Nearby Friends is a Facebook feature that allows you to see which of your Facebook friends are nearby your current location. It uses your phone’s location services to determine where you are and then checks to see if you have any Facebook friends in the vicinity. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to enable Nearby Friends on your iPhone:
Step 1: Update to the Latest Version of Facebook
In order to use Nearby Friends, you’ll need to make sure you have updated to the latest version of the Facebook app on your iPhone. To do this:
- Open the App Store on your iPhone
- Tap on the “Updates” tab at the bottom
- Scroll through the list of apps with available updates and tap on “Update” next to Facebook
- Enter your App Store password or use Touch ID if prompted
- Wait for Facebook to finish updating, then open the app
You’ll need the latest version of Facebook for Nearby Friends to show up as an option.
Step 2: Enable Location Services
For Nearby Friends to work, your iPhone needs to be able to determine your location using Location Services. To check if this is enabled:
- Open the Settings app on your iPhone
- Scroll down and tap on “Privacy”
- Tap on “Location Services”
- Check to make sure the toggle at the top is switched on (green)
If Location Services is already enabled, proceed to Step 3. If it is disabled, tap the toggle at the top to enable it. You may get a prompt asking if you want to enable Location Services – tap “Enable” to proceed.
Step 3: Enable Location Access for Facebook
You also need to specifically enable location access for the Facebook app. To do this:
- In the Location Services screen, scroll down and find Facebook in the list
- Tap on Facebook
- Select “While Using the App” under Allow Location Access
This allows Facebook to use your location only when the app is open. You can also choose “Always” if you want Facebook to be able to access your location at all times.
Step 4: Open Facebook and Enable Nearby Friends
Now you’re ready to enable Nearby Friends in the Facebook app:
- Open the Facebook app on your iPhone
- Tap the “More” tab (three line icon) in the bottom right
- Scroll down and tap on “Settings & Privacy”
- Tap on “Location”
- Under “Location Settings”, switch on “Nearby Friends”
That’s it! Nearby Friends is now enabled. You can tap on “Nearby Friends” in the More tab to see a list of any friends who are close to your location.
Step 5: Choose Who Can See You in Nearby Friends
By default, all of your Facebook friends will be able to see that you are nearby if you have Nearby Friends enabled. You can control who gets to see you by adjusting your audience settings:
- In the Nearby Friends screen, tap the gear icon in the top right
- Tap “Edit Your Audience”
- Choose from options like Friends, Friends Except Acquaintances, Only Me, etc.
Choosing “Only Me” will prevent any friends from seeing you in their Nearby Friends list. You’ll only be able to see them but they won’t see you. Adjust this to your comfort level.
Other Nearby Friends Settings
Under the gear icon in Nearby Friends there are a few other settings you can adjust:
- Manage Push Notifications – Turn notifications on or off for when friends come and go from the nearby area.
- Show Distance – Choose to show approximate distance (in miles/kilometers) next to each nearby friend.
- Update Your Location – Manually refresh your location if it seems inaccurate.
Take a look at these to customize Nearby Friends to your preferences.
Using Nearby Friends
Once enabled, you can view nearby friends by tapping on “Nearby Friends” under the More tab in Facebook. This will show a list of any friends close to your location. Tap on a friend to see their distance and last active status.
To initiate hanging out, tap on a friend and then “Send Message” to start a conversation and make plans to meet up! You can turn notifications on if you want to be alerted when previously out-of-range friends come into the nearby area.
A few things to keep in mind about Nearby Friends:
- Both you and your friends need to have the feature enabled to appear to each other
- Only friends who have agreed to be visible will show up
- Locations are approximate to maintain privacy
- Actively check for nearby friends rather than relying on notifications
Troubleshooting Nearby Friends
If you’re having issues getting Nearby Friends to work properly, here are some things to check:
- Make sure location access is enabled for Facebook in your device settings
- Refresh your location in the Nearby Friends screen in case it’s inaccurate
- Force quit and relaunch the Facebook app if Nearby Friends seems stuck
- Check that both you and your friend have Nearby Friends enabled and are sharing locations
- Ensure your device has a strong WiFi or cellular data connection
Nearby Friends requires your device’s location features and an internet connection to work properly. If issues persist, you can also try reaching out to Facebook support for additional help.
Conclusion
Nearby Friends provides a quick and easy way to see when your Facebook friends are close by. Just a few taps enables the feature so you can start connecting with friends spontaneously when you’re out and about. Be thoughtful about who you share your location with and customize the settings to your comfort level. With location sharing and privacy controls, Nearby Friends makes meeting up with friends in the real world effortless.