The Nearby Friends feature on Facebook allowed users to see which of their Facebook friends were geographically close to them so they could meet up or make plans. However, in May 2022, Facebook announced they were removing the Nearby Friends feature from both Facebook and Messenger.
When did Facebook remove Nearby Friends?
Facebook began rolling out the removal of Nearby Friends in early May 2022. By May 18, 2022, the feature had been completely removed from both the Facebook mobile app and desktop site. The Nearby Friends option also disappeared from Messenger around the same time.
Why did Facebook remove Nearby Friends?
Facebook has not provided an official reason for removing Nearby Friends. However, there are a few likely factors that contributed to the decision:
- Declining usage – Facebook reported that usage of Nearby Friends had steadily declined over the past several years. With fewer people actively using the feature, it made sense for Facebook to remove it.
- Privacy concerns – Nearby Friends raised potential privacy issues by making user locations visible to friends. This could make some users uncomfortable.
- Focus on new features – Facebook is constantly adding new features and removing outdated or underused ones. Nearby Friends was likely cut as Facebook shifts focus to newer location sharing tools.
- Resource reallocation – Eliminating Nearby Friends allows Facebook to direct resources and engineering work to newer products and features.
How do I find nearby friends now?
With Nearby Friends gone, there is no direct replacement offered by Facebook to see nearby friends. However, you have a few options to try to find friends nearby:
- Post in local Facebook Groups asking if any friends are around.
- Use Facebook Messenger’s location sharing feature to temporarily share locations with specific friends.
- Check-in to locations on Facebook to signal where you are.
- Connect with friends on other apps that have location sharing features, like Snapchat.
- Arrange specific meetups with friends and coordinate locations manually without relying on an app.
While these options require a bit more effort than Nearby Friends, they can still help facilitate making plans with friends nearby. It just requires some extra coordination work.
Will Nearby Friends ever come back?
Facebook has not indicated if they have any plans to reinstate Nearby Friends in the future. Considering they removed the feature due to declining usage and privacy concerns, it seems unlikely Facebook will bring Nearby Friends back anytime soon unless they can find a compelling new reason for its existence.
Of course, Facebook is known for changing course when they see opportunities arise. But for now, expect that Nearby Friends will remain retired as Facebook shifts focus to its newer location based tools.
What are some alternatives to Nearby Friends?
If you miss the convenience of Nearby Friends, here are a few alternative apps and social networks that offer similar friend locator features:
- Snapchat Snap Map – Shows friends’ locations on a map if they opt-in to location sharing.
- Houseparty – Video chat app that lets you see which friends are “in the house” ready to chat.
- Nextdoor – Local neighborhood social network that connects nearby residents.
- Hoods – App specifically designed for finding and connecting with nearby friends.
- Grapevine – Another friend locator app using your address book to connect nearby users.
While not exact replacements, these apps can help you achieve the nearby friend finding functionality previously offered by Nearby Friends.
Will Facebook build something similar in the future?
Although Facebook has given no indication of specific plans, they could potentially develop a new take on friend locator features in the future. Other location sharing capabilities Facebook is currently exploring or improving include:
- Live Location sharing in Messenger
- Location tags and views in Stories
- Location based points of interest recommendations
- Coordinating meetups in Events and Groups
Facebook product teams closely monitor usage of all features and regularly test out new concepts. If they see renewed interest from users in discovering nearby friends again, Facebook may look to develop modernized friend finding capabilities integrated across their apps.
How can I give Facebook feedback about removing Nearby Friends?
If you want to provide feedback to Facebook about the removal of Nearby Friends or request they build a similar feature in the future, here are some options:
- Post on Facebook’s User Feedback forum at https://www.facebook.com/help/community/userfeedback
- Submit feedback directly through the Facebook app via Settings & Help > Report a Problem
- Tweet feedback publicly and tag @Facebook
- Submit feedback through Facebook’s beta testing programs if offered the opportunity
While there’s no guarantee Facebook will act on specific user feedback, it can help provide visibility into features people miss and want to see return in some form.
Conclusion
The removal of Nearby Friends took away a handy tool for connecting with geographically close Facebook friends. But with location sharing raising some concerns for users and the feature being used less, Facebook decided it was time to retire Nearby Friends in early 2022.
There are still workarounds to find nearby friends through other Facebook features and alternative apps. And Facebook may develop modernized location sharing capabilities in the future if they see renewed user interest. Providing feedback directly to Facebook can help influence what features they prioritize.
For now, Nearby Friends remains removed across Facebook and Messenger. But the core functionality could be reimagined in the future if enough users express a desire for an easy way to connect with friends nearby.