If you have requested to join a Facebook group that requires approval from a group admin or moderator before you can become a member, your request will show as “pending” until it is approved or declined. Locating pending group join requests and managing them is easy to do directly on Facebook, though the process may not be immediately obvious to all users. Here are some quick answers about finding and managing pending Facebook group requests:
- Pending join requests can be found in the Groups section of Facebook under the “Requests” tab.
- The Requests tab shows all outstanding requests to join groups that you have submitted and are awaiting approval or denial.
- You can withdraw a pending request to join a group by finding it under the Requests tab and selecting “Cancel Request”.
- If your request is declined, it will no longer show under the Requests tab.
- Once your request is approved, the group will instead appear under the “Your Groups” tab.
So in summary, look for pending requests to join Facebook groups in the Requests tab of the Facebook Groups section. Manage requests from there as needed.
Accessing the Group Requests Tab on Facebook
To view pending Facebook group join requests:
1. Log into your Facebook account on a desktop browser or mobile app.
2. Click on the “Groups” link in the left sidebar. This will open your groups dashboard.
3. In the left column of tabs, click on the “Requests” tab. This will display all groups you have requested to join that are still pending approval from an admin.
On Desktop
On the desktop Facebook site, the Requests tab can be accessed from the left column of options after opening your groups dashboard. The process looks like:
Home Page > Groups in Left Column > Requests Tab in Left Column
This will display your list of pending join requests. You can select a specific request to view more details or cancel it if desired.
On Mobile App
In the Facebook mobile app, you can get to pending group join requests by:
1. Tapping the hamburger menu icon in the top right.
2. Selecting “Groups” from the menu.
3. Choosing the “Requests” tab at the top of the screen.
This will display your pending requests. Tap any request to manage it.
So the location is the same on desktop and mobile, you just access the groups dashboard first before selecting the Requests tab to see pending join requests.
What Does a Pending Group Request Look Like?
When you request to join a Facebook group that requires admin approval, your request will display in the Requests tab as “Pending.” Here is what a pending group join request looks like:
- Group Name – The name of the group you have requested to join displays at the top.
- Request Sent – Shows when you submitted the request to join.
- Pending – Indicates the status of the request as waiting for admin approval.
The pending request will display in the Requests tab until it is either approved or declined by a group admin. You can also cancel it yourself from the Requests tab.
If your request is approved, the group will then show up under the “Your Groups” tab instead. Declined requests are removed from the Requests tab.
Withdrawing a Pending Group Join Request
If you have changed your mind and no longer want to join a Facebook group for which you have a pending request, you can easily withdraw the request:
1. Go to the Requests tab as explained previously.
2. Locate the group request you want to cancel.
3. Click the “Cancel Request” button.
4. Confirm that you want to withdraw the request when prompted.
The group will disappear from your pending requests. You can submit a new request to join the group again in the future if you like. But withdrawing a request is an easy way to cancel it if your circumstances have changed.
This can be done both on the desktop site and in the mobile app by going to the Requests tab and selecting “Cancel Request.”
Re-Requesting to Join a Group After Being Declined
If a Facebook group admin declines your request to join:
- The group will disappear from your Requests tab.
- You will receive a notification that your request was declined.
If you still wish to try joining the group, you will have to submit a new join request. Here is how:
1. Locate the group you want to join again.
2. Click the “Join Group” button again.
3. Send a new request to the admin for approval.
4. Monitor the Requests tab to see if the new request is approved or declined.
Once a request has been declined, it cannot be reopened. You will have to go through the request process again. The group admin may or may not reconsider, depending on the reason it was declined.
How to Know if Your Request is Approved
When a Facebook group admin approves your request to join:
- The group will disappear from your Requests tab.
- You will receive a notification that you have been added to the group.
- The group will now display under the “Your Groups” tab instead.
So if a group you requested to join is no longer under the Requests tab, and you see a notification that you are now a member, your request has been approved successfully. You can now interact with and participate in the group as a member.
Join Request Timeframes
There is no set timeframe for how long a Facebook group admin has to respond to a join request. It depends on each group’s practices and how frequently admins check and manage requests. Here are some general guidelines:
- Very active groups may approve requests within hours or 1-2 days.
- In less active groups, it may take a few days to a week to get a response.
- Larger groups with many join requests may take a week or longer.
- Smaller groups run by a single admin may take longer if they are not on Facebook frequently.
So expect approval wait times to vary significantly. If it has been over a week with no response, you may want to find another way to contact a group admin to follow up politely on the status of your request.
Troubleshooting Problems With Group Requests
In some cases, difficulties can arise with pending Facebook group requests:
Request Not Showing in Requests Tab
If you request to join a group but do not see the request under your Requests tab:
– Double check that you successfully submitted the join request. If unsure, request to join again.
– The group may not actually require approval to join, so check your Groups list.
– There may be a technical issue. Try logging out and back into Facebook.
No Response on Request
If it has been over a week with no action on your request:
– Comment on a group post or contact an admin politely asking about your pending request.
– The group may not be very active. The admin may not have logged in to check requests. You may need to keep waiting or find a different group.
– Consider that the group has a long queue of requests that yours is still in line for. Keep waiting if the group is of interest.
Accidentally Canceled Request
If you withdraw a request accidentally:
– Simply go through the join request process again for the group.
– Explain what happened to the admin when submitting your new request.
As long as you follow the proper steps, you should be able to resolve any issues that come up with pending Facebook group join requests. Be patient, polite, and persistent if needed.
Joining Groups That Don’t Require Approval
Not all Facebook groups require you to submit a request and wait for admin approval. Some groups allow anyone to join instantly without a review process.
For these open groups:
- There will be a “Join Group” button visible on the group’s page.
- Clicking it will add you to the group right away.
- The group will then show up under “Your Groups.”
No request or waiting period necessary. Just click the join button and you’re in.
This makes it much faster and easier to become a member. But group admins sacrifice the ability to vet who joins.
Creating Your Own Facebook Group
On the flip side, if you create your own Facebook group, you can choose whether or not to make it closed and require admin approval for requests.
When setting up a new group, you can configure its privacy as:
- Public – Anyone can see and join without requesting.
- Private – Only members can see posts. Anyone can request to join.
- Closed – Hidden from searches. Members must be manually added or approved.
Choosing closed and review join requests gives you full control as admin. But for larger groups, approving many requests takes time.
Find the right balance for your group goals between openness and privacy. Set join requirements accordingly.
Conclusion
Pending Facebook group join requests are in the Requests tab awaiting admin approval. Monitor your requests there and withdraw or re-request as needed.
Approved requests will move you to the group’s member list. Declined requests are removed. Allow 1-2 weeks for responses.
Not all groups require approval to join instantly. As group creator, you control your privacy settings. Balance easy joining with moderation as you see fit.
Now you know where to find and manage your group join requests on Facebook both on desktop and mobile.