There are a few potential reasons why some Facebook profiles may only have a Follow button instead of an Add Friend button:
They have reached the friend limit
Facebook allows users to have up to 5,000 friends on their profile. Once a user reaches the maximum friend limit, the Add Friend button will be replaced with a Follow button for other users who visit their profile.
So if you come across a profile that only has the Follow option, it likely means they’ve maxed out their friend capacity and cannot add any more friends. The Follow button allows new connections without going over the limit.
They have enabled follower-only mode
Facebook gives users the option to switch their profile into a follower-only mode. This removes the Add Friend button entirely and replaces it with the Follow button.
People may choose to do this if they want to have a more public persona on Facebook. Having followers instead of friends allows them to share more widely without needing to vet every connection.
They have blocked you
If you are only seeing the Follow option on someone’s profile that you know has not reached the friend limit, they may have blocked you specifically.
Blocking prevents you from being able to send a friend request or interact with their profile. So instead of the Add Friend button, you will only see the option to Follow them.
Their account privacy settings
Some users change their privacy settings so that only certain people can send them friend requests. For acquaintances or new connections, they may limit the profile to Follow only.
So the Follow button indicates you do not currently meet the criteria to request them as a friend based on their account settings.
They have a like page not a personal profile
Pages on Facebook that represent businesses, organizations, or public figures do not use the friend system. These like pages have Follow buttons instead of Add Friend.
So if a profile only shows a Follow option, double check that you are on their personal Facebook profile and not their public page.
What is the difference between friends and followers on Facebook?
The main differences between friends and followers on Facebook are:
- Friends – Bidirectional connection that both people need to approve. Friends can interact privately through messages and posts.
- Followers – Unidirectional connection where only one person needs to approve. Followers only see public information shared by the user.
Some key differences:
| Friends | Followers |
|---|---|
| Bidirectional connection | Unidirectional connection |
| Both need to approve friend request | Only user needs to approve followers |
| Can message and interact | Can only view public posts |
| Limit of 5,000 connections | No limit on number of followers |
So in summary, friends have a two-way connection that provides more access and interaction. Following simply subscribes you to the user’s public updates without establishing a mutual friendship.
Should you send a friend request or just follow?
If you see someone’s profile uses the Follow button instead of Add Friend, here are some things to consider:
- Are you trying to establish a two-way connection? Send them a friend request if you want them to see and interact with your profile too.
- Do you just want to casually follow their public updates? Following may be better if you do not need reciprocal access.
- Have they reached the friend limit? You won’t be able to send a friend request if they already have 5,000 friends, so follow instead.
- Are your privacy settings mismatched? If you have restrictive settings, they may not be able to send you a friend request back.
Evaluate your intentions and their settings to determine if you should send a friend request or just follow their profile. Following is always an option if the Add Friend button is not available.
Can you message someone you follow but aren’t friends with?
No, you cannot directly message someone who you follow but are not friends with on Facebook. Only friends are able to message and interact privately.
If there is no mutual friendship established, you will only be able to see their public posts and updates in your News Feed by following them. But there is no way to privately contact them.
To be able to message someone directly, you need to send them a friend request and have them accept it. This gives you access to send private messages.
What are the limits on Facebook friend requests?
Facebook places some limits on how many friend requests you can send to avoid spam behavior:
- You can send a maximum of 5,000 pending friend requests at one time.
- You are limited to sending 200 friend requests per day to people who are not already connected.
- If too many of your requests are declined or ignored, your ability to send requests may be temporarily blocked.
These limits encourage meaningful connections instead of indiscriminately mass sending friend requests. If you hit the limit, you will need to wait and try again the next day.
Can you have mutual friends without being Facebook friends?
Yes, it is possible on Facebook to have mutual friends with someone while not being direct friends with that person yourself. This can happen in a few scenarios:
- You follow someone but have not sent or accepted a friend request.
- You have both become friends with the same people independently.
- You have blocked someone, but still share mutual connections.
Facebook’s friend connections are unique bilaterally. So you may end up with common friends through indirect paths without establishing your own direct friendship.
Conclusion
The Follow button on Facebook provides a way to subscribe to public updates from profiles you are interested in without requiring mutual approval. There are many reasons this can occur, including the user hitting the friend limit, enabling follower-only status, blocking connections, or having restrictive privacy settings.
Before deciding to follow someone or send a friend request, evaluate your goals for the connection. Determine if you need messaging access or just want to passively observe updates. Facebook places limits on how many requests can be sent to avoid spamming behavior.
While you need a mutual friendship to message privately, it is still possible to have overlapping communities and mutual friends while not being directly connected to someone. The nuances of Facebook’s friending and following system allows for flexible approaches to building your network.