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How to make photos private on Facebook
Published onFebruary 14, 2024
Facebook fundamentally promotes sharing – it’s the essence of a social network. However, there may be instances when you wish to keep certain photos private, especially from those you aren’t well-acquainted with or don’t know at all. This could include your boss, potential employers who might be assessing you, or even just the occasional random stranger or internet troll. While this article focuses on making your photos private, we have also crafted a comprehensive guide on making your entire Facebook profile private. Let’s explore how to adjust the privacy settings to make photos and albums private on Facebook.
QUICK ANSWER
To make a photo private on Facebook, navigate to the Photos section on your Facebook page. Click on the photo you wish to make private, then click on the three-dot icon. Choose the Edit audience option. From there, select either Friends, Friends except, Specific friends, or Only me. If you're using Facebook app, go to the post containing the photo you want to make private. Tap on the three-dot icon at the top-right of the screen, then select Edit privacy and choose your preferred setting.
JUMP TO KEY SECTIONS
Who can see my photos on Facebook?
When you post something on Facebook, you have to decide what privacy setting it will receive. Facebook wants everything to be public, but of course, not everything should be. There are some private things that should remain within your trusted circle of friends or an even more tightly controlled group.
Each privacy setting is very self-explanatory. You can post to the public, so the whole world sees it. You can post to only your friends, some of your friends, or to a custom group. Custom groups are great if you really want to get granular with who sees what. Privacy settings can be changed at any time, and this is what we will cover below.
How to make individual photos private on Facebook
Privacy on social platforms is crucial. With that in mind, let’s show you how to make individual photos private on Facebook, especially if you want to limit the audience for specific photos in your posts.
Make individual photos private on Facebook desktop
- Navigate to the Photos section on your Facebook page.
- Click on the photo you wish to make private, then click on the three-dot (…) icon.
- Click on the Edit audience option.
- Select either Friends, Friends except, Specific friends, or Only me.
Make individual photos private on Facebook app
- Navigate to the post for which you want to make your photo private.
- Tap the three-dot menu icon located to the right of the post.
- Select Edit Privacy.
- Choose your desired privacy level and tap Done. The changes will take effect immediately.
How to make albums private on Facebook
Ensure your memories are shared with just your chosen circle by adjusting the privacy settings to make your photo albums private on Facebook. Here’s how to make albums private on Facebook.
Make albums private on Facebook desktop
- Navigate to your profile page and click Photos > Albums.
- When the albums appear, on the top-right of the album thumbnail, click on a three-dot (…) icon
- Click on Edit album in the drop-down menu.
- In the top-left corner, click on the current privacy level box.
- Choose your preferred privacy either Friends, Friends except, Specific friends, or Only me.
Make albums private on Facebook app
- Navigate to your profile and scroll down to locate the Photos section, then proceed to Albums.
- Select the album you wish to make private.
- Tap the three-dot (…) icon in the top-right corner of the page.
- Select Edit Album, located at the bottom of the page.
- Tap the current privacy setting, you will then have the option to change it to your desired level of privacy.
How to control who sees posts and photos you are tagged in on Facebook
You can choose the audience in your profile and tagging settings. You may choose whether to automatically include your friends, add particular friends, or exclude anybody from the audience of the post in which you are tagged.
Control who sees posts and photos you are tagged on desktop
For desktop users, follow these steps:
- Go to your profile –> Settings & privacy –> Settings
- This is where you can control privacy settings for photos, posts, and more, including your friends list.
Control who sees posts and photos you are tagged on mobile
For mobile users, follow these steps:
- Go to your profile –> Settings & privacy –> Settings
- This is where you can control privacy settings for photos, posts, and more, including your friends list.
- Now, choose your desired privacy level for your friends list (select Only me if you want to hide it from everyone).
FAQs
No, your profile picture and cover image are always visible to everyone. However, you can adjust the privacy settings for your previous profile pictures.
When you share a photo album within a group, the album inherits the group’s privacy settings. If the group is Public, anyone on Facebook can view your album. If it’s Closed, only group members can view it. And if it’s Secret, the album is only visible to group members. If you want to restrict access to your photo album beyond the group’s existing privacy settings, you may need to create a separate, more private group.
To remove a tag from a photo or post in which you’ve been tagged, you would need to contact the person who tagged you, as only they can remove the tag. Additionally, you can remove the tag from a post you have been tagged in by navigating to Settings & privacy > Settings > Privacy, then click the Activity Log in the Your Activity section. Select the post from which you want to remove the tag, click the three-dot button, and select Remove Tag.
The most private secure setting on Facebook is Only me. As the name implies, only you can see posts and images with this setting. This setting can also be applied to make your entire Facebook profile private.