To turn on professional mode, which Facebook calls pro mode, open your profile from the menu at the top right, select the Options button under your cover photo, choose the option to turn on pro mode and confirm with Turn on. It adds professional tools and insights to the profile you already have, it doesn't create a new one, and it sets your Who can follow me preference to Public.
Switching it on is the easy part. Switching it off later is where people get caught, because Facebook's pro mode help page says that when you turn it off, you lose any followers who aren't your friends. So treat the on switch as a decision about who can see you, not just a new set of tools.
Here's exactly what changes in each direction, so you can decide before you tap.
What changes when pro mode is on, and what you lose when it's off
Everything in this table comes from Facebook's own help page on turning pro mode on or off for your profile.
| Pro mode on | Pro mode switched off again | |
|---|---|---|
| Your profile | Professional tools are added to your existing profile; no new profile is created | Same profile, the tools go away |
| Friends and profile content | Don't change | Stay as they are |
| Followers | Who can follow me is set to Public (you can change it in settings) | Who can follow me is set to Friends, and you lose any followers who aren't your friends |
| Insights | You can view content and audience insights | Existing content and audience insights won't be available |
| Safety | Enhanced safety features | You lose the enhanced safety features |
| Reach | Your content becomes eligible for discovery opportunities | You lose that eligibility |
| Money (if eligible) | Access to monetisation products | Pending payouts or bonuses are still paid; future bonuses and payouts are paused |
| Content protection | You can protect your original content | If you use content protection, it's removed, including protected content that has an ownership issue |
The good news sits in the top two rows. Your friends list and everything you've posted stay exactly as they are, whichever way you switch. You can keep the personal, friends and family side of Facebook in the same place as your professional presence.
How to turn on professional mode
These are the steps from Facebook's help page on pro mode:
- Open your profile from the menu at the top right.
- Select the Options button under your cover photo.
- Choose the option to turn on pro mode.
- Confirm by selecting Turn on and complete the flow.
Facebook says you can turn pro mode on or off at any time, so this isn't a one way door. It's the switching off that has consequences, as the table above shows.
Once it's on, check two things straight away. First, your Who can follow me setting, because it will now say Public; if that's not what you want, you can change it in settings. Second, the new insights, which show how your content and audience are doing.
Who is pro mode for?
Facebook describes pro mode as a way to build your professional presence from your Facebook profile, with access to monetisation products if you're eligible. In plain terms, it suits you if:
- You post publicly about your work, your expertise or your business, and you'd like people who aren't your friends to follow you.
- You want to see insights on your content and audience without setting up anything separate.
- You'd like your posts to be eligible for discovery, so new people can come across them.
- You're a creator who may qualify for Facebook's monetisation products.
It's probably not for you if your profile is purely for friends and family and you'd rather it stayed that way. If you've already set up something similar on Instagram, my guide on switching to a professional account on Instagram covers that side.
Thinking of turning it off later?
Read the right hand column of the table again first. The follower loss is the big one: anyone who followed you without being your friend is gone, and Facebook's page says the way to allow public followers again is to turn pro mode back on. Your insights history won't be available either, and if you earn through Facebook, future bonuses and payouts are paused.
Want AI doing the heavy lifting in your marketing?
I build the systems that handle the boring 80 percent, so you get your week back. Done properly, with the human kept in.
If you do decide it's not working, my guide to turning off professional mode on Facebook walks through the switch back.
My advice
If you use Facebook for your business or to share what you know, turn pro mode on. You keep your friends and your posts, you get insights you didn't have before, and your content becomes eligible for discovery. The cost is that your profile opens up to public followers, so give your profile a quick look first and make sure it's something you're happy for strangers to see. And once you've built a following, think hard before switching it off, because the people who followed you without being your friends don't come with you. If you're hoping it'll become an income stream, set expectations by looking at what Facebook Reels earnings look like in one market, and treat the money as a bonus on top of the visibility.
Frequently asked questions
Is professional mode the same as pro mode on Facebook?
Yes. Many people call it professional mode, and Facebook's help pages call it pro mode. It adds professional tools and insights to your existing profile.
Does pro mode create a new Facebook profile?
No. Facebook says the tools are added to your existing profile experience and you don't create a new profile.
Will my friends see any change when I turn on pro mode?
Your friends and profile content don't change. The main difference is that your Who can follow me preference is set to Public, which you can change in settings.
Can I turn pro mode off again?
Yes, at any time. But you'll lose any followers who aren't your friends, your existing insights won't be available, and future bonuses and payouts are paused if you were eligible.
Do I get paid just for turning on pro mode?
No. Facebook says that if you're eligible, you can access monetisation products. Turning it on gives access to the tools; earning depends on eligibility.
How do I turn on pro mode on Facebook?
Open your profile from the menu at the top right, select the Options button under your cover photo, choose the option to turn on pro mode, then confirm by selecting Turn on and complete the flow.
