Facebook allows users to share photos and videos with friends, family, and even publicly. With over 2 billion monthly active users, Facebook hosts billions of photos that are viewable to varying degrees based on the privacy settings applied by the user who uploaded them.
While Facebook’s default privacy settings for photos and videos are set to share with friends only, users have several options for limiting or expanding access to their content beyond that default setting.
Can you restrict access to individual photos?
Yes, Facebook allows users to restrict access to individual photos and videos even if they are shared within an album or page that has broader access settings.
When uploading a new photo or video, click the audience selector below the content to choose who can view it. You can share it publicly, with friends, specific groups or lists, or customize the audience. If customizing, you can type in the names of people who can see the post.
You can also change the audience of a post after uploading it. Hover over the photo or video and click the ellipsis (…) button. Select Edit Privacy. From here you can customize the audience like when first posting.
Example
For example, you may have a profile photo album shared with Friends that contains photos you took on a recent vacation. You can upload the photos to that album but customize the audience of certain bikini photos so only you can see them, even though the rest of the album is visible to friends.
Can you restrict access to entire albums?
Yes, you can customize the privacy settings for entire photo albums as well. Albums have their own privacy settings separate from individual photos.
When creating a new album, click Custom below Create Album. From here you can type in the names or emails of people who can access the album.
To edit the privacy of an existing album, click the ellipsis (…) button from the album page and select Edit Privacy. Again, you can type names or emails to customize the audience.
Example
For example, you may want to create a photo album of your children visible only to family members. Create a new custom album and type in the names of family members who can view it. The album will not show up to other friends.
Can you restrict access to your profile picture?
Yes, you can control who sees your Facebook profile picture separately from your regular timeline posts.
On desktop, click the camera icon on your profile to update your profile photo. On mobile, tap your profile picture. Before selecting a photo, use the audience selector to choose who can see your profile picture. Options include Public, Friends, Only Me, or Custom to specify certain people.
Example
For example, you may want your profile picture visible only to close friends. Select Custom as the audience and type in the names of those friends so only they can see your profile photo.
Can you restrict access to your cover photo?
Yes, you can also control the audience for your Facebook cover photo separately from other content.
On desktop, hover over your cover photo and click Update Cover Photo. On mobile, tap your cover photo. Use the audience selector here to choose who can see your cover photo.
Example
For example, you may want a public profile picture but a cover photo visible only to you. Set your profile picture audience to Public and your cover photo audience to Only Me.
Can you view photos shared by friends but not visible to you?
No, if someone has shared a post or photo but restricted the audience so you cannot see it, there is no way for you to view that content on Facebook.
You will only see updates and photos in your News Feed that are shared according to audience settings that include you.
Can you save photos shared on Facebook?
Generally no, you cannot save or download photos shared on Facebook without the consent of the user who posted them. This applies even if you can view the photos in your feed or in an album.
However, there are some exceptions. You can save or download photos posted by a friend if:
- They have used a public privacy setting
- They have specifically given you permission
- You take a screenshot to save the photo
But in most cases, respect friends’ privacy and refrain from saving or redistributing their non-public photos without consent.
What are the limits for photo privacy settings?
There are a few limits to how much you can restrict photo privacy settings on Facebook:
- Cannot fully block friends and family – If you post a photo, there is no setting to exclude specific friends or family members from seeing it if they are your confirmed friends on Facebook already.
- No password protection – There is no option to password protect albums or photos. Privacy is limited to the predefined audience selectors when posting.
- No blocking by location – There is no setting to block users in certain countries or regions from seeing photos.
So you cannot fully customize privacy on a very granular basis, but still have flexibility between public, friends, yourself, and custom lists.
Should you restrict old photos?
It can be smart to review and restrict access to old photos you may no longer want public or shared with all friends. As life circumstances and relationships change, some photos you shared widely years ago may need more privacy today.
To adjust privacy settings on old content:
- Go to your profile and click Photos
- Click the album or photo you want to edit
- Click the Options button (ellipsis or 3 dots) and select Edit Privacy
- Choose a more restrictive sharing setting
Do this periodically to evaluate old content that should now be more private.
Can you view past privacy settings?
Yes, you can view the privacy settings applied to photos and albums at the time they were posted. This is useful for reviewing and adjusting access to old content.
To see past privacy settings:
- Go to the photo or album
- Click Options (ellipsis) and View Privacy Settings History
- This will display a list of privacy changes over time
Should you delete embarrassing photos?
If a photo you’ve shared is now embarrassing or inappropriate, the best option is to delete it. Restricting privacy settings can help, but does not guarantee the photo will remain private forever.
To delete a photo:
- Go to the photo and click Options (ellipsis)
- Select Delete Photo
- Confirm you want to move the photo to the trash
Deleted photos can still be restored within 30 days if you change your mind.
Can you see who viewed your photos?
No, Facebook does not have a built-in view history for photos or ability to see who has viewed your albums or images.
Facebook used to show photo views on mouseover, but removed this feature several years ago.
So it’s not possible to monitor or track who specifically is viewing your photos now unless you use a third party app.
Should photos be private by default?
Many privacy advocates argue that the default privacy setting for all photos on Facebook should be Only Me or Friends instead of Public.
The benefit of a more private default setting is it prevents unwanted sharing or visibility right after posting. It would require users to manually adjust settings to Public if they want to share more openly.
However, Facebook believes users prefer more open sharing by default based on past usage data and feedback. Users can still restrict access before posting if they choose.
Conclusion
Facebook provides many options to customize photo and video privacy settings at the individual, album, and profile picture level. While not fully customizable, these settings allow you to restrict access to certain content beyond your default audience.
Reviewing and limiting visibility for old photos can be important as circumstances change over time. And deleting embarrassing photos is better than just hiding them.
Overall, be thoughtful about what photos you share and who can see them. Use privacy settings wisely and they can help limit oversharing regrets.
| Photo Privacy Setting | How to Change | Tips for Use |
|---|---|---|
| Individual Photos or Videos | Click audience selector before posting or edit after posting | Customize audience for more sensitive photos even if shared to a broader album |
| Albums | Set audience when creating new album or edit privacy of existing albums | Great for grouping similar photos to share only with certain people |
| Profile Picture | Set audience when selecting new profile picture | Keep public or limit to closer connections |
| Cover Photo | Set audience when selecting new cover photo | Can keep more public or private than profile picture |
Facebook’s photo privacy tools empower you to share comfortably. Exercise caution when posting photos publicly or even with friends. Use privacy settings to limit old photos and embarrassing content. While not foolproof, Facebook’s flexible photo privacy options help reduce risks from oversharing if applied wisely.
Discuss photo privacy with friends and family to spread awareness. Avoid saving or redistributing friends’ private photos without consent. And check your own sharing regularly to ensure you only showcase moments you feel comfortable with the world seeing now.
Photo sharing is a fun way to connect on Facebook. But it requires thoughtfulness as circumstances evolve over time. Mindfulness of audiences, privacy tools, and deleting regretful posts can help keep your profile dignified.
The internet never forgets, but conscientious sharing means your reflections remain positive. Facebook’s photo privacy controls provide helpful filters when selectively unveiling your personal photo album to the digital world.