How do I send a friend request to someone?

Sending a friend request allows you to connect with other people on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and more. When you send someone a friend request, you are asking them to add you as a friend or contact. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to send friend requests on popular social media platforms.

Sending Friend Requests on Facebook

Facebook is one of the most popular social media platforms with over 2 billion monthly active users. Here is how to send a friend request to someone on Facebook:

Log into your Facebook account on desktop or mobile app.

Go to the profile page of the person you want to add as a friend. You can search for their name at the top of the Facebook page.
On their profile page, click on the “Add Friend” or “Add” button. This is located near the top of desktop pages and the bottom of mobile screens.
A friend request will be sent to the person. They will get a notification that you want to add them.

If they accept your request, you will be added as Facebook friends and can see each other’s posts.

Here are some tips for sending Facebook friend requests:

Make sure your profile looks presentable before sending a request. The person will check out your profile.

Personalize the request by writing a short message explaining how you know each other or want to get to know them.
Only send requests to people you have mutual friends with or have met before. Random requests may be ignored.

Accepting and Rejecting Requests on Facebook

When someone sends you a friend request on Facebook, you can choose to accept or reject it:

Accepting – Click on the Friend Requests icon in the top nav bar. Click “Confirm” next to the request to add them.
Rejecting – Click on the Friend Requests icon in the top nav bar. Click “Delete Request” next to the request.

If you ignore a request, it will stay pending until you accept or reject it. Make sure to periodically check your incoming requests.

Sending Friend Requests on Instagram

Instagram is a popular photo and video sharing app with over 1 billion monthly users. Here is how to send someone a follow request on Instagram from your desktop browser or mobile app:

Go to the user’s Instagram profile page by searching their username.
Click the “Follow” button next to their username. This will send them a follow request.

On mobile, tap the three dots next to their username, then tap “Follow.”
If they accept your request, you will be able to see their posts in your feed.

Tips for Instagram follow requests:

Check if you have any mutual friends or followers before sending a request.
Send requests sparingly. Following or unfollowing too many accounts quickly can get your account flagged.
Personalize your request by leaving a friendly comment on one of their posts explaining why you want to follow them.

Managing Follow Requests on Instagram

When someone sends you a follow request on Instagram, you can accept or decline it:

Accepting – Tap your profile icon in the bottom right. Tap the Follow Requests menu. Tap “Accept” next to any requests.
Declining – Tap your profile icon in the bottom right. Tap the Follow Requests menu. Tap “Decline” next to any requests.

Leaving requests pending will allow the user to continue viewing your public content until you accept or decline the request.

Sending Friend Requests on Snapchat

Snapchat is a popular messaging app known for its funny filters and disappearing photos. Here is how to add friends on Snapchat:

Tap the Add Friends icon from your Snapchat Chat screen. This looks like a ghost icon.

Choose Add by Username or Add Nearby.
For username, type in their exact Snapchat username. For nearby, choose from the list of Snapchat users with location services enabled nearby.
Select the user you want to add and tap the Add button.

Tips for sending Snapchat friend requests:

Double check the username is correct before sending a request. Misspelled usernames will fail.
Send contextual friend requests by taking a selfie mentioning wanting to add them and send via Snapchat.

Avoid mass sending spammy friend requests or follow requests as this can get your account suspended.

Accepting and Rejecting Requests on Snapchat

When someone sends you a friend request on Snapchat, you can swipe to accept or reject it:

Accepting – Swipe up on the request alert to add them as a friend.

Rejecting – Swipe down on the request alert to ignore the request.

Unopened friend requests will expire after 24 hours, so make sure to check your requests screen daily.

Sending Connection Requests on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a professional social network site used for career networking and business connections. Here is how to send connection requests on LinkedIn:

Search for the person either by name, company, school, or other keywords.
Go to their profile and click the “Connect” button near the top.
A window will pop up allowing you to customize your request with a note. Mention how you know them or want to connect.

Click the “Send” button to send your request.

Tips for LinkedIn connection requests:

Personalize every connection request with a customized message to improve acceptance rates.

Connect based on shared education, work experience, interests, or mutual connections.
Avoid sending spammy requests by copying and pasting the same message repeatedly.

Managing Connection Requests on LinkedIn

When you receive a connection request on LinkedIn, you can click to Accept or Ignore it:

Accept – Click the “Accept” button on the request notification.
Ignore – Click the “X” icon next to a request to ignore it.

Leaving requests pending will allow the sender to send you follow up messages until you accept or ignore the request.

