Looking up a Facebook profile by phone number used to be possible in the past, but Facebook has since removed this feature. While there is no direct way to search for a Facebook profile using just a phone number anymore, there are still a few options that may help you find the profile you’re looking for.
Why Facebook Removed The Phone Number Search
In the early days of Facebook, it was possible to enter a phone number into the Facebook search bar and find profiles associated with that number. However, this feature raised some privacy concerns, as people could essentially search for and find profiles without the user’s consent.
In 2018, Facebook removed the ability to search for profiles by phone number. This was done to better protect users’ privacy and information. Facebook stated that the phone number people added to their profiles was meant to be for security purposes, not as a way for people to search for and find your profile.
Can You Still Find A Facebook Profile With A Phone Number?
While Facebook itself no longer allows searching by phone number, there are some other methods you can try to find someone’s profile using their phone number:
- Use Facebook’s phone number lookup for account recovery – If you’re trying to recover your own Facebook account, you can enter your phone number and Facebook will text you a special code.
- Check friends lists of mutual connections – If you have mutual friends, check if the phone number profile is listed among their friends.
- Use online people search services – There are some online services that claim to connect phone numbers with Facebook profiles, but results vary.
- Ask the person directly – If all else fails, you can always just ask the person if they’re on Facebook and to add you as a friend or share their profile.
Other Facebook Search Options
In place of searching by phone number, Facebook does allow you to search for profiles in other ways:
- Name – You can search for first and last names.
- Email address – If you have someone’s email, you can search for it on Facebook.
- Username – If you know their Facebook username, search for that.
- Location – Search by city or country to find people nearby.
- School or workplace – Search by schools or employers to find friends or coworkers.
Tips for Searching Facebook Without a Phone Number
Here are some tips to help you search for and find someone’s Facebook profile without having their phone number:
- Use their email address or full name in a Facebook search.
- Check friends lists of any mutual connections you may have.
- Search places they’ve lived, schools they attended, or employers they worked for.
- Use Google to search their name and “Facebook” to find associated profiles.
- Check Facebook groups and events they may be associated with.
- Use Facebook’s account recovery with their email or your mutual connections.
- Ask mutual friends if they’re connected on Facebook and can connect you.
Third-Party Apps and Services
There are some third-party services that claim they can search Facebook by phone number. However, results can vary and Facebook does not authorize these services officially. Some options include:
- PeekYou – Creates people search profiles based on public information aggregated from social media and other sources.
- Spokeo – Online people search engine that compiles data from public sources.
- TruthFinder – People and background check service that offers reverse phone lookups.
- Instant Checkmate – Public records search service that lets you search by name, phone number or address.
However, be aware that these sites often provide limited information for free and require paid subscriptions for full reports. The data may not always be accurate or up-to-date either.
Is It Possible to Create a Facebook Account With Just a Phone Number?
Facebook requires more than just a phone number to create an account. Here is what’s needed to sign up for a Facebook account:
- Full name
- Email address or mobile number
- Birthday
- Gender
You can use either an email address or mobile phone number during signup. But a phone number alone is not enough to create an account.
Facebook will send a confirmation code via text or email to verify the signup information is correct. You cannot create an account without access to either the email or phone number used during signup.
How Can You Tell if a Phone Number is Associated With a Facebook Account?
There is no definitive way to check if a phone number is tied to an existing Facebook account. But there are a few signs that can indicate a phone number may be associated with a Facebook profile:
- You receive a text or call with a Facebook verification code
- Trying to sign up generates an error about the number already being used
- You see the number listed on a Facebook account’s profile
- Facebook recognizes the number for login or security purposes
So if you receive an unprompted verification request from Facebook via text or see the number on an existing profile, it likely means it’s already tied to an account.
Risks of Finding Facebook Profiles by Phone Number
There are some risks to keep in mind when trying to find Facebook profiles by phone number:
- May be considered stalking or harassment if continually searching against someone’s wishes
- Exposes your personal number when using third-party people search sites
- Potential for scams, spam calls/texts if number is obtained improperly
- Inaccurate or out-of-date information associating a number with the wrong profile
- Could mistakenly associate your number with someone else’s profile
Always exercise caution and restraint when searching for profiles using personal information. Consider if you have consent, your relationship to the person, and whether the search is necessary and appropriate.
What to Do If You Find an Unauthorized Facebook Account With Your Number
If you find a Facebook profile using your phone number that you didn’t create, here are some steps to take:
- Report the profile to Facebook – Use the report links on Facebook to flag unauthorized use of personal info.
- Change passwords and enable two-factor authentication on your accounts if the number could be used for account recovery.
- Monitor your accounts for any suspicious activity.
- Remove your phone number from any public listings to prevent misuse.
- Contact the person misusing your number and request they cease activities.
- Get a new phone number if harassment continues.
Facebook provides tools to report fake accounts, privacy violations, and harassment. Make use of these to protect your identity and information.
Conclusion
Facebook has discontinued the ability to search for profiles directly by phone numbers to increase privacy protections. However, there are still some limited methods that may help connect a phone number to an account. Always exercise good judgement when searching for people on Facebook without consent. Be aware of the risks of misuse of personal information, and utilize Facebook’s tools to report any unauthorized activities.