Yes, you can customize your relationship status on Facebook. The relationship status feature allows you to display your romantic partnership or marital status publicly on your Facebook profile. While Facebook provides default relationship status options to choose from, such as “Single”, “In a Relationship”, “Married”, etc., you also have the option to create a custom relationship status.
What are the default relationship status options on Facebook?
Here are some of the default relationship status options that you can choose from on Facebook:
- Single
- In a relationship
- Engaged
- Married
- In a civil union
- In a domestic partnership
- It’s complicated
- In an open relationship
- Widowed
- Separated
- Divorced
Choosing any of these options will update your relationship status instantly. The default status visible on your profile is “Single” unless you choose to update it.
How do I create a custom relationship status?
Follow these simple steps to create a custom relationship status on Facebook:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Click on the “About” section
- Go to the Relationship section
- Click on the dropdown arrow next to the relationship status box
- Select “Add Custom” at the bottom of dropdown options
- Type your custom relationship status in the box (limited to 50 characters)
- Click “Done” to update your custom status
Your new customized relationship status will now display on your profile. You can change it back to a default status anytime.
What are some ideas for custom relationship statuses?
Here are some creative custom relationship status ideas you can use on Facebook:
- In a relationship with [partner’s name]
- Happily unmarried to [partner’s name]
- Married to my best friend [name]
- Hopelessly devoted to [name]
- I’ve got the best wife ever!
- Loving my boyfriend [name]
- In a complicated relationship
- Currently figuring things out
- In an open relationship
- Exploring what I want
- Its complicated
- Creating our own rules
- Wild and free
- Blissfully taken by [name]
- Finding myself
Feel free to get creative and fun with your custom status within the 50 character limit. Just don’t use any offensive, inappropriate or misleading language.
Can I set a custom relationship status on mobile?
Yes, customizing your relationship status can also be done via the Facebook mobile app on your smartphone or tablet. Just follow these steps:
- Open the Facebook app on your phone
- Go to your profile page
- Tap on your current relationship status
- Scroll down and select “Create New Status”
- Type in your custom status (50 characters max)
- Tap “Done” to save your new status
Your updated relationship status will now be visible on your Facebook profile on mobile and desktop.
Can I hide my relationship status completely?
Yes, you can choose to hide your relationship status on Facebook altogether. Here’s how to do it:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Click on your current relationship status
- Select “Hide this field”
This will remove your relationship status from your profile. The relationship status field will be empty and invisible to anyone visiting your profile.
What’s the difference between “It’s Complicated” and a custom status?
Choosing “It’s Complicated” from the default status options simply indicates your relationship is undefined, complex or cannot be labeled simply. A custom status allows you to add details and customize the wording to your specific situation.
For example, some differences may be:
| It’s Complicated | Custom Status |
|---|---|
| Vagueabout your situation | Allows you to explain your situation |
| General placeholder status | Creative and personalized phrase |
| Doesn’t indicate any details | You can include names and specifics |
So a custom status allows you to get more creative and specific about a complicated relationship.
Can I set multiple relationship statuses?
No, Facebook only allows you to have one relationship status visible on your profile at a time. You can change your status as often as you want, but cannot have multiple statuses displayed simultaneously.
For example, you cannot list being “In a relationship” and “Engaged” at the same time. You have to choose the one status that most accurately represents your current relationship situation.
Can I choose who sees my relationship status?
Yes, you can customize the privacy settings for your relationship status on Facebook. Here’s how:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Click on your relationship status
- Select “Edit Privacy”
- Choose who can see your relationship status under the dropdown menu
- The options are Public, Friends, Specific friends, Only Me
- Click “Confirm” to save the visibility settings
By default, your relationship status is visible to the “Public” option. But you can restrict it just to friends, specific individuals, or only yourself if you want more privacy.
What happens if I delete my relationship status?
