Facebook allows you to control who can see your profile and posts. By default, anyone can see your public profile and posts. However, you can change your privacy settings to limit access to just your friends or a customized list. Here are some quick answers about hiding your Facebook profile:
– You can hide your profile from non-friends by adjusting your privacy settings. Go to “Settings” then “Privacy” to customize who can see your profile and posts.
– Choose “Friends” under “Who can see your future posts?” to hide posts from non-friends. You can also create a custom friends list.
– Adjust privacy settings for your bio, featured photos, posts, and more. You have granular control.
– Non-friends will not be able to see your profile picture, cover photo, or any information you share. Your profile will appear blank to them.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps to hide your Facebook profile from people who are not your friends:
1. Log into your Facebook account and click on the down arrow in the top right corner. Select “Settings”.
2. On the left side of the page click “Privacy”.
3. Under the “Privacy Settings” heading, click “Edit” next to “Who can see your future posts?”.
4. Change the setting from “Public” to “Friends”. This means only your friends will be able to see anything you post in the future.
5. Scroll down and click “Limit Past Posts”. This will change the viewing audience for posts you’ve already shared publicly to just friends.
6. Click “Review a few important privacy settings” to access more options.
7. Under “Who can see what you share”, choose “Friends” for all the categories you want to limit to friends only: About info, Featured photos, Posts, Profile information, etc.
8. For each category, you can also create a custom friends list if you don’t want all friends to see certain info. Just select “Custom” instead of “Friends” and type in the name of your list.
9. Don’t forget to review settings for “Timeline and Tagging” and “Apps and Websites” as well. Adjust as needed.
10. Scroll to the bottom and click “Save Changes”.
Custom Friend Lists
Creating custom friend lists allows you to hide your profile from some friends but not others. Here’s how to make custom lists:
1. Click the Friends tab on your timeline.
2. In the left sidebar click “Friends” then select “Create List”.
3. Give your list a name, like “Close Friends”.
4. Start typing in names to add friends to the list.
5. Click “Create” when you’ve added everyone you want.
Now when you edit privacy settings you can select this custom list rather than “All Friends” to limit visibility. Custom lists give you more flexibility.
Profile Picture and Cover Photo
Your profile and cover pictures are public by default. Non-friends can see them even if your profile is hidden. To change this:
1. Go to your profile and click on your profile picture.
2. Select “Update Profile Picture”.
3. Click the audience selector that says “Public” and change it to “Friends”.
4. Upload a new profile picture if desired. Click “Save”.
5. Similarly, click on your cover photo. Choose “Update Cover Photo”.
6. Select “Friends” for the audience and upload a new cover photo if wanted.
Now only your friends will see your profile and cover pictures.
Activity Status
The activity status visible on your profile shows when you were last active on Facebook apps. To hide this:
1. Go to “Settings” and click “Privacy”.
2. Click “Edit” next to “How people can find and contact you”.
3. Turn off “Show your activity status” by changing the toggle from blue to gray.
4. Click “Save Changes” at the bottom.
This prevents non-friends from seeing when you were last active or online.
Search Engines
You can prevent search engines like Google from indexing your Facebook profile so it doesn’t show up in public search results.
1. Go to “Settings” then “Privacy”.
2. Click “Edit” next to “How people find and contact you”.
3. Under “Privacy”, disable the “Let search engines outside of Facebook link to your profile” setting.
4. Click “Save Changes”.
This removes your profile from search engine results. People won’t be able to find your profile by searching on Google or other search sites.
Facebook Applications
Some Facebook apps and games can access parts of your profile even if it’s hidden. To prevent this:
1. Click the down arrow and select “Settings”.
2. Choose “Apps and Websites” in the left sidebar.
3. Click “Edit” next to “Apps, Websites and Games”.
4. Make sure “Apps others use” is disabled. This prevents profile access.
5. Click “Save Changes”.
Disabling platform access removes apps’ ability to see your profile info.
