Facebook’s friend requests system allows you to connect with other Facebook users by sending them friend requests. When you send a friend request on Facebook, the recipient can choose to accept or ignore your request. Sometimes it can be useful to look back at the friend requests you have sent to keep track of pending requests or figure out if someone received your request.
Here are a few quick ways to see the Facebook friend requests you’ve sent from your account:
Check the Requests Sent list on Facebook
The easiest way to see friend requests you’ve sent is to visit the Requests Sent list in your Facebook account. Here’s how:
- Go to Facebook.com and log into your account.
- Click on the Friends link in the left sidebar.
- On desktop, click the Requests Sent button below your friends list. On mobile, tap the Requests Sent tab at the top.
This will display a list of all pending friend requests you’ve sent from your account that have not yet been accepted. You can withdraw a pending request by hovering over it and clicking Remove Request.
Check the Requests filter on your friends list
You can also filter your main friends list on Facebook to show only sent requests:
- Go to your Facebook friends list.
- Click on the Requests filter link above your friends list.
This will temporarily filter your friends to display only the requests you’ve sent that are still pending.
Use the Activity Log
The Activity Log on Facebook provides a history of your past actions, including friend requests you’ve sent. To view your sent requests:
- Click on the account menu (arrow) in the top right.
- Select Activity Log from the dropdown.
- Click on the Friends link in the left column.
You’ll see a history of your friend requests and removes. Click See All to expand the list.
Check messages for sent requests
When you send someone a friend request on Facebook, it also sends them a message. You can look back through your messages to see notifications about requests you’ve sent:
- Click on the Messages icon in the Facebook toolbar.
- Open the message thread with a user you think you requested.
- Look for any messages that say “You sent User a friend request” to confirm requests.
Use Facebook data download
If you want to see a complete history of every friend request you’ve ever sent from your account, you can download your Facebook data:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click on Your Facebook Information in the left column.
- Click View next to Download Your Information.
- Click Create File.
When the download is ready, open the “Friends” folder. Open friends.json to see a complete history of your sent and received friend requests.
Check email notifications about sent requests
If you have email notifications enabled for Facebook notifications, Facebook will email you when your sent friend requests are accepted. Check your email inbox for messages like “Your friend request has been accepted” to see who accepted your requests.
Use the Facebook app on mobile
The Facebook app for iPhone and Android makes it easy to see your pending sent requests:
- iPhone: Tap the Menu tab, then tap Friends Requests > Sent Requests.
- Android: Tap the Menu icon, then tap Friends > Requests Sent.
This will display any requests you’ve sent that haven’t been accepted yet.
Conclusion
Checking your sent Facebook requests is easy once you know where to look. The Requests Sent list, Activity Log, and Facebook data download give you the full history of requests you’ve sent. Filtering your friends list, checking messages, and using the mobile app allow you to view only pending requests you’ve sent.
Knowing where to view your sent friend requests allows you to keep better track of your connections on Facebook.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do sent requests show up?
Pending friend requests you’ve sent will show up indefinitely until the recipient accepts or ignores the request. Once the recipient takes action on your request, it will no longer appear in your sent requests list.
Can you see if someone read your friend request?
No, there is no way to tell if someone has actually seen or read your friend request on Facebook. The request will continue to show as pending until the user accepts or ignores it.
What if I can’t find a request I know I sent?
If a sent friend request no longer appears in your requests list, the most likely reason is that the recipient chose to ignore your request. Facebook removes ignored requests from your sent list. The only way to confirm an ignored request is by checking your downloadable Facebook data.
Can I cancel a sent friend request?
Yes, you can remove a pending friend request you’ve sent at any time. Just find the request in your sent requests list and select Remove Request or Cancel Request to withdraw the pending request.
Why can’t I see some requests I’ve sent?
Your pending sent requests will only include users who have not yet taken action on your request. Once someone accepts or ignores your request, they are removed from the sent requests list to clean it up.
Using Facebook’s Tools and Settings to Manage Friend Requests
In addition to viewing your sent friend requests, Facebook provides several tools and settings to help you manage requests:
Confirm friend requests before accepting
You can enable an extra confirmation step before incoming requests are accepted. To do this:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click on Public Posts under Your Activity.
- Turn on Review posts that friends tag you in before they appear on your timeline.
This will require you to confirm new friend requests before they can interact with your profile.
Limit who can send you requests
You can also limit new friend requests to just friends of friends or your school/work networks. To adjust this:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click on Public Posts under Your Activity.
- Set Who can send you friend requests to your desired audience.
Sort your friends list
Rearranging how your Facebook friends are sorted can make it easier to find and manage requests:
- Go to your Facebook friends list.
- Click the Sort button above the list.
- Select Added by Date to group the newest requests at the top.
Turn off request notifications
If you are receiving too many friend request notifications, you can disable them:
- Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings.
- Click on Notifications in the left column.
- Turn off friend request notifications.
This will remove notifications about incoming requests, while still adding them to your list.
Should You Accept or Ignore Friend Requests?
When managing your sent and received Facebook friend requests, deciding whether to accept or ignore requests can be tricky. Here are some tips on accepting and ignoring requests:
- Accept requests from people you know in real life to keep in touch.
- Ignore requests from strangers or people you don’t remember to keep your profile private.
- Check mutual friends before accepting a request from someone unfamiliar.
- Remove yourself from unfamiliar suggested friend lists to avoid unwanted requests.
- Don’t feel obligated to accept every request – only accept ones you want.
Ultimately, accept or ignore requests based on how comfortable you are with that person interacting with your profile and content.
Other Ways to Connect With People on Facebook
Friend requests aren’t the only way to connect with people on Facebook. Here are some other ways to expand your network:
Follow Pages
Like and follow public figure, brand, and organization Pages to see their posts in your News Feed without friending.
Join Groups
Become a member of Facebook Groups focused on your interests to connect with like-minded users.
Use Messenger
Chat with anyone on Messenger without sending a friend request.
Follow hashtags and topics
Discover public posts by topic using hashtag and interest follows.
Utilize audience selectors
Use options like Public or Friends of Friends when sharing posts to reach beyond your direct friends.
Statistics on Facebook Friend Requests
Some interesting statistics on Facebook friend requests:
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Daily friend requests sent | Over 100 million |
| Average pending friend requests | 37 |
| Response rate within 3 days | 44% |
| Average monthly friend removals | 1.5 million |
Understanding how people engage with Facebook friend requests can help inform your strategy. Focusing requests among real-life connections instead of strangers can lead to better results.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key tips to effectively manage your sent and received Facebook friend requests:
- View your sent requests from the Requests Sent list, Activity Log, or mobile app.
- Filter your friends list to temporarily show only pending sent requests.
- Download your Facebook information to see a complete request history.
- Accept requests selectively from people you want interacting with your profile.
- Utilize tools like confirmations and audience selectors to manage requests.
Keeping track of your Facebook requests helps you connect with the right people and protects your privacy. Follow these best practices for friend requests to get the most out of your Facebook experience.