In today’s digital world, social media has become an integral part of our lives. Platforms like Facebook allow us to stay connected with friends and family, discover new interests, and be part of online communities. However, at times you may wish to limit your online presence or reconsider who you want to connect with. If you no longer wish to follow certain profiles on Facebook, you can easily unfollow or block them.
What Does Following Someone on Facebook Mean?
On Facebook, you can follow public figures, businesses, groups, and other accounts that post public content. When you follow someone, you will see their public posts in your News Feed. Following does not create a friend connection or allow you to view private content. You can follow accounts without needing the other person to approve your request. Following simply helps populate your feed with more content you may find interesting.
Why Would You Want to Stop Following Someone?
There are a few reasons why you may want to stop following an account on Facebook:
- Their content no longer interests you
- They post too frequently, cluttering your News Feed
- You no longer wish to support their business or organization
- You find their content offensive or inappropriate
- You only followed them for a specific purpose or time period
- You are trying to limit your time spent on Facebook
Unfollowing people or pages you no longer wish to see can help refine your News Feed so it contains content more relevant to your life. It also reduces clutter and gives you more control over how you use Facebook.
How to Stop Following Someone on Facebook
Unfollowing an account on Facebook only takes a few clicks. Here is how to stop following someone on desktop and mobile:
On Desktop:
- Go to the profile page of the person or account you want to unfollow.
- Look for the Follow button underneath their cover photo. If you currently follow them, it will say Following.
- Click or tap on the Following button.
- A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm by pressing Unfollow.
On Mobile:
- Go to the profile page of the person or account.
- Tap the Following button below their cover photo.
- Tap Unfollow to confirm.
That’s all there is to it! Once you unfollow an account, you will stop seeing their public posts in your News Feed. However, unfollowing does not block the account or remove any previous interactions you’ve had.
Other Ways to Control Your Feed on Facebook
In addition to unfollowing accounts, here are some other ways to refine the content you see on Facebook:
- Hide or snooze posts from certain people, pages or groups for 30 days
- Unfriend connections you no longer wish to interact with at all
- Add friends to your Close Friends list to see more of their content
- Follow or join new groups and pages to discover more relevant content
- Adjust your News Feed preferences in Settings
You can also control notifications from specific accounts by adjusting your notification settings. This way you can stay updated from accounts you want to follow but may not want cluttering your News Feed.
What Happens When You Unfollow Someone?
Here’s what to expect after you stop following an account on Facebook:
- You will no longer see their public posts in your News Feed
- Any previous posts or interactions remain on your profile
- You can still view their public profile page if you search for them
- They will not be notified that you unfollowed them
- You can choose to follow them again in the future
Essentially, unfollowing just removes that account’s future posts from your News Feed. All other interactions remain unchanged. Neither person is notified so it does not affect your relationship or connection on Facebook.
Will Unfollowing Someone Offend Them?
In most cases, unfollowing someone on Facebook should not offend them or even be noticed. Here are some points to keep in mind:
- Facebook does not notify accounts when you unfollow
- Many accounts, especially businesses and influencers, have thousands of followers
- Your decision to unfollow is private and likely will go unnoticed
- You can easily refollow in the future if you change your mind
However, if you are unfollowing a close friend or family member that actively engages with your profile, they may notice your lack of likes or comments on their posts. If you think unfollowing could damage the relationship, consider talking to them politely about why you wish to unfollow first.
Can Someone Tell if You Unfollowed Them?
While Facebook does not directly notify someone if you unfollow their account, there are some ways they may be able to tell:
- If they frequently check their own follower list, they may notice your name is gone
- Your comments and reactions will disappear from their posts
- Mutual friends that follow both accounts may mention your lack of activity
- They may ask you directly if they suspect you unfollowed
However, most casual Facebook connections likely will not pick up on your unfollowing. Those with thousands of followers especially will have a hard time noticing the change. If confronted, you can choose to tactfully explain why you unfollowed or sidestep the question.
Should I Block Someone Instead of Unfollowing?
Blocking on Facebook is more extreme than unfollowing. When you block an account:
- They can no longer view your profile or search for you
- You cannot view their profile or any of their content
- They are notified they have been blocked
- Previous interactions are hidden
Blocking completely severs the online connection in both directions, so only use it when absolutely necessary. In most cases, unfollowing is plenty to remove an unwanted account from your News Feed.
Can I See Who I’m Following?
To view all the accounts you currently follow on Facebook:
- Go to your profile
- Click Friends in the left sidebar
- Select Following from the top menu
This will display a list of all followed accounts. You can unfollow from this list in bulk or view profiles to decide who to remove.
I Accidentally Unfollowed Someone – How Do I Follow Them Again?
Not to worry if you mistakenly unfollow someone you wish to keep in your feed. You can easily follow them again:
- Go to their Facebook profile page
- Click or tap the Follow button below their cover photo
- Confirm you want to follow their account again
Their future public posts will once again appear in your News Feed. Refollowing does not notify the account or re-post anything you missed while unfollowing.
Conclusion
Unfollowing on Facebook is a quick and private way to curate your News Feed by removing accounts you no longer wish to see. Use it to declutter your feed, remove irrelevant or excessive posts, and focus on the connections you value most. Just go to the profile, click Unfollow, and their public posts will disappear from your feed without any notification. Give your feed a refresh by reviewing who you follow today!