How to Add Friends on Facebook (Search and Suggestions)

Adding friends is the first thing most people do on Facebook, and it's still how small-business owners build the audience behind their personal profile. There are a few routes, from a simple name search to the suggestions Facebook offers, and they differ a little between phone and computer. I've followed Facebook's Help Centre articles on finding and adding friends, cancelling requests and the reasons you might not be able to add someone. Menus vary by app version, so the wording on your screen may differ slightly.

Add a friend on Facebook by searching for their name on your phone

1. Log in to your Facebook account.
2. Tap Search in the top right of Facebook.
3. Enter your friend's name into the search bar and tap Search.
4. Once you've found them, tap Add friend next to their name.

Facebook's article adds a caution: some people might not have Add friend next to their name, depending on their privacy settings. That's their choice, not a fault with your account.

Add a friend on Facebook from a computer

1. Log in to your Facebook account.
2. Click the search bar in the top left of your screen.
3. Enter your friend's name and click Search.
4. Click Add friend next to their profile picture.

Names are common, so check the details before you send anything. A town, a workplace or a shared friend usually tells you whether you've found the right person.

People You May Know: where Facebook's suggestions come from

Facebook's article on People you may know says suggestions come from things such as:

• Having friends in common.
• Your networks, such as your current town or city, school or work.
• Being in the same Facebook group.
• Being tagged in the same photo or post.
• Contacts that you've uploaded.

To add someone from the suggestions you send them a friend request, the same as from search. If you don't like a suggestion, Facebook says you can remove it, and there's a way to hide the suggestions from your Feed altogether. Facebook also says you can find friends by uploading your contacts from your mobile phone or email accounts.

What happens after you send a Facebook friend request

The request stays pending until the person responds. If they accept, you're friends. Facebook's article lists the common reasons a request doesn't go through, including that they haven't accepted yet, that you may already have sent one, or that the request was deleted. In that case Facebook says you can send them a new request or ask them to send you one.

To check on requests that are still waiting, see my guide to seeing sent friend requests on Facebook, which also covers cancelling them.

Cancel a Facebook friend request you've sent

On the app, Facebook gives these steps:

1. Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook, then tap Friends.
2. Tap See all next to Friend requests.
3. Tap Options in the top right.
4. At the bottom, tap View sent requests and find the request you want to cancel.
5. Tap Cancel below their name.

On a computer, go to your sent requests, or search for the person you sent the request to. Click View sent request in the top left, then click Cancel request. Facebook notes you can't cancel a request that's already been accepted. If that's happened and you've changed your mind, read about unfriending someone on Facebook.

Facebook friend request limits you should know about

Facebook's help page gives two real numbers, so here they are:

• You can have up to 1,000 sent requests waiting for a response. If you send more, the oldest request will be deleted.
• You can have up to 5,000 friends on Facebook. Once you or the person you want to add reaches that limit, Facebook suggests you turn on pro mode, unfriend someone else, or follow them instead if they have following enabled. You won't be able to accept a request from someone who has 5,000 friends.

In practice, that means clearing out old pending requests now and again so your newest ones don't push anything out unexpectedly.

Why you can't add someone as a friend on Facebook

The Help Centre lists these reasons in one article:

• They haven't accepted your request yet, or you're already friends.
• You've already sent a request that's still pending.
• You or they have hit the friend limit.
• One of you has set privacy so that only friends of friends can send requests.
• The request was deleted.
• You've blocked them. You'd need to unblock them first.
• You've been blocked from sending friend requests.

If you've blocked someone and want to reverse it, my guide to blocking someone on Facebook is a good start. And if you'd like to control what others see once you're connected, read about hiding your friends list on Facebook.

Adding friends on Facebook as a business owner

It's tempting to use a personal profile as a sales tool. I'd rather you use it as a place to be a real person and keep selling to your business Page. Accept people you know, say hello, then point them to your Page for the business updates. Anyone who wants to keep up with your posts without being friends can follow you instead, which Facebook describes as seeing your public posts.

Frequently asked questions

How do I add someone as a friend on Facebook?

Search for their name, then tap or click Add friend next to their name or profile picture. They need to accept before you're friends.

Why is there no Add friend button?

Facebook says some people don't show Add friend because of their privacy settings. Other reasons include a pending request, a friend limit, or a block.

How many friend requests can be pending at once?

Facebook says up to 1,000 sent requests can be waiting for a response. If you send more, the oldest request is deleted.

What's the friend limit on Facebook?

Facebook's help page says up to 5,000. Beyond that you can turn on pro mode, unfriend someone, or follow people instead.

How do I cancel a friend request?

On the app, tap Menu, then Friends, then See all next to Friend requests, then Options, View sent requests and Cancel. On a computer, open your sent requests and click Cancel request.