Facebook’s Nearby Friends feature allows you to see which of your Facebook friends are geographically close to you so that you can meet up with them in person. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to turn on Nearby Friends on Facebook:
What is Nearby Friends on Facebook?
Nearby Friends is a location-sharing feature on Facebook that allows you to see which of your friends are near your current location. When Nearby Friends is enabled, Facebook will periodically update your location (with your permission) and compare it to the locations of your friends who also have the feature enabled.
If any of your friends are nearby (within around 1 mile), you will see them show up in a “Nearby Friends” section at the bottom of your chat list on mobile or sidebar on desktop. You can then start a chat with any nearby friends to make meetup plans.
How Nearby Friends Works
For Nearby Friends to work, both you and your friends need to turn on the feature and agree to share locations. Here is how it works:
- Enable Nearby Friends on your account via Settings.
- Agree to periodically share your location when prompted.
- Facebook will periodically update your location in the background if the Facebook app is open.
- If any friends who also have Nearby Friends enabled are within around 1 mile, they will appear in your Nearby Friends list.
- You can then send a message to coordinate meeting up.
Some key points about how Nearby Friends functions:
- Location sharing is reciprocal – if you can see a friend, they can also see you.
- The feature only works with friends who have also enabled it.
- Location updates happen in the background when the Facebook app is open.
- You control who can see your location by turning Nearby Friends on or off.
Requirements to Use Nearby Friends
To use Nearby Friends, you need:
- A Facebook account
- The Facebook mobile app installed on your iOS or Android device
- Location services enabled on your device
- Background app refresh enabled on your device
- Friends who also have Nearby Friends enabled
Because location sharing relies on your device’s GPS, you can only use Nearby Friends when outdoors with a decent GPS signal. It will not work properly indoors.
How to Turn on Nearby Friends
Follow these steps to enable Nearby Friends on your Facebook account:
- Open the Facebook app on your mobile device.
- Tap the three-line menu button in the top right.
- Go to the Settings & Privacy menu.
- Tap “Location”.
- Tap “Nearby Friends”.
- Toggle the switch for “Nearby Friends” to the ON position.
- Read the information about location sharing and tap “Turn On”.
- Choose who can see your location by selecting friends or restricting it.
- Tap “Turn On Nearby Friends” to confirm.
You will then periodically see a notification prompting you to share your updated location. Simply tap “Share Location” whenever this pops up to enable Nearby Friends.
How to View Nearby Friends
Once enabled, you can view nearby friends in a couple ways:
- Mobile app: Open Facebook and check the “Nearby Friends” section at the bottom of your chat list.
- Desktop: Open Facebook and check the “Nearby Friends” section in your right sidebar.
Any friends within about 1 mile will show up here. You can then send them a message to coordinate meeting up!
How to Stop Sharing Your Location
If you want to stop sharing your real-time location, there are a couple ways to disable Nearby Friends at any time:
- Open the Facebook Settings menu and go to Location > Nearby Friends. Toggle the switch off.
- When prompted to share your location, tap “Turn Off”.
- Manually stop background location access for Facebook in your device settings.
As soon as you turn off Nearby Friends or background location access, you will stop sharing your location with friends.
Nearby Friends Privacy and Safety Tips
To make sure you feel comfortable using Nearby Friends, keep these privacy and safety recommendations in mind:
- Only share your location with friends you know and trust.
- Avoid sharing your home location or other private places.
- Meet up with friends in public locations.
- Let friends know before heading to meet them.
- Turn Nearby Friends off when you don’t want to share your real-time location.
- Be cautious about who you meet up with.
Pros and Cons of Nearby Friends
Here are some of the key pros and cons to consider about Facebook’s Nearby Friends feature:
Pros
- Makes spontaneously meeting up with friends nearby very easy.
- Helps you connect with friends when traveling.
- Allows you to share your location only when you want.
- Can be turned on and off at any time.
Cons
- Drains phone battery due to GPS use.
- Can share your location without actively realizing it.
- Privacy concerns around constant location tracking.
- Buggy performance or inaccurate locations at times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nearby Friends safe to use?
Nearby Friends can be safely used if you only share your location with trusted friends. Be thoughtful about when and where you enable it. Avoid sharing private locations. Take precautions when meeting up with friends in person.
When does Nearby Friends update your location?
Your location will be updated periodically in the background as long as the Facebook app is open on your phone and you have location sharing enabled.
Can I use Nearby Friends on desktop?
You can only turn on Nearby Friends from the Facebook mobile app. However, you can view nearby friends from desktop once enabled.
Does Nearby Friends work on WiFi only?
No, Nearby Friends relies on your phone’s GPS sensors, so it will only work with cellular data or offline GPS access, not WiFi alone.
Can I see nearby friends without them seeing me?
No, Nearby Friends sharing is always reciprocal. If you can view a nearby friend, they can also view your location too.
Conclusion
Facebook’s Nearby Friends feature allows for convenient and spontaneous meetups with your friends nearby. Just make sure to use proper privacy precautions. Enable location sharing selectively, restrict who can see you, and be thoughtful about where you share. Used responsibly, Nearby Friends can be a fun way to connect with friends offline.