Conclusion
Hiding your Facebook profile from non-friends takes a few steps but gives you greater control over privacy. Adjust settings for posts, info sections, photos, search engines, and apps. Create custom friend lists for maximum flexibility. Routinely check and modify privacy configurations. Stay social with who you choose by limiting profile visibility to just people you know and trust on Facebook.
| Section | Steps to Hide Profile |
|---|---|
| Introduction | – Quick answers about adjusting privacy settings |
| Step-by-Step Guide | – 10 steps for hiding profile from non-friends |
| Custom Friend Lists | – How to create lists to customize privacy |
| Profile and Cover Photo | – Making profile and cover images friends-only |
| Activity Status | – Removing activity indicator from profile |
| Search Engines | – Excluding profile from public search results |
| Facebook Applications | – Disabling app access to prevent profile visibility |
| Conclusion | – Summary of key steps for hiding Facebook profile |
Here are some additional tips for maximizing your Facebook privacy:
– Review all privacy settings annually. Facebook often adds new options.
– Consider turning off location services for your posts. This hides where you’ve checked in or were tagged.
– Don’t accept friend requests from strangers. Only friend people you know.
– Unfriend or block acquaintances you don’t interact with.
– Adjust comment and post viewing options for friends only.
– Disable read receipts for messages. This prevents people from knowing if you’ve read their messages.
– Turn off email/SMS notifications for new posts and comments. This also hides your activity.
– Remove your Facebook email and phone number from your profile info to limit contact.
– Select the most restrictive audience when posting and limit old post visibility.
– Never share personal details like address, birthday, or place of work publicly.
– Log out of Facebook when not using it, especially on shared devices.
– Use secure passwords and change them every few months.
– Enable two-factor authentication for logins. This adds an extra layer of security.
– Be wary of connecting third-party apps or taking Facebook quizzes.
– Do not add contacts’ email addresses or phone numbers to your profile.
– Delete Facebook search and chat history regularly.
– Consider using a pseudonym or abbreviation rather than your full name.
– Never accept friend requests from fake or cloned profiles. Report them instead.
– Delete or disable your Facebook account if you need an extended break from the platform.
Hiding your profile is the first step, but consistently monitoring and modifying privacy settings gives you the most control. Limit visibility of personal info, posts, friends list, and more. Customize options and lists to determine exactly who sees what. Stay vigilant against security threats. Keep private details private by fully utilizing Facebook’s granular privacy tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can non-friends see my profile picture and cover photo?
Yes, your profile and cover images are public by default. To hide them from non-friends, update the audience for each photo to “Friends Only” in your profile settings.
What if I only want to hide my profile from some friends?
You can create custom friend lists and limit visibility of certain information to just specific groups of friends. For example, make a “Close Friends” list for posts you only want a smaller group to see.
Will limiting past posts remove them completely?
No, limiting past posts just narrows the audience. The posts will still be visible to the friends you select but hidden from non-friends.
Can I prevent search engines from indexing my profile?
Yes, you can block search engines like Google from accessing your profile in your privacy settings. This removes your profile from public search results.
What type of info can apps access from my profile?
Apps can access your basic info, posts, photos and more. Disabling platform settings prevents all app access to your account.
Is there a way to permanently delete my Facebook account?
Yes, you can request permanent account deletion. This permanently erases all your info from Facebook. Your profile and posts cannot be recovered.
Can I choose who sees posts individually?
Yes, when making a new post you can pick the audience each time rather than a global default. You have flexibility post-by-post.
How often should I review my privacy settings?
It’s best to review your key privacy settings every 3-6 months. Facebook frequently adds new options so it’s important to check regularly.
What’s the benefit of hiding my friends list?
Hiding your friends list makes it harder for strangers to connect with you or your friends. It also prevents connections from being able to browse your friends.
Should I delete Facebook if I’m not using it?
If you need an extended break from Facebook, deactivating or deleting your account can be a good idea for privacy. Just remember it’s permanent if deleted.
Controlling your Facebook privacy lets you socialize on your own terms. Restrict info sharing with non-friends and limit old posts. Review and modify settings regularly to stay secure. Hide your profile from unfamiliar eyes while keeping connections open with people you trust.