Facebook allows users to control the privacy settings for their profile and content. By default, many things you post on Facebook are set to be visible to the public. However, you can change your settings to make all content on your Facebook account private.
Making all of your Facebook content private limits who can see what you post. When your content is private, it is only visible to your Facebook friends or friends of friends, depending on your specific privacy settings. This gives you more control over who has access to your information and posts.
There are a few easy steps to make all your existing and future Facebook content private. In this article, we will walk through how to:
- Adjust your privacy settings for posts
- Restrict visibility for photos and videos
- Limit access to your info and profile
- Review and adjust privacy on old posts
- Check and update your activity log privacy
- Disable public searchability
Following these steps will help you privatize your Facebook presence and content in just a few minutes.
Make Future Posts Private
The first step is adjusting your privacy settings for any new posts you share on Facebook. This controls who can see the posts, photos, videos, and other content you post from now on.
Here is how to make all future posts private:
- Click on the down arrow in the top right of Facebook and select “Settings”.
- In the left column, click on “Privacy”.
- Click on “Privacy Checkup”.
- Under “Who can see your future posts?”, click on “Friends” or “Only Me” to make posts private.
- Click “Review a few important privacy settings” to confirm.
Now when you share any new posts, they will only be visible to your selected audience of friends or just yourself. This makes all your new Facebook activity private moving forward.
Friends vs Only Me Privacy Option
When adjusting privacy for future posts, you can select “Friends” or “Only Me”:
- Friends – Limits visibility of new posts to your Facebook friends list only.
- Only Me – Makes new posts visible only to you. Not even your friends can see them.
Choosing “Only Me” makes your content completely private. The “Friends” option still allows your friends to see new posts, but not the general public. Select the option based on your specific privacy needs.
Restrict Visibility of Photos and Videos
In addition to posts, you will also want to confirm the privacy settings for any photos or videos you upload. Just like with regular posts, you can limit the audience for past and future media.
Here is how to make uploaded photos and videos private on Facebook:
- Go to your Facebook profile and click on “Photos”.
- Click on the three dots next to “Photos” and select “Manage Photos and Videos”.
- Click on the option for “Limit Old Posts” to make past uploads private.
- Under “Who can see posts you’ve shared”, select “Friends” or “Only me” to limit visibility of new uploads.
- Click “Review a few important privacy settings” and confirm.
This restricts access to all your photos and videos on Facebook, both old and new. People will no longer be able to search and view your media unless they are connected to you as a friend.
Limiting Past Media Visibility
When adjusting who can see your existing Facebook media, you have a couple options:
- Public – Anyone can view and share your past photos/videos.
- Friends – Only your Facebook friends can see old media you’ve posted.
- Only Me – Makes old photos and videos visible only to you.
Setting this to “Only Me” or “Friends” is recommended to maximize privacy. The default is “Public” visibility, so proactively changing this setting helps privatize your previous Facebook activity.
Restrict Access to Your Profile and Info
In addition to your posts and media, you also want to review the privacy settings for your personal profile information. This includes your bio, employment, education, relationship details, and other personal info displayed on your profile.
Here is how to limit access to your Facebook profile and information:
- Go to your profile and click “About”.
- Scroll down and click on “Edit Public Profile Details”.
- Hover over each section like Bio, Work, Education, Places, etc.
- Click the dropdown next to each and select “Friends” or “Only Me”.
- Click “Review a few important privacy settings” when finished.
This restricts viewability of your profile information so only friends or yourself can see it. Others will no longer be able to access details about you and your life without your permission.
Private Profile Information Sections
Some key sections of your Facebook profile to review and limit access to include:
- Bio and personal info
- Employment history
- Education history
- Places you’ve lived
- Contact and relationship details
- Family members
- Life events and details
Setting these sections to “Friends” or “Only me” hides them from the public and search engines. Your personal details stay private.
Review and Adjust Privacy on Old Posts
Up to this point, we’ve adjusted the privacy settings for new content you will share going forward. However, you also want to review visibility and access for your existing Facebook posts and activity.
Here is how to privatize your old Facebook posts:
- Click the three line menu in the top left and select “Activity Log”.
- Click on the three dots next to “Your Posts” and select “Limit Past Posts”.
- Change the toggle from “Public” to “Friends” or “Only Me”.
- Click “Limit Old Posts” to apply the new setting.
This will restrict access to all your previous posts all at once. Only individuals you select will be able to see your past Facebook activity and content.
Bulk Limit Old Posts
You can limit old posts in a few ways:
- All at once – Adjust visibility for all old posts together.
- Individually – Manually edit settings post by post.
- By date – Set a cutoff date for post visibility.
The fastest option is changing the settings on all old posts simultaneously. But you can also fine-tune privacy post by post if desired.
Check and Update Your Activity Log Privacy
Facebook’s activity log contains your full history of likes, comments, posts, and searches within Facebook. It’s important to check the privacy settings here as well.
Here is how to restrict access to your Facebook activity log:
- Click on the down arrow at top right and select “Settings”.
- Click on “Your Facebook Information” in the left column.
- Select “View Your Activity Log”.
- Click “More Options” and select “Limit Past Posts”.
- Change the toggle from Public to Friends or Only Me.
This prevents people from being able to browse and search your full history on Facebook without your permission.
Activity Log Privacy Settings
You can choose who can see your activity log:
- Public – Anyone can browse your full Facebook history.
- Friends – Only friends can search through your Facebook activity.
- Only Me – Your activity log is fully private.
Setting this to Friends or Only Me limits exposure. Your activity log contains a lot of private interactions and data.
Disable Public Searchability
As one final step, you can opt out of public search engines indexing your Facebook profile and content. This provides an extra layer of privacy.
Here is how to disable public searchability:
- Click the down arrow and select “Settings”.
- Click on “Privacy” in the left menu.
- Scroll down and turn “Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile?” to “No”.
Now your Facebook profile and posts will not show up in public search engine results like Google. Only people logged into Facebook will be able to search for and view your profile or content.
Private Profiles and Search Engine Indexing
Having a fully private profile means:
- Not appearing in public search engine results.
- Only being visible to your Facebook friends or selected audience.
- Full control over who can access your info and activity.
Opting out of indexing provides an important layer of online privacy protection. Your Facebook presence becomes invisible to the public web.
Conclusion
Making your Facebook profile completely private takes just a few minutes. Following the steps to:
- Limit visibility of new posts and media.
- Restrict access to your profile info.
- Privatize old posts and activity.
- Disable public search indexing.
…will ensure your entire Facebook presence is hidden from public view. Only you and selected friends will be able to find and see your profile and posts.
Privacy on social media is important. Follow these steps and keep all your Facebook content and info private moving forward. Your personal data stays secure and is visible only to the people you choose.
| Facebook Privacy Setting | Recommended Value |
|---|---|
| Future Posts | Friends or Only Me |
| Uploaded Photos/Videos | Friends or Only Me |
| Profile Information | Friends or Only Me |
| Old Posts | Friends or Only Me |
| Activity Log | Friends or Only Me |
| Public Searchability | Off |
Key Takeaways
Some key tips to privatize your Facebook profile:
- Be proactive in adjusting default public settings.
- Review and limit access to both new and old content.
- Restrict profile visibility beyond just posts.
- Opt-out of public search engine indexing.
- Re-check settings periodically for changes.
Following these best practices helps lock down your Facebook presence. Your private data stays fully in your control.
Protect your privacy on social media with a few simple steps. Make Facebook work for you, not advertisers and third parties. You own your personal information – so be proactive in keeping it secure.