Why does my friends list not show on Facebook?

By default, your Facebook profile information, posts, and even your friends are available for all to see. It's often convenient for your friends list to be public, because it can help people find and connect with you.

If you prefer, you can restrict who can see your entire friends list using Facebook's privacy settings. You might not want everyone to see it, especially if you want to mask the identity of some friends from others. Or perhaps you just value your privacy and don't want everyone to know who you're connected to online.

How to hide your friends on Facebook via web browser

1. Open Facebook in a web browser.

2. Click the downward-pointing arrow at the top right of the webpage.

3. In the dropdown menu, click "Settings & privacy," then click "Settings."

4. In the pane on the left side of the screen, click "Privacy."

5. In the section called "How people can find and contact you," click "Edit" next to "Who can see your friends list?"

6. Click the downward-facing arrow to reveal a list of options. You can choose: "Public," "Friends," "Friends except...," "Specific friends," "Only me," or "Custom."

If you click "Custom," you can choose to enter specific names. For example, you can share your friends list with all of your friends except for Bob Smith. After adding a specific person, click "Save Changes."

How to hide your friends on Facebook via a mobile device

1. Open the Facebook app on your device.

2. Tap the three horizontal lines [this is the hamburger menu]. On an iPhone, this is in the lower right of the screen; on an Android, it's in the upper right.

3. Tap "Settings & Privacy."

4. Tap "Settings."

5. Scroll down to the "Privacy" section and tap "Privacy Settings."

6. Scroll down to the section called "How People Find and Contact You" and tap "Who can see your friends list?"

7. Choose who you want to be able to see your friends list. You can choose: "Public," "Friends," "Friends except...," "Specific friends," or "Only me." If you choose "Friends except…," you can block specific people from seeing your friends list.

Related coverage from Tech Reference:

by Elizabeth Harper on February 20, 2019
in Facebook, Computers and Software, Computer Safety & Support, Tips & How-Tos, Privacy :: 66 comments

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It can be tough to keep your personal information private online, but just a few clicks can keep your Facebook information from prying eyes. If you want to keep strangers [or even friends] from trawling through your friends list, it's simple — as long as you know where to look. Here's how you can hide your friends list on Facebook.

Configure your friends list from your PC

The instructions [and your options] are a little different whether you're viewing Facebook on a web browser. While you can access the basic options from either, the website will let you completely customize who can see your friends list. Here's how to do it:

• Open Facebook from your web browser
• Click the triangle in the upper right to open the menu, then select Settings
• Click Privacy in the left-hand column
• In the "How People Can Find and Contact You" section, select "Who can see your friends list." Click it.
• In the drop-down menu, select who you would like to see your friends list. Select one option from this list:
  • Public: Anyone can see your friends list
  • Friends: Only your friends can see your friends list
  • Only Me: Only you can see your friends list
  • Custom: You can select exactly who can and can't see your friends list. When you click Custom, you can enter specific lists or names under "Share with" to let them see your friends list or "Don't share with" to prevent them from seeing your friends list.
• When you're done, click Save changes to save your custom settings
• Click Close on the right to save your settings

Configure your friends list from your smartphone or tablet

Setup on mobile is similar, but offers different customization options — instead of creating a completely custom list of people who can view your friends list, mobile offers a few extra pre-configured options. Here's how to change the visibility of your friends list from your iPhone or Android device:

1. Open the Facebook app
2. Tap the menu icon [it looks like three horizontal lines] which is in the upper right for Android or in the lower right for iPhone
3. Tap Settings & Privacy
4. Tap Settings
5. Tap Privacy Settings
6. Tap "Who can see your friends list?" You'll see several options, and can click More > See All for a full list of options. Select one option from this list:
   • Public: Anyone can see your friends list
   • Friends: Only your friends can see your friends list
   • Only you: Only you can see your friends list
   • Friends except: All friends except the friends you selected
   • Specific friends: Only friends you've selected
   • Specific lists: Next you'll see groups of people listed, like close friends or friends in your area. Exactly what shows up here will vary, but will include lists of people you're associated with. If you'd like to select more than one list, you can do so using the custom option on the website.
7. If you've selected Friends Except or Specific Friends, you need to click Done once you've selected the people you want to have access to your friends list.
8. Click the back button in the upper left to save your options and return to settings

While this will hide your friends list, there are a few ways people can still uncover a few of your friends. When people visit your profile, they may see friends you have in common. Plus, if your friends have public friends lists, you'll be visible there. This will help you lock down your privacy, but if your friends haven't done the same, they may be able to piece together some clues with a simple search. 

[Image credit: Facebook friend request via BigStockPhoto]