s like decluttering your digital space. 🚪📱
What Happens When You Hide Your Friends List?
So, what does it look like to others after you make your friends list private? Pretty simple:
- Other people won’t see who you’re connected with—except mutual friends.
- Your friendship status with people still shows on your profile (e.g., “Friends since 2018”).
- They can still search for your name, see comments or likes you leave publicly, and tag you—unless you adjust those settings too.
Final Thoughts
Facebook is best when you’re in control of your own information. By hiding your friends list, you boost your privacy and help protect your digital relationships from unwanted attention.
This quick change won’t take more than five minutes, but it can make a big difference. Your data, your rules.
So, what are you waiting for? Head over to your Facebook settings now and take charge of your privacy like a pro!
Got Questions?
Still curious about how Facebook privacy works? Wondering if someone can tell you’ve hidden your friends list? Drop your questions in the comments or shoot me a message. I’m happy to help!
Stay safe, stay private—and enjoy Facebook the way you want. 👍
