Facebook badges are icons that appear next to a user’s name and provide information about that user’s activity on the platform. Badges allow users to showcase certain achievements, interests, roles and more. Some common Facebook badges include:
Verification Badges
Facebook’s blue verification badge appears next to the names of authentic, notable public figures, brands and organizations. This badge simply confirms that the account is the authentic presence of the public figure, brand or organization it represents. Verification badges are assigned by Facebook after a verification request and review process.
If you have a blue verification badge next to your name on Facebook, it means your account has been verified as authentic by Facebook. The majority of Facebook users do not have a verification badge.
Friendiversary Badges
Friendiversary badges commemorate friendships on Facebook. If you’ve been friends with someone on Facebook for a year, both you and your friend may get friendiversary badges next to each other’s names. The badge will include the number of years you’ve been friends.
So if you see a badge next to a friend’s name that says “Friends for 5 years,” it means you’ve been friends with that person on Facebook for 5 years. These badges are a way for Facebook to celebrate longstanding friendships on the platform.
Workplace and Education Badges
Facebook users can add their workplace and education information to their profiles. If you list an employer or school, a badge for that place may appear next to your name.
For example, if you work at Starbucks and have added that employment to your Facebook profile, you may see a Starbucks badge next to your name when you comment or post. These badges act as visual identifiers of the communities you belong to.
Activity Badges
Certain activities on Facebook may trigger specialized badges to appear next to your name. For example, if it’s your birthday a “birthday cake” badge will show up. If you’ve recently posted a life event like an engagement, wedding or new child, you may get a badge related to the event.
Other activity badges may include:
- Live video badges for broadcasting live video
- Facebook Gaming badges for gaming streamers
- Fundraisers badges for raising money on Facebook
These types of badges are intended to share your recent activities and milestones on the platform.
How to Find Your Facebook Badges
Here are the ways to check if you have any badges next to your name on Facebook:
Check Comments or Posts
Badges only appear next to your name when you are actively using Facebook – commenting on posts, sharing updates, reacting to content, etc. So to see if you have any badges:
- Make a comment on a friend’s post or share an update on your Profile
- Check next to your name for any icon badges
This is the easiest way to view any badges assigned to your account from your activity.
Visit Your Profile
You can also visit your Facebook Profile to look for badges:
- Click on your Profile picture and go to your Profile
- Look under your Profile picture and next to your name for any badges
Any active badges will be visible in this location as well.
Check Friends’ Pages
To see if you have any friendiversary or workplace/education badges, visit a friend’s Profile:
- Go to a friend’s Profile page
- Look under your name in the friends list for any badges
Friendiversary badges and workplace/education badges associated with your friend may appear here.
Types of Badges You Cannot Get
There are certain Facebook badges that regular users cannot acquire. These include:
- Grey checkmark badge for government officials
- Red verified badge for medical experts
- Blue shield badge for law enforcement
These special verification badges are only available to qualified individuals and vetted by Facebook. The average user does not have access to them.
Turning Badges On or Off
If you do not want badges to appear next to your name, you can turn them off:
- Go to your Facebook Settings
- Click on “Profile and Tagging”
- Toggle off the setting for “Badges”
This will prevent any badges from being displayed publicly on your profile and posts. The badges will still track in the background but will not be visible to other users if disabled.
Conclusion
Facebook badges provide users with visible indicators of milestones, interests, roles and more on their profiles. Common badge types include verifications, friendiversaries, workplace, education, and activity-based badges.
To check for badges, look next to your name when commenting or posting, visit your Profile page, or view a friend’s Profile where you are listed. Turn off badges in the Settings if you do not want them publicly displayed.
While certain badges like government and medical verification are limited, most users have the ability to earn diverse badges on Facebook through activities, engagements, and longstanding friends on the platform.