Facebook’s friend list is one of the core features of the social media platform. Over the years, Facebook has evolved and changed, but the friend list has remained a constant. For many users, the top friends that appear on their profile represent their closest friends and family members. But what determines which friends show up there? And why are there always six friends displayed?
How Facebook Selects Top Friends
Facebook uses an algorithm to select the six friends that appear at the top of your profile. According to Facebook, the friends that show up are determined based on:
- How often you interact with them on Facebook
- How recently you’ve interacted with them
- The type of interactions you’ve had (comments, likes, photo tags, etc.)
So in essence, the six friends that appear are the people you interact with most frequently and most recently on the platform. Facebook’s algorithm analyzes your activity over time to determine who your “top friends” are.
Why There Are Six Top Friends
Facebook likely displays six top friends as a preview of your broader friend list. Six friends fit nicely in a single row, providing a snapshot without overwhelming users. The number also allows for a mix of your closest friends and family members.
Six friends corresponds with the capacity of short-term memory. According to the theory of cognitive psychologist George A. Miller, short-term memory has a capacity of about seven plus or minus two items. Displaying six top friends aligns with this limit of working memory.
How Top Friends Change Over Time
The six friends that appear on your profile can change over time, for a few reasons:
- As your real-life friendships and interactions shift, who you engage with most on Facebook will likely change too.
- Major life events like moving, relationships ending or starting, etc. impact who you interact with frequently.
- Facebook’s algorithm regularly refreshes, so changes in your activity patterns will update your top friends.
For many users, the set of six top friends evolves gradually over the years. But in some cases, it can change more suddenly if someone new enters your life or your social circles shift significantly.
Ways to Influence Your Top Friends
If you want certain friends to appear more prominently on your profile, there are some ways you can try to influence who shows up in those top six spots:
- Interact frequently with posts, photos, etc. from friends you want at the top.
- Comment on and react to content from your top friend candidates.
- Share memories and life events featuring desired top friends.
- Tag desired top friends frequently in your posts and photos.
- Message and chat with potential top friends often.
Essentially, you need to increase meaningful engagement with the friends you hope to see on your profile. But keep in mind you can’t control the algorithm entirely.
Pros of Displaying Top Friends
Some potential benefits of Facebook showcasing users’ top friends include:
- Shows who you are closest with in your network.
- Highlights the friends most important to you.
- Adds personal context to your profile.
- Makes it easy to access your go-to friends.
- Reflects your current friendships and interests.
Cons of Displaying Top Friends
Some potential downsides of Facebook showcasing users’ top friends include:
- Can cause jealousy or drama if certain people are left out.
- Might emphasize popularity over meaningful friendships.
- Algorithms aren’t perfect in assessing closeness.
- Changes over time can confuse some users.
- Makes users’ activity patterns more public.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do top friends update?
Facebook’s algorithm refreshes top friends intermittently, likely every few weeks or months. Major changes in your activity can prompt more immediate updates.
Can I reorder my top friends?
No, there is no way to manually reorder which friends appear in those top six spots. It’s determined solely by Facebook’s algorithm.
What if I have fewer than six friends total?
If you have only one or a few friends on Facebook, all of them will show up without needing an algorithm. Once you add more friends, Facebook will select top friends for you.
What if I have no top friend spots available?
If all six spots are full, you’ll need to wait for the algorithm to update your top friends based on your changing activity. Manually removing top friends is not possible.
Can I hide my top friends?
There is no setting to hide your top friends from your profile. They are a core part of Facebook’s design, for better or worse.
Conclusion
Facebook’s top friends algorithm aims to showcase the people you interact with most actively and closely on the platform. The six friends that appear offer a snapshot of your inner social circle and connections. But this automated selection can sometimes be imperfect or cause unintended issues.
While you can try to influence who shows up through your activity patterns, the algorithm ultimately decides. Your top friends will shift and evolve over time as your real-life relationships change too.