Facebook’s restricted list allows you to limit who can see certain posts on your profile. When you add friends to your restricted list, they will not be able to see posts that you mark as “Friends Except” or “Acquaintances.” This can be useful if you want to share updates with your wider friend network, but limit access for specific individuals. Here’s what you need to know about managing your restricted list on Facebook:
What is the restricted list on Facebook?
The restricted list is a feature that allows you to control who can see your Facebook posts. When you add friends to this list, they will not be able to see any posts that you share with the audience options “Friends Except” or “Acquaintances.”
So if you post a status update and select “Friends Except” as the audience, friends on your restricted list will not see that post in their News Feed. This lets you share updates more widely with your overall friend network, while limiting access for certain individuals you put on the restricted list.
How do I find my restricted list?
To view your restricted list on Facebook:
- Go to your profile page and click on the “Friends” tab in the left sidebar.
- On desktop: Click on the “More” dropdown next to “Friends” and select “Restricted List.”
- On mobile: Scroll down and click on “Restricted List” under the Friends heading.
This will show you all the friends you’ve added to your restricted list. From here you can view, edit or remove people from the list.
How do I add friends to my restricted list?
You can add friends to your restricted list in a few ways:
- From their profile – Go to their profile, click the “Friends” dropdown and select “Add to Restricted List.”
- While posting – When creating a post, click “Custom” for the audience selector and add specific people to restrict access.
- From your restricted list page – Click “Edit List” and start typing a name to add friends.
Once a friend is added to your restricted list, they will not see any posts you share to “Friends Except” or “Acquaintances.”
How do I remove friends from my restricted list?
You can remove friends from your restricted list to allow them to see posts shared with “Friends Except” again. To do this:
- Go to your restricted list page.
- Click “Edit List.”
- Hover over the name of the person you want to remove and click “Remove” when it appears.
Once removed from the restricted list, that friend will be able to see any posts you share with “Friends Except” as the audience moving forward.
Can friends see that they’re on my restricted list?
No, friends will not be notified or made aware that they have been added to your restricted list. The only way they may figure it out is if they notice they are no longer seeing certain posts you share to the wider friend audience.
What happens when I post something to “Friends Except”?
When you share a post and select “Friends Except” as the audience, here is what happens:
- All friends who are NOT on your restricted list will be able to see the post.
- Friends who ARE on your restricted list will not see the post in their News Feed.
- Friends on your restricted list can still visit your profile and see the post there.
- You will see a note under the post confirming it is visible to “Friends Except Restricted.”
So friends on your restricted list have more limited access to posts shared as “Friends Except.” But they can still see the posts by directly visiting your profile page.
If I limit someone can they still comment or react?
Yes, even if friends are on your restricted list they can still comment on or react to a post that is shared to “Friends Except.” The limitation is only that the post will not show up in their main News Feed. But they can find and engage with the posts from your profile directly.
Can I restrict access for Pages I manage?
No, the restricted list only applies to your personal Facebook profile. Pages you manage as an admin will not have the option to make a restricted list or limit access for certain people. Page posts are either public or only visible to people who have liked the Page.
What’s the difference between blocking and restricting someone?
Blocking and restricting someone on Facebook work differently:
- Blocking prevents all interaction – Blocked friends cannot see any of your posts or contact you on Messenger.
- Restricting limits access – Restricted friends have limited access to posts you share as “Friends Except.” But they can still see posts on your profile and contact you.
So blocking cuts off all communication with a friend, while restricting simply limits their access to certain posts.
Can I restrict access when posting in Groups?
Unfortunately the restricted list only applies to posts shared on your personal profile. When posting in Groups, you cannot use the restricted list to limit access or visibility for certain members.
Group admins may be able to restrict certain members from seeing posts in a Group. But regular members cannot use their own restricted list when posting in Groups they are a member of.
Are restricted friends still my Facebook friend?
Yes, friends added to your restricted list are still your Facebook friends. Restricting only limits their access to posts you share as “Friends Except.” All other interactions will work normally.
So restricting someone is not the same as unfriending or blocking them on Facebook. It simply allows you to limit their ability to see certain profile posts.
Can I restrict family members or coworkers?
Absolutely, the restricted list can be used to limit access for family, coworkers, or any other Facebook friend. This is helpful if you want to share updates more openly with your overall friend community, but restrict access from professional contacts or family seeing certain updates.
Just add those specific friends to your restricted list, and they will not see posts shared to “Friends Except” or “Acquaintances.”
Is the restricted list private?
Yes, your restricted list is private and confidential. Only you can see the list of friends you have restricted or access posts set to “Friends Except.” Friends on the restricted list will not be made aware or notified about their status.
Can I restrict my significant other?
You can restrict a significant other or romantic partner on Facebook, but it’s not recommended in most relationships. Restricting a partner may create suspicions or trust issues if they notice they can’t see certain updates.
In a healthy relationship based on trust and communication, it’s better to be open about what you share and with whom. If you do restrict a partner, having an open conversation about it first is wise.
Conclusion
Facebook’s restricted list gives you more control over who can see your posts. By adding specific friends to it, you can limit their access to updates shared with “Friends Except.” Just keep in mind restricted friends can still see posts on your profile page directly.
The restricted list is private, so you don’t have to worry about friends discovering they are on it. Use this feature thoughtfully when you need to limit access for certain individuals, while sharing updates more widely with your overall friend network.