Facebook shows your full friends list to the public by default. Anyone who visits your profile — including people you're not friends with — can see who you're connected to, unless you change your privacy settings.
This guide explains exactly how to hide your friends list from the public, from friends, or from specific people — on iPhone, Android, and desktop.
What "Hiding" Your Friends List Actually Does
When you hide your friends list on Facebook, other people can no longer browse the full list of your connections by visiting your profile. However, there are a few important caveats:
- Mutual friends are still visible. If you and another person share a mutual friend, that mutual friend may still appear in both profiles even if your full list is hidden.
- You can still see your own list. Hiding it only affects what others see — your list remains fully visible to you.
- Facebook still uses your connections internally. Hiding the list doesn't affect how Facebook uses your friends data for advertising or recommendations.
- Friends can still see each other. If someone is already your friend, they can find your mutual connections via the "Mutual Friends" section.
With that in mind, hiding your friends list is still a meaningful privacy step — it prevents strangers and acquaintances from mapping your social network.
How to Hide Your Friends List on Facebook (Desktop)
This works on any web browser — Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge.
- Go to facebook.com and log in
- Click your profile picture or your name to go to your profile
- Click the Friends tab on your profile (just below your cover photo)
- Click the pencil/edit icon (top right of the Friends section) — it may also appear as three dots (⋯)
- Click Edit Privacy
- Under Friends List, click the audience selector dropdown (it likely says "Public" or "Friends")
- Choose your preferred visibility:
- Public — anyone can see your full friends list
- Friends — only your Facebook friends can see the list
- Only me — completely hides your friends list from everyone except you
- Custom — hide from specific people or show only to specific people
- Click Save (if prompted)
Your friends list privacy updates immediately.
How to Hide Your Friends List on iPhone (Facebook App)
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone
- Tap your profile picture (bottom right) to go to your profile
- Tap the Friends tab on your profile page
- Tap the pencil icon or three dots in the top-right corner of the Friends section
- Tap Edit Privacy
- Tap the audience selector under Friends List
- Choose Only me, Friends, or Custom
- Tap Done or Save
How to Hide Your Friends List on Android (Facebook App)
The steps are nearly identical to iPhone:
- Open the Facebook app
- Tap the three horizontal lines (☰) (top right) → tap your name to go to your profile
- Scroll down to the Friends section
- Tap the pencil icon or Edit button
- Tap Edit Privacy
- Change the Friends List audience to Only me or Friends
- Tap Save
How to Hide Friends List from Specific People (Custom Privacy)
If you want to hide your list from certain people — an ex, a colleague, a family member — without making it invisible to everyone:
- Follow the steps above to reach Edit Privacy → Friends List
- Select Custom from the audience dropdown
- In the Don't share with field, type the names of people you want to exclude
- Click Save
Those specific people will no longer be able to see your friends list when they visit your profile. Everyone else (based on your base setting) can still see it.
How to Hide Followers on Facebook
Your followers list (people who follow your public posts without being your friend) can also be hidden separately.
- Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings → Privacy → How People Find and Contact You
- Find Who can see your followers
- Change it to Friends or Only me
How to Limit Who Can Send You Friend Requests
While you're in the privacy settings, it's worth locking down who can send requests:
- Go to Settings & Privacy → Settings → Privacy
- Under How People Find and Contact You, find Who can send you friend requests
- Change from Everyone to Friends of Friends
This significantly reduces unwanted connection attempts from strangers.
How to Remove Someone From Your Friends List Quietly
If you want to remove a connection without them getting a notification:
- Go to their profile
- Click Friends (the button showing you're already friends)
- Click Unfriend
Facebook does not notify people when they are unfriended. They won't receive an alert — they'll simply no longer see your friends-only posts, and your name will be absent from their friends list.
How to Block Someone on Facebook (Strongest Privacy Option)
Blocking is stronger than unfriending. A blocked person:
- Cannot see your profile at all
- Cannot find you in Facebook search
- Cannot tag you or invite you to events
- Cannot message you
To block someone:
- Go to their profile
- Click the three dots (⋯) below their cover photo
- Click Block
- Confirm
Facebook Friends List Privacy: Quick Reference
| Audience Setting | Who Can See Your Friends List |
|---|---|
| Public | Everyone, including non-Facebook users |
| Friends | Only your Facebook friends |
| Friends of Friends | Your friends + their connections |
| Only Me | Nobody except you |
| Custom | Your chosen people or exclusions |
Why Your Friends List Matters for Privacy
Your friends list reveals more than you might expect. Someone who can see your connections can:
- Identify your family members, colleagues, and close circle
- Target you with social engineering ("I'm a friend of [name]")
- Map your professional relationships
- Identify connections useful for scams or phishing
Setting your friends list to Only Me or Friends takes less than one minute and is one of the most effective basic privacy settings on the platform.
For more privacy and tech guides, visit Humbaa's AI tools directory and read our guide on how to see and delete your Google history.