If you delete your relationship status entirely:
- The relationship status field will be removed from your profile
- It will revert to the default “Single” status
- You will have to re-add a relationship status if you want it visible again
So deleting removes the status field from public display, but doesn’t delete any past status history or notifications.
Can I view my past relationship statuses?
Yes, you can look back at your previous relationship statuses on Facebook. Here’s how to view relationship status history:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Click on your current relationship status
- Select “View Past Statuses”
This will display a timeline history of all your past relationship statuses. You can view when each status was updated and active on your profile.
Will my relationship status display retroactively?
No, when you update your Facebook relationship status, it does not retroactively display. The new status will only show from the exact date and time you updated it.
For example, if you update your status to “Married” on March 15, it will not indicate you were married in the past. The “Married” status will only appear from March 15 onwards.
Can I customize relationship statuses for other family members?
No, you can only customize the relationship status displayed on your own Facebook profile. You cannot change or update the status shown on someone else’s profile.
For example, you cannot change your parent’s profile status to indicate they are married. They have full control over their own relationship status section.
Can pages and businesses have relationship statuses?
No. Relationship statuses are only displayed on personal Facebook profiles. Business pages and other public figures do not have a relationship status section on their public page.
Does my relationship status sync to other platforms?
Your Facebook relationship status does not automatically sync or display on any other platforms or social media sites.
For example, adding a “Married” status on Facebook does not update your status on Instagram or Twitter. It is only visible on your Facebook profile by default.
Can I make my relationship status only visible to some people?
Yes, you can customize your privacy settings to only show your relationship status to specific people. Here’s how:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Click on your relationship status
- Select “Edit Privacy”
- Choose “Specific friends” from the dropdown menu
- Type in the names or email addresses of people you want to see your status
- Click “Confirm” to save the customized privacy
This will hide your relationship status from everyone except those individuals you want being able to see it.
Is my current relationship status public by default?
Yes, when you first add a relationship status it defaults to being visible to the “Public” option. That means anyone who visits your Facebook profile can see your relationship status.
If you want it visible only to friends or specific people, you have to edit the privacy settings to customize who can view it.
Can I hide my past relationship statuses?
There is no direct way to hide or delete your past relationship status history on Facebook. Once a status has been public, there is no way to retroactively remove it.
However, you can remove your entire relationship history from public view by:
- Going to your profile
- Clicking on your relationship status
- Choosing “Hide this field”
This will make your entire relationship status section invisible to others. But any previous public statuses cannot be deleted.
Can someone tag me in a relationship?
Yes, other Facebook users can tag you in a relationship provided your privacy settings allow it. For example, someone could tag you as “In a relationship with [name]”.
If you don’t want relationship tagging, you can adjust your privacy settings like this:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” menu
- Click “Settings”
- Go to “Privacy”
- Select “Limit the audience for posts Others tag you in”
- Choose “Only Me” so you have to approve all tags first
This will prevent others from tagging you publicly in a relationship. You’ll have to approve each tag first before it appears on your profile.
What happens if I temporarily deactivate my Facebook account?
If you temporarily deactivate your Facebook account:
- Your relationship status will be hidden and not visible to anyone
- Your past relationship history remains saved and intact
- When you reactivate your account, your last status will display again
So deactivating simply removes the relationship status from public view temporarily until you reactivate your profile again.
Can I set a relationship status if I’m under 18?
If you are under 18 years old, you can set a relationship status on Facebook but with limitations. Here are the rules:
- You can only choose “Single” or “In a Relationship”
- You cannot include any further details or customize the status
- You cannot tag yourself in a relationship with another user
- You cannot display your status publicly – only friends can see it
These restrictions are due to COPPA regulations restricting personal information posted by minors publicly online.
Conclusion
In summary, Facebook allows you to add creative flair and customize your relationship status display to represent your unique situation. While default options exist, you have the flexibility to get specific with a personalized status within the 50 character limit.
Just be sure to follow Facebook’s rules and terms of service. Your customized relationship status will then be visible on your profile and in your relationship history going forward.