Finding someone on Facebook using just their phone number can be tricky, but it is possible in some cases. Facebook does not allow users to search for other users directly by phone number for privacy reasons. However, there are a few methods you can try to find someone’s Facebook profile using a phone number.
Attempt a Phone Number Search
The first method is to simply try searching for the phone number on Facebook. While Facebook does not allow searches by phone number specifically, some users choose to include their phone numbers in their public profile information. So it’s worth trying a search for the full phone number, including the country code if searching for an international number.
To do this, go to Facebook’s search bar at the top of the screen on desktop or mobile. Type in the person’s full phone number including country code and any dashes or spaces. Hit enter to search. If the phone number is visible on a public Facebook profile, that user’s profile may show up in the search results.
Use Facebook’s Upload Contacts Feature
Another option is to use Facebook’s upload contacts feature. This allows you to upload a phone number from your contacts and see if there is a match with a Facebook profile.
To use this method:
- Go to Facebook and click on the down arrow in the top right corner.
- Select “Settings & Privacy” then choose “Settings”.
- Click “Your Facebook Information” in the left sidebar.
- Select “Access Your Information”
- Click on “Download Your Information” and choose “Contacts” from the dropdown menu.
- Facebook will create a file with any contacts that match Facebook profiles. Download this when ready.
- Open the file and see if the phone number you are searching for appears with a name and Facebook profile link.
Use the Facebook Mobile App
If you have the Facebook mobile app on your iPhone or Android phone, you can use your phone’s contacts to search for matches on Facebook.
To do this:
- Open the Facebook app and tap the hamburger menu icon (three horizontal lines).
- Select “Find Friends” then choose “Contacts”
- Tap “Continue” to allow Facebook to access your contacts.
- The app will match any contacts that have Facebook profiles and show you their names and profiles.
- Scroll through to see if the phone number you are searching for appears.
Search Public Profile Pages
Some Facebook users make parts of their profile public even if they have private accounts. You can search these public pages to see if the phone number appears there.
To try this method:
- Go to Facebook and click Search at the top.
- Type in the person’s name if you know it, or just their phone number.
- In the filters on the left, click “Public”
- Browse through the results to see if their public page contains the phone number.
Use Facebook Search Operators
Facebook also allows searching with special operators that expand your search capabilities. You can use these operators to search for phone numbers on Facebook.
Some operators to try are:
- “123-456-7890” – Enclose phone number in quotes to search for exact match
- 123* – Search for numbers starting with 123
- *456* – Search for numbers containing 456
Combine these with a person’s name or location if you know it to narrow down the search. This may help you uncover a profile that contains the phone number even if the profile is not fully public.
Use a People Finder Service
There are also some online people finder services that may be able to help match a phone number to a Facebook profile. These sites have access to public records and phone number directories that regular users don’t.
Some popular free people finder sites include:
- PeekYou
- ZabaSearch
- PeopleLooker
- TruthFinder
To use these services:
- Go to one of the sites above and input the phone number you want to search.
- The site will search through available public records and phone listings for any matches.
- If there is a name match to the number, you can then search that name on Facebook to potentially find a profile.
Ask Friends or Contacts
One of the simplest methods is to just ask around! If you have mutual friends or contacts with the person whose number you have, you can ask them if they are on Facebook.
You can then ask your mutual connection for the person’s profile link or to pass along your contact request if privacy settings allow it.
Use a Paid People Finder Service
For best results, there are also paid people finder services that claim to be able to search and match phone numbers to social media profiles with a high degree of accuracy. These paid services have access to more extensive databases of phone listings, records, and social media profiles.
Some examples of paid services that offer social media lookup include:
- Intelius
- BeenVerified
- PeopleFinders
- TruthFinder
These services charge a fee to search – usually around $20-$40 per report. They allow you to input a phone number and will search their databases to try to find social media accounts linked to that phone number or name.
Consider Privacy Concerns
Keep in mind when using any of these search methods that the person likely intentionally left their phone number off of Facebook for privacy reasons. Unless you have their consent, searching for ways to uncover their profile against their wishes is an invasion of privacy.
Make sure you have honorable intentions before attempting to connect with someone online without their direct consent. Consider if a phone call or text message would be more appropriate to renew your connection.
Conclusion
Finding someone on Facebook by phone number alone can be challenging, as the platform intentionally limits searchability by phone number to protect privacy. However, with clever searching using Facebook search tools, uploading your own contacts, trying people search services, and asking around, it may be possible to make a match. Just be sure to consider the other person’s privacy and wishes before making any unwanted contact online.