Facebook allows users to control the privacy settings for their posts in several ways. Here are some quick answers to common questions about making Facebook posts private or limiting their visibility:
Make Old Posts Private
You can make old posts private by adjusting the privacy settings for past posts. Here’s how:
- Go to your profile and click on the downward arrow in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” then “Settings”.
- Click “Privacy” in the left menu.
- Under “Your Activity,” click “Limit Past Posts”.
- Adjust the privacy for posts older than a certain date or made by other people on your timeline.
This will make your old posts visible only to you. Friends won’t be notified of the change.
Make New Posts Private
You can set all new posts to be private by default:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” then “Settings”.
- Click “Privacy” in the left menu.
- Under “Privacy Settings,” click “Limit who can see your future posts”.
- Select “Only me” to make posts private by default.
You can still change the privacy for individual posts when publishing them. Friends won’t see posts unless you override the default setting.
Make Posts Unavailable to Specific People
You can block certain people from seeing your posts without making them fully private:
- Go to your profile and click “Friends” in the left menu.
- Click the gear icon next to a friend’s name.
- Select “Edit Friend List and Settings”.
- Under “Hide Your Stuff,” check “Posts”.
This will block that person from seeing your future posts. They won’t be notified of the change.
Remove Posts From Your Timeline
You can delete individual posts from your timeline so they are no longer visible:
- Go to your profile and find the post you want to remove.
- Click the three dots in the upper right corner of the post.
- Select “Delete post” and confirm.
The post will be removed from your profile. However, it may still show up in other places like friends’ timelines.
Disable Timeline Reviews
Timeline review lets Facebook show you posts you’ve made in the past. You can turn this off:
- Go to “Settings & Privacy” then “Settings”.
- Click “Your Facebook Information” in the left menu.
- Under “Your Posts,” uncheck “Show posts from your timeline for review”.
This prevents old posts randomly showing up for you to review. They’ll remain visible to others unless you delete them.
Conclusion
Making Facebook posts private requires adjusting your privacy settings. The main options are:
- Limit past posts – Makes old posts visible only to you
- Limit future posts – Sets new posts to private by default
- Block specific people – Prevents certain friends from seeing posts
- Delete posts – Removes individual posts from your timeline
- Disable timeline review – Stops Facebook resurfacing random old posts
Using these settings, you can control the privacy of your Facebook posts and limit their availability to others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make my posts disappear completely?
Not exactly. When you delete a post, it is removed from your timeline but may still appear in other places like friends’ timelines or Facebook’s data storage. There is no way to permanently erase posts.
What’s the difference between blocking someone and limiting past posts?
Blocking someone prevents them from seeing your future posts. Limiting past posts makes your old posts private retroactively. Use them together to hide past and future content from specific people.
Will my friends know if I make my posts private?
In most cases, no. Making posts private, blocking people, and deleting posts can all be done without friends being notified.
Can I make only some posts private?
Yes, you can override the default privacy setting when publishing a post. With future posts limited, you can still choose to make some public while keeping others private.
Will Facebook stop showing me memories and timeline posts if I turn off review?
Yes, disabling timeline review prevents Facebook from resurfacing old posts in your feed or as memories. However, they could still appear for your friends.
Comparision of Privacy Settings
| Setting | Visibility | Notifications | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit Past Posts | Makes old posts private | No | Hide previous years of posts |
| Limit Future Posts | Makes new posts private by default | No | Keep all future posts private |
| Block Specific People | Hides posts from selected individuals | No | Prevent exes, bosses, etc from seeing posts |
| Delete Posts | Removes individual posts | No | Delete embarrassing or outdated posts |
| Disable Timeline Review | Stops resurfacing of random old posts | No | Avoid reminders of cringey old content |
This table summarizes key differences between Facebook’s privacy settings related to posts. You can use one or combine several to achieve your desired level of post privacy.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps to make your Facebook posts private:
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Go to Facebook Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy
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Under “Privacy Settings,” click “Limit who can see your future posts” and select “Only me”
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Under “Your Activity,” click “Limit Past Posts” and adjust settings as needed
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Click on Friends in the left menu and block anyone you want to hide posts from
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To delete posts, go to your profile, click the three dots on a post and select “Delete post”
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To stop resurfacing of old posts, go to Settings > Your Facebook Information > Your Posts and uncheck “Show posts from your timeline for review”
Following these steps will restrict access to your posts and limit their availability to only you. Adjust settings as desired for your privacy preferences.
Troubleshooting Problems
Here are solutions for common problems when trying to make Facebook posts private:
Problem: Friends can still see posts I’ve made private
Solution: This is expected for posts made public originally. Friends may still see old posts on their timelines or in searches even if now private on your profile. Fully removing accessibility requires deleting posts.
Problem: I keep getting memories and timeline review posts
Solution: Make sure you’ve disabled timeline review in Your Facebook Information settings.Cached versions may still appear briefly before updates propagate.
Problem: Blocked person can still see my posts
Solution: Blocking prevents visibility of future but not past posts. Limit past posts or delete old posts for full blocking effect.
Problem: My posts aren’t set to private by default
Solution: Check you set future posts to “Only me” under Privacy Settings. May require doing this on desktop if option missing on mobile.
Facebook Post Privacy Best Practices
To maintain control over your Facebook posts’ privacy:
- Review posts before publishing to ensure they don’t reveal too much
- Delete risky or embarrassing old posts that could come back to haunt you
- Limit visibility right away for posts you later want to hide
- Block exes, employers, etc. to avoid awkward post viewing
- Keep camera access off for Facebook app to prevent accidental live streams
- Periodically check and update privacy settings as Facebook changes
Treating posts as public forever, even if later made private, can prevent oversharing mishaps. The above best practices will help safeguard your post privacy.
Privacy Concerns
While Facebook provides post privacy options, concerns remain:
- Deleted posts may persist internally at Facebook
- Posts can be screenshotted or shared prior to being made private
- Bugs may allow access to private posts
- Facebook may use private post content for advertising purposes
- Law enforcement requests can override some privacy settings
True post privacy involves caution about what you share online in the first place. Facebook’s tools offer helpful but imperfect protection.