Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Changing your settings on the mobile app
• Part 2 of 3: Changing your privacy settings on a desktop
• Part 3 of 3: Securing your friends list on a desktop
• Tips
• Warnings

This article will teach you how to prevent your name from appearing in the list of People you may know from other users on Facebook. While you can't completely remove yourself from this list, you can tighten your profile's privacy settings to reduce how often your name will show up.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Changing your settings on the mobile app

1. Open the Facebook app. This is a white "F" on a blue background.
   • If you are not logged in, enter your email address (or phone number) and password and press "Login".
2. Press ☰ in the bottom right corner of the screen (iPhone) or in the top right corner of the screen (Android).
3. Scroll down and tap Settings at the bottom of the page.
   • If you are using an Android, press "Account Settings".
4. Press Account Settings. This option is at the top of the pop-up menu.
   • Skip this step if you are using an Android.
5. Tap Privacy at the top of the page.
6. Press Who Can See the People, Pages and Lists You Follow?. This option is under the "Who can view my business" heading at the top of the page.
7. Press Only me. This ensures that only you will see the people on your list of friends and followers.
8. Tap Save in the top right corner of the screen.
   • If the "Save" option is not there, press the "Back" button in the top left corner of the screen.
9. Press Who can send me a friend request?. This is in the middle of the page.
10. Press Friends of Friends. By selecting this option, you limit the number of people you can send a friend request to those who are friends of your current friends.
11. Press Save.
12. Press the option at the bottom of the page that says "Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile?"’.
13. Tap Disallow searches outside of Facebook to link to your profile. This is at the bottom of the page.
14. Press Confirm. Users on Facebook will no longer be able to visit you outside of Facebook. In addition, now that your privacy settings have become stricter, your name will appear significantly less often in the "People You May Know" list of other users. In addition, other users will no longer be able to view your joint list of friends or followers.

Part 2 of 3: Changing your privacy settings on a desktop

1. Open the Facebook website. If you are logged in to Facebook this will take you to the News Feed.
   • If you are not logged in to Facebook, enter your email address (or phone number) and password. Do this in the top right corner of the page and then click "Login".
2. Click on ▼ in the top right corner of the Facebook window.
3. Click on Settings. This option is near the bottom of the drop-down menu.
4. Click Privacy on the left side of the Facebook window.
5. Click Edit next to the "Who can send me a friend request?" Option.". "Edit" is on the right side of the window. You'll find the "Who can send me a friend request?" Section roughly in the middle of the Privacy page.
6. Click the Everyone box. This should be under the heading "Who can send me a friend request?"
7. Click on Friends of Friends. This will allow fewer people to send you a friend request (and see you in the "People You May Know" menu), as this will be limited to people who are friends of your current friends on Facebook.
8. Click Close in the top right corner of the "Who can contact me?" Section’.
9. Click Edit to the right of the last option on this page. This is the option "Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile?".
10. Uncheck the box next to "Allow search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile". This ensures that people can no longer look you up in Google, Bing or any other search engine outside of the Facebook search function.

Part 3 of 3: Securing your friends list on a desktop

1. Click on the tab with your name. This is at the top of the Facebook page.
2. Click on Friends. This option is at the bottom right of your profile picture.
3. Click Edit privacy in the top right corner of your friends list.
4. Click the box to the right of "Friends List". It will say something like "Public" or "Friends".
5. Click Only me. This ensures that only you can view the people in your friends list.
6. Click the box next to "Next". This box will also say something like "Public" or "Friends".
7. Click Only me.
8. Click Done at the bottom of the "Edit Privacy" window. Now Facebook will no longer publicly share your list of friends or followers, which will prevent other users from seeing you as a suggested friend based on mutual friends.

Tips

• Locking your privacy settings on Facebook is a reliable way to reduce the number of friend requests you get.

Warnings

• While following these steps will significantly reduce how many "People You May Know" lists you end up on, there is no way to ensure that you never appear in a "People You May Know" list again.