Other Social Networks

Beyond the major social platforms covered above, here are some instructions on how to send friend or connection requests on other popular social sites:

Twitter

Go to the user’s profile and click the Follow button to send them a follower request.
On mobile, tap their Follow button from profiles, tweets, or search.

TikTok

Go to a user’s profile and tap the + Follow button to send a follow request.
Tap their username from video views or the Suggested Users list to follow.

Twitch

Go to the streamer’s channel and click the Follow button below their stream.

You can also follow from the user directory or pop-outs in the right sidebar.

Discord

Go to User Settings > Add Friend and type their full Discord username and tag.
In servers, right-click user names and select Send Friend Request.

There is no native friend or follow system on Reddit. You can join the same subreddits and see each other’s posts.
Some subreddits have their own friends lists or private groups you can join.

How Network Connection Strength Impacts Friend Requests

Your network connection can impact your ability to successfully send and receive friend requests on social media. Here is how the strength of your WiFi or cellular data affects friend requests:

Weak or No Connection

Friend requests may fail to send or receive properly.
Apps may crash or freeze when trying to load friend request screens.
Accepting or rejecting requests can fail and show errors.

Moderate Connection

Requests may be delayed in sending or receiving.
Can load friend request screens but with lag.
May be slow to accept/reject requests.

Strong Connection

Friend requests send and receive instantly.
Fast loading of friend request screens.
Quick accepting/rejecting of incoming requests.

To improve connection issues, move closer to your WiFi router or switch to cellular data. Reduce background app activity and turn off battery saver mode. Close and re-open apps to refresh your connection.

Troubleshooting When Friend Requests Don’t Send

Sometimes friend requests fail to properly send due to app issues, user errors, or network problems. Here is how to troubleshoot and fix friend requests that won’t send:

Common Reasons Friend Requests Fail

Typing the wrong username for the recipient.

The recipient has a full friends list or has hit the platform’s connection limits.
Poor internet connection stopping the request from going through.
App bugs or glitches preventing sending.

Fixes and Solutions

Double check the username – Make sure the exact, full username is entered correctly.
Check their followers/connections count – See if they are able to accept more friends on that platform. If not, try connecting on another site.
Improve your internet connection – Switch to a stronger WiFi or cellular network to send the request again.

Update the app and restart your device – Install the latest version of the app and restart your phone or desktop to clear any issues.
Send the request on the website – If the mobile app isn’t working, try sending the friend request via the platform’s desktop website version.
Contact platform support – If issues persist, reach out to the social media platform’s customer service for help troubleshooting.

Why Friend Requests Get Rejected

It can be disappointing to have a friend request rejected by someone. Here are some common reasons why users reject friend requests:

They don’t know you or have any personal connection.
You have very few mutual friends in common.

Your message came off as spammy or impersonal.
Your profile looks fake, scammy, or has inappropriate content.
They want to keep their friend list curated to people they know.

They have privacy concerns about connecting online.
You have sent multiple connection requests already.
The social media platform recommends rejecting requests from strangers.

What to Do After Rejection

If someone rejects your friend request, here are some recommended next steps:

Don’t take it personally and don’t get upset with the person. Respect their decision.
Reflect on why it was rejected and how you can improve future requests.

Consider if you should try sending requests again in the future after getting to know them better offline.
Find other ways to connect through mutual friends or interacting through content and comments.
Focus on other potential friends and expanding your network through organic interactions.

Following Up After No Response

Sometimes friend requests are neither accepted nor rejected and left hanging. Here are tips on whether and when to follow up on pending friend requests that get no response:

Wait at least 2-3 weeks before following up to allow them time to respond.
Send them a message through another channel like email or text mentioning you have a pending request.

briefly re-explain who you are and your reasons for connecting.
Suggest moving your relationship offline by meeting for coffee or a chat.
Avoid pestering them with multiple follow-up messages.

Consider periodically resending a new request every few months if you continue to cross paths offline.

However, lack of response likely signals lack of interest. At a certain point, you need to take the hint and move on to connect with others.

Other Friend Request Etiquette

Here are some final tips on friend request etiquette to build your social network politely:

Personalize each request with a friendly message – no copy/paste.
Send thoughtful connection requests, not bulk spam invitations.
Follow up initially, but don’t harass people who don’t respond.

Accept requests selectively from those you truly want to connect with.
Decline unwanted requests politely – you don’t need to accept everyone.
Remove inactive friends periodically to maintain an active network.

Conclusion

Sending friend and connection requests is a great way to expand your networks and relationships on social media. Make sure to personalize your requests, be thoughtful about who you connect with, and maintain good etiquette. With some care and effort put into selecting and engaging with new friends online, you can build a strong and active community that brings value to your life.