Yes, you can send a message along with a friend request on Facebook. When you send a friend request to someone, there is an option to include a personal message with the request. This allows you to introduce yourself or explain why you want to connect on Facebook.
How to Send a Message with a Friend Request
Here are the steps to send a message with a friend request on Facebook:
- Go to the profile of the person you want to friend request
- Click “Add Friend” or “Send Friend Request”
- On the pop up window, there is a text box below the Add Friend button. Type your message here.
- Click “Send Request” to send the friend request with your message
That’s it! The person will receive the friend request and be able to read your accompanying message. They can then choose to accept or ignore the request.
Tips for Friend Request Messages
Here are some tips for crafting effective messages to send with Facebook friend requests:
- Keep it personal – Remind them who you are and where you met
- Be specific – Say why you want to connect with them
- Ask a question – Give them something to respond to
- Compliment them – People love getting compliments!
- Use humor – A funny or clever message can go a long way
- Be brief – Get your message across in 2-3 sentences
- Use proper spelling/grammar – Make a good first impression
A good friend request message creates context, jogs the recipient’s memory about you, and gives them a reason to accept your request. A generic message like “Hey, please add me” is less likely to get accepted.
What Happens When You Send a Message with a Friend Request
Here’s what happens from the sender’s and recipient’s perspectives when you send a message with a friend request:
For the Sender:
- You write a message in the text box and include it with the request
- The friend request appears in your sent requests so you can keep track of it
- If they accept, you will be notified and can begin interacting on Facebook
- If they ignore or delete the request, you won’t receive any notification
For the Recipient:
- The request and included message go to their inbox
- They can read your message as they consider the request
- They can accept, ignore, or delete the request
- If they accept, you will both be notified and added as friends
So in summary, the message gives context to your friend request and allows the recipient to learn more about you before accepting or rejecting it.
Friend Request Etiquette
When sending friend requests on Facebook, keep these etiquette tips in mind:
- Only send requests to people you know and have an existing relationship with
- Personalize the message to remind them who you are
- Don’t bombard people with repeat requests if they don’t accept
- Respect it if someone ignores your request
- Don’t use requests as a way to flirt with strangers or people you barely know
Follow these etiquette guidelines, and your friend requests will be well-received!
Can I Send Friend Requests to People I Don’t Know?
Technically you can send a friend request to anyone with a Facebook profile, but it is best to only request people you have an existing offline connection with. Friending strangers you found through keyword searches or groups will likely result in your request getting ignored or reported as spam.
Here are some cases when it’s acceptable to friend request someone you don’t know very well:
- You met briefly once at an event and want to connect
- You share a lot of common friends or interests
- You had an enriching conversation together in a Facebook group
- They are an acquaintance you want to get to know better
Make sure to personalize your message and explain who you are and why you want to friend them on Facebook. This gives appropriate context for someone who may not remember you.
Is There a Limit to How Many Friend Requests You Can Send?
Facebook limits the number of friend requests you can send in a given timeframe to prevent spam behavior. Here are some details on Facebook’s friend request limits:
- You can send a maximum of 100 friend requests per day
- You can have a maximum of 5000 pending sent requests at a time
- If you hit the request limit, you have to wait 24 hours to send more
- These limits make it hard to mass-friend people
As long as you’re friending people organically and not spamming, you likely won’t run into these limits. They are designed to prevent abusive behavior and fake accounts.
Can a Page Send Me a Friend Request?
No, Facebook Pages cannot initiate friend requests – only individual users can connect via friend requests. However, Pages can send Page Invites which allow you to like or follow the Page.
Here are some key differences between friend requests and Page invites:
| Friend Requests | Page Invites |
|---|---|
| Sent from one individual user to another | Sent from a Facebook Page to individual users |
| Adds as friends on Facebook if accepted | Allows user to like/follow Page if accepted |
| Appear in your Facebook notifications | Appear in Page notifications and messages |
So in summary, Pages can only send invites to like the Page, not actual friend requests.
Can People See If You Viewed Their Profile?
No, Facebook does not notify users if someone views their profile. You can browse any public profile anonymously without the user knowing. This applies even if you are not friends with the person.
Some key things to know about profile viewing:
- Users cannot see who viewed their profile
- You can browse any public profile while logged in or logged out
- Facebook does not send any notification when a profile is viewed
- Viewing a profile does not notify the user in any way
So feel free to browse any public profiles discreetly. The only way someone will know you viewed their profile is if you send them a friend request or message them.
Should I Send a Message with Every Friend Request?
