How to Look for People on Facebook Mobile or Desktop

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Find people on FB mobile or web
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If you need to find someone on Facebook, you can use the "Suggestions" feature, search for them manually, or upload your phone contacts. Facebook will usually recommend people based on who you may have friended already. Here's how to find people on Facebook using your iPhone, iPad, Android, or computer.

Quick Steps

  1. Tap ☰ .
  2. Tap Friends .
  3. Tap Suggestions .
  4. Tap Add Friend next to the user.
Section 1 of 7:

Finding New Friends (Mobile)

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  1. Tap the Facebook app icon, which resembles a white "f" on a dark-blue background. This will open the News Feed if you're logged into Facebook.
    • If you aren't logged in, enter the email address and password that you use to log into Facebook.
  2. It's either in the bottom-right corner of the screen (iPhone) or at the top of the screen (Android). A menu will appear.
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  3. You'll see this on the right side of the menu.
  4. This tab is in the upper-left corner of the screen. Doing so will bring up a list of suggested friends.
    • If you don't see this option, you may see it at the bottom of the page, under the People you may know header.
  5. You can tap Add Friend to the right of a person's profile to add them to your friends list, or you can tap a person's profile to view more information about them if their security settings allow for it.
    • If you can't find your friend, see our FAQ section to troubleshoot.
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Section 2 of 7:

Browsing Existing Friends (Mobile)

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  1. Tap the Facebook app icon, which resembles a white "f" on a dark-blue background. This will open the News Feed if you're logged into Facebook.
    • If you aren't logged in, enter the email address and password that you use to log into Facebook.
  2. It's either in the bottom-right corner of the screen (iPhone) or at the top of the screen (Android). A menu will appear.
  3. This option is in the menu.
  4. You can scroll through a list of your current friends here, or you can type a friend's name into the search bar at the top of the page.
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Section 3 of 7:

Finding New Friends (Desktop)

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  1. Open Facebook in your browser. This will open your News Feed if you're logged into Facebook. If you aren't logged in, enter in the upper-right side of the page the email address and password that you use to log into Facebook.
    • You can use Facebook's "Suggestions" feature to find people you may know.
  2. It's a silhouette of two people at the top of the Facebook page. A drop-down menu will appear.
  3. You can find this in the left toolbar, underneath Friend requests .
  4. You can click Add Friend to the right of a person whom you know, or you can click a person's profile to view more information about them if their security settings allow for it.
    • If you can't find your friend, see our FAQ section to troubleshoot.
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Section 4 of 7:

Browsing Existing Friends (Desktop)

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  1. Go to [1] in your browser. This will open your News Feed if you're logged into Facebook.
    • If you aren't logged in, enter in the upper-right side of the page the email address and password that you use to log into Facebook.
  2. It's in the upper-right side of the page. Doing so will open your profile page.
  3. You'll find this option below your profile picture. A list of your friends will open.
  4. You can scroll through the friends listed on this page, or you can type a specific friend's name into the search box to the right of the Friends heading.
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Section 5 of 7:

Searching for a Specific Friend

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  1. Go to the [+ https://www.facebook.com/+ Facebook website] (desktop) or tap the Facebook app icon (mobile). This will open your News Feed if you're logged in.
    • If you aren't logged in, enter the email address and password that you use to log into Facebook before continuing.
  2. It's the text box at the top of the Facebook page.
  3. Enter the name of the person whom you want to find on Facebook.
  4. In the drop-down box that appears below the search bar, click or tap the name that matches the one that you typed in.
  5. It's either at the top of the page (desktop) or in the upper-left corner of the screen (mobile).
  6. You'll see a list of profiles that match the name that you entered; look for your friend here. If you find your friend, you can select their profile picture to view their profile or add them as a friend.
    • You can narrow the results by selecting a filter on the left side of the page (desktop). On mobile, you'll do this by tapping Filters in the upper-left side of the screen and then selecting a filter (e.g., location).
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Section 6 of 7:

Uploading Your Contacts

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  1. This feature can only be enabled using the mobile app. If you aren't already logged into your account, do so now. [2]
  2. This will be at the top-right (Android) or bottom-right (iOS).
  3. You can find this in the menu.
  4. A new page will open.
  5. This is the tile at the top.
  6. You can find this under the Account settings header.
  7. If you have multiple Facebook accounts linked, you'll see them here.
  8. The switch will turn green.
  9. You may need to provide permission to your contacts list. Select Continue or Get Started to proceed.
    • Once your contacts have been synced to Facebook, you should see more friend recommendations.
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Section 7 of 7:

Frequently Asked Questions

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  1. If you can't send someone a friend request on Facebook, you may have already sent a friend request. On the other hand, they may have hit the limit of 5,000 Facebook friends. In this case, they'll need to unfriend someone else before they can add you. The other person may also have disabled friend requests. You'll have to ask them to add you, if this is the case.
  2. To check if the friend requests you've sent are pending, visit the Request page .
  3. To change who can add you on Facebook, you'll need to go into your privacy settings and change your preferences. Do the following:
    • Navigate to Settings & privacy .
    • Select Settings .
    • Select Audience and visibility .
    • Select How people find and contact you .
    • Select Edit next to Who can send you friend requests?
    • Select the drop-down menu and select Everyone or Friends of Friends . [3]
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I find someone via their cellphone number?
    Community Answer
    From a mobile device, you can use the Messenger app to sync all your phone contacts automatically, or manage the list from this page. From the website, log out of Facebook, click "Forgotten account?", and enter the phone number. If the number is linked to a FB account, you'll see the user's name. Cancel the password reset, log in to your account, and enter that name in the search bar exactly as it appears.
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    Not Helpful 12 Helpful 34
  • Question
    On the "Find Friends" page, is it normal for someone to disappear from the list after I send a friend request?
    Community Answer
    This is most likely working as intended, but what you see may depend on your device. You can double-check which friend requests went through on your phone by choosing "Friends > Requests > View Sent Requests." If you're on a computer, use "(People icon) > Find Friends > View Sent Requests."
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
    Yes No
    Not Helpful 3 Helpful 8
  • Question
    How do I find someone on Facebook just knowing the town they live in?
    Community Answer
    Type the town name in the search bar, but do not hit enter. Instead, click the drop-down suggestion that best matches what you're looking for. After the results load, select the People tab to view a list of people with that town listed in their profile.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      • You can sometimes track a person down with a few details. If you know they're friends with your friend, scour your friend's friend list and see if the person is on there. Or if you know their first name and their city or their workplace, try searching those in conjunction.
      • Try to find them on another social media platform first. It may be easier. Once you've found them there you may be able to find them under the same username on Facebook.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.facebook.com
      2. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/help/355489824655936?helpref=faq_content
      3. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/help/217125868312360?helpref=faq_content

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      1. Click the Friends button.
      2. Click Find Friends .
      3. View suggested friends.
      4. Add friends as you find them.

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