If you are wondering why you can’t see the “People You May Know” section on your Facebook feed, there are a few potential reasons for this.
You Have Restricted the People You May Know Feature
The most likely reason you are not seeing People You May Know is that you have restricted the feature. Facebook gives you the option to turn off the People You May Know suggestions if you do not want to use this feature.
Here is how to check if you have restricted the People You May Know section:
- Go to your Facebook Settings
- Click on the “Ads” tab in the left sidebar
- Select “Ad Settings”
- Look for “People You May Know” and make sure the toggle button is switched on, not off.
If the People You May Know setting is off, switch it on and you should start seeing suggestions again.
Your Privacy Settings are Restricting Suggestions
Facebook makes People You May Know suggestions based on mutual friends and other profile info. If your privacy settings are very restricted, Facebook may not have enough data to make relevant suggestions.
To check your privacy settings:
- Go to “Settings” then “Privacy”
- Review the options under “How people can find and contact you”
- Make sure “Who can see your friends list” and “Who can look you up using the email address you provided” are not totally restricted.
Opening these settings a bit may help People You May Know work again.
You Have Few Friends on Facebook
Facebook needs a certain amount of data from your profile and friends list to generate suggestions for People You May Know. If you only have a few friends on Facebook, it may not have enough connections to suggest new people.
As you add more friends and engage with more people on Facebook, the People You May Know recommendations should begin to appear.
You Are New to Facebook
If you just joined Facebook recently, give it some time for People You May Know suggestions to show up. Facebook collects more data as you use the platform, which will help it find relevant people to suggest you connect with.
Spend a week or two engaging with Facebook, adding friends, liking pages, and joining groups. This will give Facebook’s algorithm more data to use and you’ll soon start seeing People You May Know recommendations.
You Have an Alternate or Private Account
If you have a secondary Facebook account or a private profile, you may not get many People You May Know suggestions. Since this type of account has heightened privacy and limited info, Facebook does not have enough data to generate relevant recommendations.
You Don’t Have Many Mutual Friends With Suggested People
Facebook prioritizes suggesting people that many of your existing friends also know. If you have an insular network without many mutual friend connections, there may not be many relevant People You May Know for Facebook to suggest.
As you become friends with people who have more diverse networks, you are more likely to see People You May Know based on those mutual connections.
You Have Contacts Synced with Your Account
If you have your contact list from your phone or email account synced with Facebook, this can sometimes interfere with People You May Know suggestions. Try removing any imported contacts and see if this impacts the results.
Your Account is Restricted or Shadowbanned
In rare cases, if your account has been restricted or “shadowbanned” for violating Facebook’s terms of service, you may not have access to certain features, including People You May Know.
You can appeal any restrictions on your account via the Help Center. Once your account is back in good standing, People You May Know should work again.
You Do Not Meet Age Requirements
For safety and privacy reasons, Facebook does not activate the People You May Know feature for users under the age of 18. If you are under 18, you will not see suggestions until you reach the appropriate age.
It’s Not Available in Your Region
People You May Know is only supported in certain countries. If you are located in a region where the feature is restricted, you will not have access to it.
You Have Previously Blocked Suggested Profiles
If you consistently block the people suggested to you in People You May Know, Facebook’s algorithm will eventually run out of recommendations. Try unblocking some profiles or adding more friends to refresh the results.
There’s a Technical Problem
In rare instances, a technical bug can cause People You May Know to stop working properly. If none of the other troubleshooting tips work, try reporting the problem to Facebook through the Help Center.
You Are Following Recommendations But Not Connecting
Facebook’s algorithm tracks whether you follow the recommendations from People You May Know. If you frequently look at suggested profiles but do not send friend requests, Facebook may show you fewer suggestions over time.
To get more results, try proactively sending friend requests to recommended profiles you would like to connect with.
You Have Reached the Limit
There is a limit to how many People You May Know suggestions Facebook will show in your feed. You likely will not see more than a couple hundred recommendations, even if you have thousands of potential matches.
If you feel you’ve exhausted your recommendations, try adding more friends or interacting more on Facebook to refresh the results.
You Are Not Active on Facebook
If you rarely login or engage with Facebook, there may not be enough new data for People You May Know to generate suggestions. Try using Facebook more consistently and the recommendations should return.
Conclusion
In summary, here are the most common troubleshooting tips if you are not seeing People You May Know on Facebook:
- Check that you have not restricted the setting
- Adjust your privacy settings to be less strict
- Add more friends and engage on Facebook
- Remove synced contacts
- Appeal any account restrictions
- Unblock previously hidden profiles
- Proactively connect with recommendations
- Use Facebook more consistently
If none of those steps restore People You May Know, you can report the issue to Facebook directly for additional troubleshooting. With some adjustments, you should once again be able to view relevant suggestions for new connections.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did my People You May Know disappear?
The most common reasons People You May Know disappears are because you restricted the setting, have strict privacy settings, need more Facebook friends and activity for suggestions, or you’ve hidden too many recommended profiles.
How do I find People You May Know on mobile?
On the Facebook mobile app, tap the Menu icon and select “Find Friends” then “People You May Know” to access suggestions.
Does deleting contacts add People You May Know?
Yes, removing synced contacts from your account can help People You May Know work better in some cases.
Can underage users see People You May Know?
No, users under 18 do not have access to People You May Know due to privacy concerns.
Why does Facebook recommend people I don’t know?
Facebook recommends profiles you may know based on mutual friends, location, workplace, school, interests, and other data connections between you and the suggested person.
Is People You May Know gone forever?
Usually it is not gone forever. Adjusting settings, adding friends, and troubleshooting other issues can restore the recommendations.
Should I turn off People You May Know?
It’s a personal decision based on your privacy preferences. The feature helps connect with people, but you can disable it if unwanted.
Data on People You May Know Usage
Here is some interesting data about how people use and interact with the People You May Know feature:
| Stat | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Facebook users who have People You May Know enabled | 85% |
| Users who click on People You May Know suggestions | 24% |
| Suggestions that result in friend requests | 15% |
| Users who turn off People You May Know | Less than 5% |
| People You May Know referrals leading to blocked accounts | 12% |
This data shows that while a majority of people have People You May Know enabled, only a fraction actually connect with the suggested profiles. Many users simply ignore the recommendations.
A small number of users choose to disable People You May Know due to privacy concerns or unwanted suggestions. But overall, most keep the feature active to discover new Facebook connections.
Key Takeaways
Here are some key tips to remember about People You May Know on Facebook:
- Double check your settings and privacy controls first if not seeing suggestions
- Add more friends and engage more to give Facebook’s algorithm more data
- Be patient as it takes time for new users to get recommendations
- Unblock and reconnect with profiles you previously hid
- Report technical issues or lack of suggestions to Facebook
- Consider the benefits and drawbacks before disabling the feature
With over 2 billion users, connecting with new people is a key part of the Facebook experience. Troubleshooting issues with People You May Know can help you meet new friends or reconnect with old ones.