We’ve all been there – scrolling through social media when you accidentally tap the “Add Friend” button on someone you don’t actually want to connect with. It can be embarrassing and awkward if you realize you sent a friend request to the wrong person. Here’s what to do if you find yourself in that situation.
Should I cancel the request?
If you catch your mistake soon after sending the errant friend request, the easiest solution is to simply cancel it before the other person has a chance to accept it. On most social platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn, you can easily view pending sent requests and revoke them.
Simply log in, go to your sent requests page, and cancel the one sent in error. Poof, gone! This is the ideal scenario. As long as the recipient hasn’t accepted yet, you can make the request vanish and avoid an uncomfortable interaction.
How to cancel friend requests on popular social media sites
Here are steps to cancel a pending friend request on some top social platforms:
| Platform | How to cancel |
|---|---|
| Go to your profile, click Friends, then click Sent Requests. Hover over the request and select Cancel Request. | |
| Go to your profile, tap Following, then tap Sent. Tap on the request and select Cancel Request. | |
| Go to My Network > Sent Invites. Locate the request and click Withdraw. | |
| Snapchat | Go to Added Me. Press and hold on the request, then tap More > Delete Request. |
| Go to profile > Following. Locate the request and select Cancel. |
Act quickly if you notice an errant request. Removing it is simple on most networks if caught fast enough.
What if they already accepted?
Uh oh. If you were too slow and the recipient has already accepted your friend request, removing them requires a few more steps.
You essentially have two options:
- Unfriend or unfollow the person to remove them from your social feed
- Explain to the person you accidentally added them and ask them to remove you
Which is better depends on your specific circumstances.
Unfriend or unfollow
If it was a complete stranger who accepted your request, you likely just want to remove them from your social feeds. You can do this while avoiding an uncomfortable conversation.
On Facebook and Instagram, this can be done by unfollowing someone – you remain “friends,” but their posts no longer show up in your feed. Or you can completely unfriend them to disconnect you both.
On sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Snapchat, you can outright unfriend or block the person to remove the connection.
However, if it’s someone you know in real life, completely unfriending them without a word of explanation could cause hard feelings. Proceed with caution.
Explain it was an accident
If the person who accepted your request is an acquaintance, colleague, or someone else you’d prefer not to just abruptly cut social ties with, consider sending them a quick explanation.
Send them a message saying something like:
“Hello! I just realized I accidentally sent you a friend request on [Facebook/LinkedIn/etc]. I’m so sorry about that – I must have tapped your name by mistake. Please feel free to remove me from your friends list.”
Keep it casual and lighthearted. Add a bit of humor if appropriate. This shows you made an honest mistake and prevents hurting their feelings by deleting them outright.
In most cases, the recipient will be understanding and remove you without issue. Problem solved!
How to prevent sending the wrong request
Mistaken friend requests happen, but you can take steps to avoid the awkwardness next time.
Be careful when scrolling profiles
It’s easy for your thumb to slip if you’re quickly scrolling through profiles and not paying close attention. Slow down and click carefully to avoid tapping connecting buttons by accident.
Remove contacts you don’t want to friend
Many social media sites suggest people to friend or follow based on contacts in your address book. If you have acquaintances in your contacts you’d rather not connect with, delete their info to avoid getting prompted to friend them.
Review your list before mass requests
If you’re planning to send a batch of friend requests – like to new coworkers or classmates – double check the list before hitting send. Remove any people who got added by mistake.
Ask yourself “Do I really want to friend this person?”
Before sending a request, pause and think if they’re someone you truly want to see posts and updates from on a regular basis. If you’re unsure, don’t add them.
Conclusion
Mistaken friend requests happen to everyone. Catching them early makes it easy to cancel. If the recipient has already accepted, either remove them directly or explain the mistake politely. And use caution when scrolling and clicking profiles to avoid future slip-ups.