It’s recommended to include a personalized message with most friend requests, but there are some cases where it may not be necessary:
- If you know the person very well, a message may not be needed
- If you recently met them in person and had a meaningful interaction, a message may be redundant
- If your common friends or affiliations clearly explain the context, you can potentially just send the request
However, it’s usually worth taking the time to write a friendly message. Here’s when you should always include one:
- Requesting someone you haven’t interacted with in a long time
- Requesting an acquaintance you don’t know very well
- Re-sending a request to someone who didn’t accept the first one
- Explaining why you want to connect with someone
Personalized messages give crucial context and increase your chances of acceptance. Unless you are very close already, take the time to write something.
What If Someone Doesn’t Respond to My Friend Request Message?
If someone ignores or does not respond to a friend request message, here are some things you can do:
- Be patient – they may need more time to notice or consider the request
- Send a reminder message – say you noticed they hadn’t accepted yet and you hope they will
- Consider if you should resend request – do not bombard them with constant requests
- Ask a mutual friend to introduce you – this can help make the connection
- Move on – ultimately you have to respect their choice if they do not respond
One additional request or message may be ok, but don’t harass people who choose not to connect. If someone completely ignores your request, it’s usually best to just move on.
Can I View All My Pending Sent Friend Requests?
Yes, Facebook allows you to view a list of all the friend requests you have sent that are still pending approval. Here is how you can view pending sent requests:
- Go to your Facebook profile
- Click on the Friends tab on your cover photo
- On the left sidebar, click “Requests Sent”
This will display a list of all the people you have sent friend requests to who have not yet approved or declined the request. It’s a handy way to keep track of all your outgoing requests!
Should I Send Friend Requests to Acquaintances?
It can be worthwhile sending Facebook friend requests to acquaintances in order to strengthen the relationship. Here are some tips on friending acquaintances:
- Make sure you have met them at least briefly first
- Personalize the request message to share who you are
- Explain why you want to connect on Facebook
- Ask them a question to continue the conversation
- Mention any common interests, friends or affiliations
- Only send to acquaintances you want to know better
Friending acquaintances expands your network and gives you a chance to convert acquaintances into closer connections. Just be sure to make the request personal and meaningful.
Can I See Who Unfriended Me on Facebook?
No, Facebook does not directly show you who has unfriended or blocked you. When someone unfriends or blocks you, they simply disappear from your friend list.
However, there are some subtle signs that can indicate someone may have unfriended you:
- Their profile is no longer searchable
- You disappear from their friends list
- You can no longer see their posts
- Your messages to them will show as “Sent”, not “Delivered”
While you can’t know for sure who unfriended you, these clues may reveal who pulled the plug on your connection.
Should I Send a Friend Request Right After Meeting Someone?
It’s best not to send a Facebook friend request right after meeting someone for the first time in person. Here are some tips on timing your friend request:
- Give it a few days after meeting them
- Add them before you forget details about them
- Don’t wait weeks or months; they may forget you
- A follow up message reiterating where you met can help
- 1-2 weeks after meeting is often ideal timing
You want to give some time for the initial face-to-face interaction to settle, while still friending them before the memory fades. Find a balance between coming on too strong right away and waiting too long.
What’s the Benefit of Sending Messages with Friend Requests?
Here are some of the main benefits of sending a personalized message along with your Facebook friend requests:
- Provides context for how you know each other
- Helps the person remember who you are
- Explains why you want to connect on Facebook
- Shows you made an effort and aren’t spamming requests
- Gives the recipient a reason to accept your request
- Starts the social relationship on a more personal note
Overall, attaching a message to your request makes it more likely to be accepted and sets you up for better social interactions after connecting.
What Should I Do If Someone Doesn’t Accept My Friend Request?
If someone ignores or declines your Facebook friend request, here are some constructive ways to respond:
- Respect their decision – don’t pester them to accept
- Optionally send a short follow up message
- Consider if you should try sending the request again
- Ask mutual friends to formally introduce you
- Connect through another social platform
- Move on and don’t take it personally
While it can be disappointing to have a request rejected, persistently re-sending requests to someone who has declined comes across as desperate or creepy. Take the high road by gracefully moving on.
Conclusion
Sending a personalized message alongside a Facebook friend request is an excellent way to increase your chances of connection. Craft your message to remind the recipient who you are, share your motivations for connecting, and give them a reason to accept. Always follow proper friend request etiquette by only messaging people you know and respecting those who decline your requests. With the right approach, messaging can take your Facebook friendships to the next level!