Facebook is a digital hub where friends and family can share photos, experiences, and ideas. However, not everything we do on the platform should be public. In this article, we'll walk you through how to hide Facebook activity on desktop and mobile. But before that, let's explore why you might want to do this.
There are many reasons why you might want to hide your Facebook activity. One of the main concerns is privacy on Facebook, and users don't necessarily want all their movements on the platform to be visible to all their friends. Therefore, it's important to change your profile settings. With this understanding, let's follow the steps to gain greater control over your online presence.
How to hide your friends list on Facebook
Hiding your Facebook friends list can enhance your online privacy and security, preventing strangers and potential malicious actors from accessing your social network. Furthermore, it also helps avoid unwanted friend requests and maintain a professional image by separating your personal and professional contacts. However, let's start with the desktop steps.
on the desktop
Step 1Go to: Facebook From your favorite browser on your Windows or Mac computer and sign in with Your account credentials.
Step 2: tap on Your profile picture in the upper right corner.
Step 3: From the drop-down menu, choose "Settings and Privacy".
Step 4: Now, choose Privacy check.
Step 5: On the check page Privacy, Click Who can see what you share?
Step 6: In the pop-up window, click "Continue".
Step 7: On the next screen of the form, under Profile Information, scroll down to the bottom until you see Friends and follow. Now, click on the button next to “Who can see your friends list on your profile?”
Step 8: Choose the option Only me.
That's all there is to it. The changes will take effect immediately, and you can close the form and confirm that your activity will now be private. If you don't have desktop access and want to do the same on mobile, read on.
On the Facebook mobile app
Step 1: Launch an app Facebook On your Android or iOS device. Once launched, tap Your profile picture on the right side.
Step 2: On the next screen, scroll down and choose "Settings and Privacy". From the drop-down menu, select Privacy Shortcuts.
Step 3: within Privacy Shortcuts, Click “Privacy check”On the next screen, select Who can see what you share?
This triggers the privacy verification flow. Follow the steps below.
Step 4: You'll see the privacy touchpoints you'll encounter during your workflow. Click tracking. within Profile informationScroll down until you see Friends and FollowersNow, click on the button next to “Who can see your friends list on your profile?”
Step 5: Select the option Only me.
There you go. After applying the changes, you can tap the back arrow to return to their News Feed. Keep reading if you want to hide your friends and activity.
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How to hide your activity on Facebook
By hiding your activity on Facebook, you can increase your privacy and control your online presence. By hiding your activity, you can maintain a more private online persona. First, let's take a look at the steps for desktop users.
on the desktop
Step 1: Go to Facebook From your favorite browser on your Windows or Mac computer and sign in with Your account credentials.
Step 2: tap on Your profile picture in the upper right corner.
Step 3: From the drop-down menu, choose "Settings and Privacy".
Step 4: Now, choose Privacy Checkup.
Step 5: On the Privacy Checkup page, click Who can see what you share?
Step 6: In the pop-up window, click "Continue".
Step 7: Click the button Next once again.
Step 8: within the section Profile and Stories Click the button next to Virtual audience.
Step 9: Choose the option That's fine and click the . button save.
Step 10: Repeat the same for For stories. Click on the button next to it.
Step 11: You cannot specify "Only me" When posting a story, this defeats the purpose of posting the story in the first place. Therefore, select the option "custom" Select who you want to share your stories with.
That's all. You can close the form and rest assured that your activity will now be private after making the changes. If you want to do this through the Facebook mobile app, read on.
On the Facebook mobile app
Step 1: Launch an app Facebook On your Android or iOS device. Once launched, tap Your profile picture on the right side.
Step 2: On the next screen, scroll down and choose “Settings and Privacy”From the drop-down menu, select Privacy Shortcuts.
Step 3: within Privacy Shortcuts, Click “Privacy check”On the next screen, select Who can see what you share?
This triggers the privacy verification flow. Follow the steps below.
Step 4: You will see Privacy Touchpoints that you will encounter during the workflow. Click tracking. On the next screen, tap next one.
Step 5: Now, within Posts and StoriesClick the button next to Default Audience. On the next screen, choose View more.
Step 6: Now, select That's fine.
Step 7: You can do the same for stories as well. However, you cannot specify "Only me" When posting a story, this defeats the purpose of posting the story in the first place. Therefore, select the option "custom" Select who you want to share your stories with.
There you go. You've hidden your Facebook posts from public view and kept them private. Looking to hide your followers' Pages, People, and Lists alongside your posts and Stories? Read on.
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How to Hide People and Pages You Follow on Facebook
Hiding the people and Pages you follow on Facebook enhances your privacy by preventing others from seeing your online affiliations and interests. We'll start with the steps for desktop.
on the desktop
Step 1: Go to Facebook From your favorite browser on your Windows or Mac computer and sign in with Your account credentials.
Step 2: tap on Your profile picture in the upper right corner.
Step 3: From the drop-down menu, click "Settings and Privacy".
Step 4: within Settings and Privacy Choose Settings.
Step 5: Go to Privacy From the right side of the page Settings.
Step 6: On the left pane, under the Your Activity section, click “Update.”رnext to Who can see the people, Pages, and lists you follow?
Step 7: Click on the icon Arrow Next to the option, and finally, choose That's fine.
That's it. Your Facebook pages and the people you follow will be hidden from everyone. If you want to do the same thing on mobile, read on.
On the Facebook mobile app
Step 1: Launch an app Facebook On your Android or iOS device. Once launched, tap Your profile picture on the right side.
Step 2: On the next screen, scroll down and choose "Settings and Privacy". From the drop-down menu, select Settings.
Step 3: in Settings and Privacy Scroll down to the . section Audience and Vision And click “Followers and public content.” Now, on the next screen, scroll down and tap on Who can see the people, pages, and lists you follow?
Step 4: On the next screen, tap see more and choose the option Only me.
That's it. You've successfully hidden the people or Pages you follow on Facebook from the public. If you have any questions, see the FAQ section below.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hiding Activity on Facebook
Q1. Is there a way to hide my likes and reactions to other people's posts on Facebook?
The answer: No, you can't hide your likes and reactions to other people's posts. Depending on their privacy settings, they're usually visible to the person who posted the post and their friends.
Q2. Is there a way to hide my previous posts on Facebook?
The answer: Yes, you can change the audience for your past posts on Facebook in your privacy settings. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Privacy > Limit Past Posts to restrict all your past posts from being visible to friends.
Make your activity anonymous
Now that you know how to hide activity on Facebook, you can protect your privacy, manage your professional image, avoid unwanted attention, and enhance your online security. You may also want to read: How to create a restricted list on Facebook.
