Facebook has become the most popular social media platform, with over 2.9 billion monthly active users as of the fourth quarter of 2022. With so many people using Facebook, it can be a useful tool for finding information about people – even if all you have is their phone number.
While Facebook doesn’t allow you to search directly by phone number, there are a few tricks you can use to look up a Facebook profile using just a phone number. In this guide, we’ll explain the different methods you can use to search Facebook by phone number.
Why Would You Want to Search Facebook by Phone Number?
Here are some common reasons you may want to find someone’s Facebook profile using their phone number:
– You met someone and got their phone number, but not their name or Facebook info. Searching their number on Facebook can help you find out who they are.
– You’re looking to reconnect with an old friend or flame but have lost touch. If you still have the same number for them, you may be able to track them down.
– You received a call or text from an unknown number. Looking it up on Facebook may provide clues about who it is.
– You want to screen a phone number you received to learn more about the person before contacting them. Their Facebook profile can give you more info.
– To aid in researching a phone number that called you to see if it’s a scammer or spammer. Facebook can provide more details.
– You need to get in touch someone for business or personal reasons but only have their number. Facebook search makes it easier to contact them.
So in summary, searching for someone by phone number on Facebook can help you reconnect with old connections, do background research on unfamiliar numbers, and aid your general search efforts when you lack key identifying details.
Can You Do a Phone Number Search on Facebook?
Unfortunately Facebook does not allow you to directly search for profiles by phone number or input a number to see matching accounts. This makes sense from a privacy standpoint as most users likely don’t want their mobile numbers searchable.
However, while you can’t readily search a phone number on Facebook, there are a few indirect methods that may enable you to look up a Facebook profile using just a phone number, which we’ll outline in the next section.
So in short – no, there is no direct phone number search capability built into Facebook, but you still may be able to find an account using a phone number through some creative searching and investigation.
How to Search for Someone by Phone Number on Facebook
Here are the top techniques you can use to search for someone on Facebook using just their phone number:
1. Use Facebook Search Tools
Facebook’s search bar has some smart search capabilities that may help surface profiles associated with a given phone number:
– Search the phone number in quotes – This tells Facebook to search for the exact number sequence, which can match profiles or posts with the number.
– Search using the phone number and location – Adding a city or state to your search query may help surface relevant profiles.
– Search the phone number and first/last name – If you have a name associated with the number, searching the name and number together may help.
While Facebook search doesn’t allow an exact match search on a number, these tips can sometimes surface profiles that have the number in the bio, contact info or posts.
2. Use Facebook Graph Search
Facebook Graph Search allows you to construct advanced search queries to find public content that may contain the phone number. Here are some examples:
– “Users who have *phone number* in their profile” – This searches user bios for the number.
– “Posts containing *phone number*” – Finds public posts with the number.
– “Friends of *name* who have *phone number*” – If you have a name, you can search their friends list for the number.
To use Graph Search on Facebook:
1. Go to Facebook and click the search bar.
2. Type “Photos of” or “Posts by” and select “See More Results” below.
3. This will open Graph Search. Construct your query with the phone number and other search parameters.
4. Browse through the results to see if any profiles contain the phone number you searched for.
3. Use Facebook Search Operators
Facebook supports some search operators that can come in handy when searching by phone number:
@ – Search for profiles by number – @6865551234
# – Search hashtags and posts by number – #6865551234
While limited, these operators may return posts, hashtags or profiles containing the phone number you input.
4. Browse Profiles of Phone Contacts
If you have phone contacts that are friends with the person you’re searching for, you can browse their friends lists to see if the person with the phone number is listed.
Of course, this requires you to know that someone in your contacts is Facebook friends with the person you’re searching for. But it can enable you to put a name to the phone number through their Facebook profile.
5. Use Facebook View As Tool
Facebook’s View As tool enables you to see what your own profile looks like to others. You can also use it to browse public information on your friends’ profiles.
