- What the Acquaintances list is
- Why people use it
- How to use Acquaintances with post audiences
- How to add someone to Acquaintances
- Acquaintances versus Restricted
- Does it affect what you see from them?
- Other friend lists worth knowing
- A simple set-up for mixed friends lists
- Should you bother with friend lists?
- My verdict
- Frequently asked questions
On Facebook, Acquaintances is a friend list for people you don't need to stay in close touch with, in Facebook's own words. Adding someone to it doesn't unfriend them or tell them. It's mainly useful with post audiences, so you can share with friends while leaving acquaintances out.
Acquaintances is one of Facebook's quieter features: a list for the colleague you met once, the old school friend you rarely speak to, or the parent from the school gate. It doesn't change your friendship, and nobody is told you've put them there. What it does is give you a way to share some posts more narrowly. Here's what it means and how to use it well, without upsetting anyone.
What the Acquaintances list is
Facebook describes Acquaintances as a list for friends you don't need to stay in close touch with on Facebook. It's one of several friend lists Facebook offers to organise your connections, alongside lists you create yourself.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Does it unfriend them? | No, they stay your friend |
| Are they told? | Facebook doesn't describe notifying them |
| What's it for? | Organising friends and limiting who sees some posts |
| Is it the same as restricting? | No, Restricted is a separate list with different effects |
Why people use it
- To share personal posts with close friends while leaving out work contacts.
- To keep a mental map of who's who as your friends list grows.
- To avoid unfriending someone you'd rather keep, while sharing less with them.
How to use Acquaintances with post audiences
The list becomes useful when you choose who can see a post. Facebook lets you pick an audience each time you share. With friend lists in place, you can share with friends except your acquaintances, or with a custom list, so a family photo doesn't land in a client's feed.
- Start a new post.
- Tap the audience selector under your name.
- Choose an option that leaves out your Acquaintances list, or a custom list.
- Post as normal.
How to add someone to Acquaintances
Facebook's help covers creating and managing friend lists. In general, you go to the person's profile, open the friends options and choose to add them to a list, or manage your lists from the Friends area. Menus move around between app versions, so if you can't find the option on your phone, try Facebook on a computer, where friend lists are easier to manage.
Acquaintances versus Restricted
These two get confused. Acquaintances is about organising and choosing audiences. Restricted is a separate list designed for people you're friends with but want to see only your public posts. If your aim is to limit someone sharply, restricting them is the stronger tool; if you just want some breathing room, Acquaintances is gentler.
Does it affect what you see from them?
Facebook describes Acquaintances in terms of friends you don't need to stay in close touch with. If you want to see less of someone in your own feed, the clearer tools are unfollowing or snoozing them, which change your feed directly without touching the friendship.
Other friend lists worth knowing
Acquaintances is one list among several. Facebook also lets you create your own lists to organise friends, which is handy if you want to share with a specific group, such as family, a sports team or a local business network, rather than leaving people out. A custom list works the other way round from Acquaintances: instead of excluding a group, you share only with them.
A simple set-up for mixed friends lists
- Put people you rarely talk to into Acquaintances.
- Create a custom list for close family or close friends.
- Use Friends except acquaintances for everyday personal posts.
- Use your custom list for the most personal updates.
- Keep business news public, so customers can see it.
Set it up once and it saves you thinking about audiences every time you post, while keeping personal and professional sides of your Facebook life separate. You can adjust the lists any time as people move closer or drift away.
Should you bother with friend lists?
If you only ever post publicly, or only to friends you're all close to, you can ignore Acquaintances entirely. It earns its keep when your friends list mixes family, clients, colleagues and people you barely know. For business owners who've accepted friend requests from customers, it's a quiet way to keep personal posts personal.
For stronger controls, see my guides to restricting someone on Facebook and what follow means on Facebook, which covers how following differs from friendship.
My verdict
Acquaintances is a friend list for people you aren't close to. It doesn't unfriend anyone or notify them, and its real use is picking post audiences so personal posts skip people you barely know. If you need a firmer boundary, use Restricted instead.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Acquaintances mean on Facebook?
It's a friend list for people you don't need to stay in close touch with, according to Facebook.
Does adding someone to Acquaintances unfriend them?
No. They stay your friend.
Will someone know I added them to Acquaintances?
Facebook doesn't describe notifying people when you add them to a list.
How do I hide a post from Acquaintances?
When posting, use the audience selector to choose an option that leaves out your Acquaintances list.
Is Acquaintances the same as Restricted?
No. Restricted is a separate list for people who should only see your public posts.
How do I see less of someone in my feed?
Unfollow or snooze them, which changes your feed without affecting the friendship.
Can I make my own friend lists on Facebook?
Yes. Facebook lets you create lists to organise friends and share posts with specific groups.
Can I remove someone from Acquaintances?
Yes. Update your friend lists from the Friends area or their profile, and they go back to being a regular friend in your lists.
Where do I manage friend lists?
From the Friends area or a friend's profile options. A computer is often easier than the app.
