- Following someone on Facebook step by step
- Following a Page on Facebook
- Why there's no Follow button on someone's Facebook profile
- Friends and followers on Facebook: what's different
- Seeing the list of people you follow
- Putting followed people first in your Facebook Feed
- How to unfollow someone on Facebook
- Changing who can see who you follow on Facebook
- Following someone on Facebook: the short version
- Frequently asked questions
To follow someone on Facebook, search for their name, open their profile and click Follow. Facebook's help says friends follow each other automatically, and if someone lets everyone follow them, sending a friend request also makes you follow their posts. The person or Page can see that you follow them, so it isn't a secret way to watch.
Following is the quiet cousin of friending. It's how you keep up with a local business, a creator you like or a colleague you don't want to add as a friend, without anyone having to accept anything. It also trips people up because the button isn't always where they expect. Everything here comes from Facebook's own Help Center, and where help doesn't give a detail I've said so.
Following someone on Facebook step by step
Facebook's help article on following a profile or Page gives one set of steps, and says the Follow button appears on the profile or Page itself. Menus vary by app version, but the route is the same on a phone or a computer:
- Use the search icon at the top left of Facebook.
- Type the person's or Page's name and pick them from the results.
- Open their profile or Page.
- Click Follow.
That's it. Updates from that person or Page may now show up in your Feed. There's no approval step, because following works on people who allow it and on Pages, which are open to followers.
Following a Page on Facebook
The steps for a Page are even shorter. The help article says to go to the Page and click Follow, and it lists the same steps for the Android, iPhone and iPad apps and the computer version. Pages are the business, brand and organisation accounts, so this is the route if you want a shop's or a supplier's updates in your Feed.
If you run a business yourself, it's worth knowing your own Page works the same way. Anyone who follows it can see your updates, and Facebook has a separate help article for following another Page as your Page, which is handy for keeping an eye on partners and neighbours.
Why there's no Follow button on someone's Facebook profile
Facebook's help doesn't give a fix for a missing Follow button, so I won't invent one. What it does say explains most cases. You can follow Pages, and you can follow people who aren't your friends only if they allow others to follow them. So if the button isn't there, the person may not have turned following on.
- If you're already friends, you follow each other automatically, so there's nothing more to click.
- If someone lets everyone follow them, sending a friend request also makes you follow their posts.
- If the person hasn't allowed followers, the friend request is the usual route.
Friends and followers on Facebook: what's different
The help article on what it means to follow says friends automatically follow each other. Following on its own is one-way: you see their updates, but they don't automatically see yours and it doesn't make you friends. That's why it suits well-known people, creators and businesses.
One thing to keep in mind is that following isn't invisible. The help article says the people and Pages you follow can see that you follow them. If a decision about privacy matters to you, look at the setting for who can see the people and Pages you follow, and then think about locking down your Facebook profile if you want tighter control.
Seeing the list of people you follow
Facebook's help gives these steps to see the list: click Friends below your cover photo, hover over More in the Friends section and select Following. If Following doesn't appear, you aren't following anyone yet. For a Page, go to the Page, click Friends or Followers, and then click Following.
Putting followed people first in your Facebook Feed
The more people you follow, the more your Feed fills up, which is where Favorites helps. Help says posts from a profile or Page you've added to Favorites appear at the top of your Feed, and you can pick up to 30 friends and Pages. Groups can't be added.
- Click your profile picture at the top right, open Settings and privacy and choose Content preferences.
- Click Favorites.
- Click the Favorite option next to a friend or Page. Use the search bar to find someone you follow.
- To remove one, click Remove Favorite, then click Exit when you're finished.
To view only those posts, go to your Feed, click Feeds in the left menu, then click Favorites. Click All to see everything again. If you only want a break, the help article on unfollowing also mentions that you can snooze a person, Page or group for a while.
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How to unfollow someone on Facebook
If your Feed gets noisy, unfollowing is gentler than removing a friend. According to the help article, you stay friends with the person, but their posts stop appearing in your Feed. It doesn't say whether the person is told, so don't assume either way.
- From a post in your Feed: click the three-dot Options icon and select Unfollow with their name.
- From a profile: go to it, click Following, then Unfollow.
- From a Page: click Following, then Unfollow, then Update to confirm.
- From a group: click Joined, then Unfollow group.
If the problem is more than noise, my guide to unblocking someone on Facebook covers the other end of the spectrum, and Facebook's reporting tools are there if anyone is harassing you. If you're ever in danger, contact the police.
Changing who can see who you follow on Facebook
On a computer, help gives these steps: select your profile picture, choose Settings and privacy, then Settings. In the left panel, find Followers and public content under Audience and visibility, and choose the audience next to the setting that asks who can see the people and Pages you follow. The article doesn't list the audience names, so look at the choices on your screen. It also doesn't cover the phone app, so menus there may be arranged differently.
Following someone on Facebook: the short version
| Question | What Facebook Help says |
|---|---|
| How do I follow? | Search, open the profile or Page, click Follow |
| Do friends follow each other? | Yes, automatically |
| Can they see I follow? | Yes, the people and Pages you follow can see it |
| How do I put them first? | Add them to Favorites, up to 30 friends and Pages |
| How do I stop? | Options on a post, or Following then Unfollow |
Frequently asked questions
How do I follow someone on Facebook?
Use the search icon, enter their name, open their profile and click Follow. Facebook's help says the same steps apply to Pages, and menus vary by app version.
Can the person see that I follow them?
Yes. Facebook's help says the people and Pages you follow can see that you're following them.
Why can't I follow someone on Facebook?
Facebook's help says you can follow people who aren't your friends only if they allow others to follow them. If you can't see Follow, a friend request is the usual route.
Does following someone make us friends?
No. Friends follow each other automatically, but following by itself is one-way and doesn't make you friends.
How do I stop seeing someone's posts without unfriending?
Unfollow them from a post's Options menu or from their profile by clicking Following, then Unfollow. You stay friends, and you can also snooze them for a while.
How many Favorites can I choose?
Facebook's help says you can select up to 30 friends and Pages. Groups can't be added.
