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What is a Facebook restricted list and how to use it

You don't need to block or unfriend to hide your posts.
By
July 4, 2022
Facebook stock photo 6
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

Facebook is great for sharing your thoughts, photos, and videos with friends and family. However, not everybody needs to see everything, especially if you tend to have more personal posts. This doesn’t mean you need to unfriend or block people, though. Instead, you can add people to a restricted list to limit what posts and profile information they can see. Here’s what you need to know about the Facebook restricted list and how to use it.

Read more: How to change your Facebook privacy settings

QUICK ANSWER

Anyone you add to your Facebook restricted list will only be able to see your public posts and profile information. You can add someone to the restricted list by going to their profile, tapping on Friends > Edit friends list, and selecting Restricted.


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What is a Facebook restricted list?

Facebook app on phone 3
Edgar Cervantes / Android Authority

If you’ve added someone as a friend on Facebook but don’t want them to see any personal posts, like your boss, colleagues, and some friends or family, the restricted list is made for you. Anyone you add to your restricted list will only see any posts and profile information available to the public, i.e., everyone. You will still be friends with them on Facebook and avoid the hassle of needing to unfriend or block them.

How to add someone to the restricted list

facebook add to restricted list 1
Ankit Banerjee / Android Authority

To add someone to your Facebook restricted list, go to their profile, click on Friends, go to Edit friends list, and select Restricted.

You’ll have to go through the same steps if you want to add someone to the restricted list using the mobile app. Go to their profile, tap Friends > Edit friends list and check Restricted.

facebook manage restricted list
Ankit Banerjee / Android Authority

You can also make multiple additions using the Facebook website. Click on Friends in the left-hand column. You might have to click on the downward arrow icon at the top left corner if you don’t see it.

manage restricted list step 2
Ankit Banerjee / Android Authority

Go to Custom lists > Restricted and click on Add friends. You can choose multiple friends from your list.

How to manage your restricted list

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Ankit Banerjee / Android Authority

You can manage your restricted list using the website. Click on Friends in the left-hand column, and go to Custom lists > Restricted. You can see anyone you’ve added to the list in the section. Click on the cross next to the name of someone you might have added to the list to remove them from the restricted list.


Read more: How to block someone on Facebook

FAQs

You will not be able to see or manage your restricted list using the mobile app. You will need to log in to the website on a computer or use a mobile browser and the “desktop site” option.

On desktop on mobile, go to their profile, tap on Friends > Edit friends list and uncheck Restricted. You will need to use the Facebook website to remove multiple people from the list. Go to Friends (left-hand column) > Custom lists > Restricted and click on the cross symbol next to their names to remove them from the restricted list.

No, Facebook does not notify users and let them know if they’ve been added to your restricted list.