As a group admin, open Manage group, then Group settings, and tap Who is pre-approved to join under Membership. Tap Add next to the groups whose members you trust. Anyone already in those groups then has their join request approved automatically, which saves you working through each request by hand.
Running more than one group often means the same faces turn up in each. Pre-approval lets you say, once, that people you've already let into one of your groups don't need checking again, and only admins can set it up.
Which automatic approval route suits you
There are three ways to stop approving every request yourself. They solve slightly different problems, so pick the one that matches where your members come from.
| Route | What it does | Suits you if |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-approve your other groups | Members of the groups you add are approved automatically when they ask to join. | You run several groups with overlapping audiences. |
| Upload a file of emails | Pre-approves people from a list of email addresses. Done from Facebook on a computer, not the phone app. | You already have a list, such as customers or a class. |
| Admin Assist | Approves or declines membership automatically, based on criteria you set. | Requests come from strangers and you want rules to sort them. |
Adding a trusted group on your iPhone
- Tap Menu in the top left of Facebook, then Groups, then Your groups, and select your group. If you can't see Groups, tap See more.
- Tap Manage group in the top right.
- Scroll down to Settings and tap Group settings.
- Below Membership, tap Who is pre-approved to join.
- Tap Add next to each group whose members you want approved automatically.
Facebook's help centre describes the automatic approval for a private group with limited membership turned on: a pre-approved person who asks to join is let straight in.
Taking a group off the list
Trust can change. If a group you added has grown in a direction you're not comfortable with, go back to Who is pre-approved to join and tap Remove next to it. Its members then go back to asking in the usual way.
Where the email upload and Admin Assist fit
The phone steps above only cover members of your other groups. If you'd rather pre-approve people by email address, you'll need Facebook on a computer for the upload. Admin Assist is the better fit when the people asking to join aren't in any of your groups yet, because it works from the criteria you set instead of from a list.
Whichever route you use, it's worth knowing what new arrivals see before they're fully in, which is explained in what group previewing means for new members.
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.
The short version for busy admins
If you run more than one group, add your most trusted one to Who is pre-approved to join today. It takes a minute and clears a chunk of your request queue. Use the computer upload when you've got an email list, and Admin Assist for strangers. Then spend the time you've saved on the bit that matters, growing the group without ads or fake members.
This guide is part of my Facebook Help: 80 Guides to Pages, Groups, Ads, Stories and Fixes.
Frequently asked questions
Can I remove a group from pre-approval later?
Yes. Tap Remove next to that group in the pre-approval list.
Is there another way to approve members automatically?
Yes. Admin Assist can approve or decline membership based on criteria that you set.
