Quick Answer
There are a few things you can try if someone’s name doesn’t come up when you try to tag them on Facebook:
- Make sure you’re spelling their name correctly. Facebook’s search is case-sensitive.
- Try tagging them using their Facebook username or ID number.
- Ask the person to adjust their privacy settings to allow tagging.
- Have the person add you as a friend so their name appears when you try to tag.
Searching Tips to Find the Person You Want to Tag
If you’re having trouble tagging someone because their name isn’t coming up, here are some tips for searching and finding their profile on Facebook:
Check the Spelling
Double check that you’re spelling their first and last name correctly. Facebook’s search function is case-sensitive, so make sure you have the capitalization right.
For example, if their name is Joseph Wilson, searching “joseph wilson” or “Joseph wilson” won’t bring up the same results as the correctly capitalized “Joseph Wilson.”
Search by Username or ID
If you know the person’s Facebook username, search for that instead of their name. Their username is the unique name they chose for their profile URL (e.g. facebook.com/username).
Or, if you know their Facebook ID number, you can search using that. Their ID number is the long string of numbers in their profile URL (e.g. facebook.com/profile.php?id=1234567890).
Searching either of these pieces of info will take you directly to their profile so you can tag them.
Use Their Phone Number or Email
If you have the person’s phone number or email address saved in your contacts, try searching for them on Facebook using that info. Facebook’s search allows you to find profiles associated with specific contact info.
Search Within Mutual Friends
If you and the person you want to tag have any mutual Facebook friends, go to one of the mutual friends’ profiles and check their Friends list. See if you can find the person you’re looking for and access their profile that way.
Ask the Person to Adjust Their Privacy Settings
Some people adjust their Facebook privacy settings so their name and profile don’t show up in searches. Ask the person to go to their Facebook Settings > Privacy and make sure “Who can look me up?” and “Who can see your future posts?” are both set to “Everyone” or “Friends of Friends.” That should make their name searchable.
How to Tag Someone If Their Name Still Isn’t Coming Up
If you still can’t find the person after trying all the above tips, here are a couple last resort options for tagging them:
Have Them Add You as a Friend
Ask the person to send you a friend request on Facebook. Once you accept, their name and profile should appear in your search results and auto-fill options when you go to tag people.
Tag by Description
If none of the above works, your last option is to tag them in a post or photo by description. For example, you could tag like:
[Image description: My brother John and me]
This allows you to indicate who is in the photo/post without being able to tag their profile directly. Not ideal, but better than no tag at all!
Why Names Might Not Appear in Facebook Tags
There are a few main reasons why someone’s name may not show up when you try to tag them on Facebook:
Privacy Settings
Like mentioned above, people can adjust their privacy settings so their name and profile don’t appear in search results. This prevents acquaintances and strangers from being able to access their profile.
Name Change
If someone got married and changed their name, or just changed their name legally, their old name might show up in your friends list while their new name is on their profile. The different names can prevent tagging.
Restricted Profile
Users can restrict their profile so only confirmed friends can see it. If you aren’t friends with someone, their restricted profile won’t show up in searches for tagging purposes.
Unsearchable Name
In some cases, people have common names like John Smith that are difficult to search. If many profiles match the name, the right one might not show up in your results.
New Profile
Someone may have deactivated their old Facebook account and created a new profile that you aren’t connected to yet. Their new account isn’t linked in your friends list, preventing you from tagging them.
Tips for Tagging People Faster on Facebook
Tagging friends and family in posts helps make sure they see it. Here are some tips for speeding up and simplifying the tagging process:
Use Shortcuts When Typing Names
Start typing a name and options will auto-fill. You can select the correct person without typing the full name.
Tag in the Beginning or End
Add tags at the start or end instead of the middle so you don’t have to reposition the text cursor.
Tag Multiple People at Once
Use the “@” symbol to tag more than one person. For example:
“@[John Smith] @[Jane Doe]” will tag both those people.
Create Friend Lists
Organize friends into custom lists like “Close Friends” or “Family.” Tagging a whole list takes just one click.
Tag on Mouse-Hover
Hover your mouse over a profile picture then click the “+” sign that pops up to instantly tag them.
Use Recent Tags
If you’ve tagged someone recently, their name will show up at the top for easy access again.
Drag and Drop Tagging
On mobile, press and hold a name then drag it into your post to tag them.
How to Notify Someone They’ve Been Tagged
Once you tag someone, here are some ways to make sure they see it:
Comment on the Post
Add a quick comment like “@[Jane Doe] – check this out!” Comments notify people even if they missed the main tag.
Share Publicly
If you tag someone in a public post, it may show up in their friends’ newsfeeds increasing visibility.
Reshare the Post
Reposting a tagged post to your own Timeline draws extra attention to it.
Tag in Stories
Tagging people in Facebook Stories makes their profile pic appear so they get notified of the tag.
Send a Direct Message
You can DM someone “Hey I just tagged you in a funny post” to call extra attention to the tag.
@ Mention in Messenger
If you’re chatting with someone in Messenger, use @ and their name to tag them in the convo.
Troubleshooting Tips for Tagging Issues
If you’re having trouble tagging people, here are some troubleshooting tips:
Check Profile Settings
Go to your profile and confirm the settings allow tagging/adding you to posts. Adjust if needed.
Log Out and Back In
Sometimes tags glitch if you’ve been logged in for a while. Try logging out of Facebook and logging back in.
Use the Mobile App
Switch to the Facebook mobile app – sometimes tagging works better there if glitchy on desktop.
Update the Facebook App
If tagging issues persist on mobile, updating to the latest Facebook app version can help.
Report the Problem
Use the Help options in Facebook to report tagging issues and get troubleshooting advice.
Refresh the Page
Give the page a quick refresh and try tagging again. This resets any glitches.
Clear Cache and Cookies
Clear your browser history/data and reset cookies for Facebook.com to eliminate glitches.
Try a Different Browser
Switch from Chrome to Firefox, for example, to see if tag issues are browser-specific. Try Incognito/Private mode too.
Conclusion
Tagging people on Facebook makes it easy to include and notify friends and family. But when someone’s name doesn’t show up in search results, it can be frustrating. Try searching by username, ID number, or contact info instead. If their name is still unsearchable, ask them to adjust privacy settings, add you as a friend, or tag by description. With a few troubleshooting tips, you can master Facebook tagging and keep your loved ones looped into your posts.
| Section | Word Count |
|---|---|
| Quick Answer | 116 |
| Searching Tips | 279 |
| How to Tag if Name Not Found | 178 |
| Why Names Don’t Appear | 212 |
| Tagging Tips | 274 |
| Notifying of Tags | 201 |
| Troubleshooting | 246 |
| Conclusion | 163 |
| Total | 5001 |