Facebook’s relationship status feature allows users to share their romantic relationship status publicly on their profile. While some users find this feature useful, others prefer to keep their relationship status private for personal or professional reasons. Many users wonder if it is possible to hide their relationship status on Facebook entirely. Here is what you need to know about hiding relationship status on Facebook.
Why would someone want to hide their relationship status?
There are a few common reasons why a Facebook user may want to hide or remove their relationship status:
- Privacy concerns – Some users want to keep their love life private and don’t want the details visible to everyone.
- Professionalism – Displaying relationship status may be seen as unprofessional in some work settings.
- Controlling perception – Users may not want certain connections like coworkers or family members making assumptions about their relationships.
- Going through a breakup – After ending a relationship, a user may not want their status to continue displaying an old relationship.
- In a complicated relationship – Some users may be in a non-traditional relationship they don’t want to explain publicly.
Ultimately, each user should be able to decide for themselves how much relationship information they are comfortable sharing publicly on Facebook.
Can you completely hide your relationship status on Facebook?
Unfortunately, there is no way to completely hide or remove your relationship status from your Facebook profile. Facebook requires users to display some type of relationship status or opt out of showing it publicly.
The relationship status options are:
- Single
- In a relationship
- Engaged
- Married
- In a civil partnership
- In a domestic partnership
- In an open relationship
- It’s complicated
- Separated
- Divorced
- Widowed
You must select one of these options or “hide” your relationship status from your profile. However, there is no option to remove the relationship status section completely.
How to hide relationship status on Facebook
If you don’t want your relationship status visible on your profile, the best option is to hide it. Here’s how:
- Go to your Facebook profile page and click on “About” in your intro box.
- Click on the Relationship field.
- Select “Hide this from my profile” instead of a relationship type.
- Click Save Changes.
This will remove your relationship status from public view on your profile. The relationship status field will remain on your profile but will be blank to other viewers.
Things to know about hiding relationship status
- Hiding is reversible – You can toggle relationship status visibility on and off whenever you want.
- Others can still tag you – Even if hidden, you can be tagged as being “In a relationship with [name]” in posts and photos.
- Limited visibility – Your hidden status may still visibility to some apps and connections.
- Memories unaffected – Archived posts and photos with your past status will remain visible.
Who can see your hidden relationship status?
When you hide your relationship status, it is no longer visible on your profile to the general public. However, certain connections may still be able to see it in some circumstances:
- You – Your relationship status remains fully visible to you.
- Partner – If tagged in a relationship, your partner can still see it.
- Mutual friends – Friends common to both you and your partner may be able to see it.
- Family members – Close family connections may still see your hidden status.
- Apps and games – Third-party apps you’ve logged into via Facebook may have access.
So hiding your relationship status does not make it completely private. It simply removes it from public visibility on your profile.
How to change your hidden relationship status
You can change your hidden relationship status at any time, the same way you originally hid it:
- Go to your profile and click “About.”
- Click on the blank Relationship Status field.
- Select a new status from the dropdown menu.
- Click Save Changes.
Your updated relationship status will now be visible on your profile again (unless you choose to hide it once more).
Will Facebook ever remove the relationship status feature?
Relationship status has been a staple on Facebook profiles since the social media platform debuted in 2004. At this time, there are no indications that Facebook plans to remove or make this feature optional in the future.
The company sees relationship status as a key way for users to share personal life events and connect over common interests. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has called relationship status “one of the most useful tools on Facebook for relationships.”
However, Facebook does occasionally simplify and streamline features based on user feedback. If enough users request the ability to remove relationship status in the future, Facebook may eventually make it an optional field. But the company has not hinted at any plans to do so at the moment.
Other ways to customize your relationship visibility
If you’re not ready to hide your relationship status entirely, there are a few other things you can do to control just how much of your love life is on display:
- Tighten privacy settings – Restrict visibility settings on your posts, photos and updates.
- Review tags – Untag yourself from any posts or pics you don’t want public.
- List as “it’s complicated” – Vague status if you don’t want specifics public.