To try finding someone by phone number using View As:
1. Go to your Facebook profile and click the three dots in the upper right corner.
2. Select ‘View As’ and choose a friend to browse from the list.
3. Search your friend’s friends list for the phone number to see if the person comes up.
4. Repeat the process with other friends if needed.
The View As tool grants you access to view your friends’ friends lists, which aren’t fully public. This gives you another way to search for a phone number match.
6. Use a Phone Search Service
There are third party reverse phone lookup services such as Spokeo and Intelius that compile information from public sources across social networks, including Facebook.
These sites allow you to input a phone number to see if it’s associated with any Facebook profiles. However, they generally provide limited information unless you pay for a full report.
Approach phone search services cautiously, as some sites may engage in sketchy practices. But properly used they can aid a phone number search.
7. Search on Other Social Networks
Try searching for the phone number on other social networks like Twitter, LinkedIn and MySpace – the number may be associated with the person’s profile on a different platform.
You can then potentially match it up with any associated Facebook profiles for that same name. Expanding your search to other social networks gives you more possibilities for connecting the number to a Facebook profile.
Tips for Facebook Search by Phone Number
Here are some useful tips to keep in mind when searching Facebook using a phone number:
– Use international phone number formatting – Search with country code + complete number to increase accuracy.
– Check alternate profile names – A profile associated with the number may not have the expected name.
– Review profile details carefully – Numbers may be split between different fields.
– Try searching on Facebook in a web browser – App search options can be more limited.
– Don’t forget Messenger – You may be able to find associated Messenger contact.
– Widen the net with broader queries – Try less specific searches for the number as well.
– Search public groups and pages – The number could be listed there instead of a personal profile.
– If you find a match, be cautious – Verify identity before contacting if the person is unfamiliar.
– Report fake profiles – If you ascertain the account is fraudulent, report it to Facebook.
Using these tips along with the various search methods, you should be able to successfully discover Facebook profiles using just a phone number in many cases. But occasional difficulties are to be expected given the limitations.
Limitations of Facebook Phone Number Search
Despite the options for searching by phone number, there are some key limitations to note:
– Facebook has no direct phone search function – You can’t readily match numbers to profiles.
– Search relies on users adding info to profiles – If number isn’t listed, likely unsearchable.
– Results limited if profile info is private – Can’t access info users hide from public view.
– Associating info across platforms can be difficult – Matching number to Facebook accounts not straightforward.
– Fake profiles and stale data – Bad actors and old information limits accuracy of matches.
– Can’t search historical data – Limits finding accounts no longer active if number changed.
– Graph Search and View As have restricted availability – Tools disabled for many accounts.
Essentially there will be many cases where you simply can’t connect a phone number to a Facebook profile due to the fragmented nature of information and limits Facebook imposes. But by trying all available search options, you can often overcome these limitations.
Legal Considerations for Phone Number Search
When searching for someone’s Facebook profile using their phone number, keep the following legal and ethical considerations in mind:
– Avoid excess searches and harassment – Don’t search repeatedly without permission.
– Don’t search connections without consent – Only search your own friends with care.
– Respect privacy boundaries – Be cautious accessing non-public info.
– Abide by Facebook’s data and stalking rules – Don’t use number to pursue unwanted contact.
– Comply with applicable telecommunications laws – Avoid prohibited use of obtained data.
– Don’t search on behalf of third parties – Avoid unauthorized search for others.
– Limit use of outside search sites – Carefully validate tools and reports.
The core goal should be using phone number search to responsibly reconnect or gain necessary insights, not enable unwarranted invasion of privacy or harassment.
Conclusion
While Facebook provides no direct way to look up profiles by phone numbers, creative searching utilizing tools like Graph Search, search operators, View As, and third-party sites can often help you discover the account connected to a number.
However, limitations abound and you’ll need to use a combination of search strategies and tools to have the best chance of tracking down a Facebook profile from just a phone number. Always be responsible in your searching and respect individual privacy.
With persistence, the right search queries and a bit of luck, the phone number trail can sometimes lead you to the person’s matching Facebook account. Just go into the search knowing the limitations and that you may not find a positive match.