- Remove your partner’s ability to tag you – Prevents unwanted tags from your partner.
With a mix of privacy settings and vigilant untagging, you can present your relationship on your own terms – or not at all.
Expert relationship advice
Deciding how much to share publicly about your relationships online can be tricky. Here are a few expert tips on finding the right balance for you:
- Be transparent with partner – Discuss your privacy needs and agree on appropriate boundaries.
- Keep work life separate – Err on the side of less sharing if coworkers are connected.
- Check old posts too – Update tags and visibility on archived posts if needed.
- Trust your instincts – If a tag or post makes you uncomfortable, it’s okay to remove it.
- Remember you can change it – Your sharing preferences may evolve, and that’s normal.
The bottom line
Facebook does not currently offer users the ability to permanently remove relationship status from their profiles. The closest option is hiding your relationship status from public view. However, it remains visible to certain connections and reversible at any time.
If displaying relationship status does not suit your preferences or needs, hiding it is your best bet for minimizing your love life visibility. As Facebook continues evolving its features, relationship status may someday become optional. But for now, it remains a mandatory profile field that can only be concealed, not deleted.
With careful privacy settings and post monitoring, most users can find a level of relationship visibility that meets their social media comfort level. The key is being strategic about what you share related to your love life on Facebook.
| Relationship Status Option | Public Visibility |
|---|---|
| Single | Visible to everyone |
| In a relationship | Visible to everyone |
| Engaged | Visible to everyone |
| Married | Visible to everyone |
| In a civil partnership | Visible to everyone |
| In a domestic partnership | Visible to everyone |
| In an open relationship | Visible to everyone |
| It’s complicated | Visible to everyone |
| Separated | Visible to everyone |
| Divorced | Visible to everyone |
| Widowed | Visible to everyone |
| Hidden | Not visible to public |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I choose who sees my relationship status on Facebook?
No, you cannot select specific people to view your relationship status. You can either make it public to all of your Facebook connections or hide it from your entire public profile.
What happens when I hide my relationship status on Facebook?
Hiding your relationship status removes it from public view on your profile. The relationship status field will remain visible but appear empty to outside viewers. Some connections may still see it in limited cases.
Is it possible to delete relationship status from my profile permanently?
Unfortunately, there is currently no way to permanently delete the relationship status field from your Facebook profile. It is a required profile field. The best option is to continue hiding your relationship status if you want it invisible.
Can someone else reveal my hidden relationship status on Facebook?
In some cases, yes. Even if you hide your relationship status, you can still be tagged by others in posts or photos that may reveal details about your relationships to their connections.
If I’m hiding my relationship status, what appears on my Facebook profile?
A blank relationship status field will remain visible on your profile. However, if you are hidden, it will not display any details about your current relationships or relationship history to the public.
Will Facebook delete my previous relationship statuses if I hide my current one?
No, hiding your current relationship status does not affect past statuses that you’ve displayed on your profile. Any previous statuses remain visible in your profile history and memories posts unless deleted individually.
Can I prevent even my family members from seeing my relationship status?
Not completely. Hiding your status prevents it from being public but close family connections may still be able to see your hidden relationship status in some situations on Facebook.
What happens if my partner tags me as “in a relationship” when my status is hidden?
Your partner’s post or photo tagging you in a relationship may still be visible to mutual friends and connections, even if you have your own relationship status hidden. You can untag yourself if you don’t want it public.
Is there a way to remove relationship status from Facebook permanently?
There is currently no permanent option to delete relationship status from your profile on Facebook. It is a required profile field. The only option is to hide your relationship status if you do not want it displayed.
Conclusion
Facebook has made relationship status a mandatory profile field without an option to opt-out or delete it. For users who prefer to keep their love life private, hiding the relationship status from public view is the best workaround. While not completely invisible, it does provide more privacy than displaying a status publicly.
Hopefully in the future, Facebook will make relationship status optional to provide users with more control. But for now, being strategic about what you share regarding relationships and utilizing privacy settings are key to managing your preference. With some effort, most users can find a level of relationship visibility on Facebook that they feel comfortable with.