Facebook is one of the biggest social media platforms, with almost 3 billion users worldwide. Everyone uses Facebook to stay in touch with friends, colleagues, and family members. You can easily make new friends on Facebook by sending them friend requests. Once they accept your friend request, you will both become Friends on Facebook.
But, have you ever scrolled through your Facebook feed and noticed you have a ton of mutual friends with someone you barely know or just met? It can feel a little awkward or even creepy.
Unfortunately, Facebook does not allow you to hide your list of mutual friends completely. But, you can hide your entire friends list and ask your friends to do the same, which will hide your mutual friends. This is the only way.
In this quick guide, you will learn how Facebook users can conceal those mutual connections on their profile and feed. Whether you want more privacy online or find all those shared friends uncomfortable, you’ll learn how to adjust those mutual friend settings in no time.
What are Mutual Friends on Facebook?
On Facebook, mutual friends are people who are friends with both you and another person (Friends of friends). When you connect with someone new on Facebook, the site shows you any mutual friends you have in common to help establish a connection.
Facebook determines mutual friends by analyzing your friend lists and the friend lists of others. If someone else is friends with someone on your friends list, they become mutual friends. These mutual connections are one way Facebook recommends new friends and helps people connect.
Why do People Hide Their Mutual Friends on Facebook?
Have you ever wondered why some friends hide their mutual friends list on Facebook? There are a few common reasons why people choose to hide this information.
First off, privacy concerns. Some people just value their privacy and don’t want everyone to know who they’re connected with. Hiding your mutual friend’s list means nosy acquaintances can’t snoop through your friend list and see all your connections.
Another reason is managing different social circles. We all have friends from different areas of our lives – high school, college, work, family members, etc. By hiding mutual friends, you can avoid the awkwardness that may come from friends in different circles connecting or comparing notes about you.
Finally, old connections. Some mutual friends may be people you were once close with but have since drifted apart from. Rather than defriending them entirely, hiding the connection allows you to maintain the friendship without it being prominently displayed.
Out of sight, out of mind – right? At the end of the day, your social connections are personal. Hiding mutual friends on Facebook gives you more control over who can see your digital relationships. Whatever your reasons, adjusting your privacy settings to hide mutual friends is quick and easy to do.
How To Hide Mutual Friends on Facebook on Android and iOS
Whether you are using Facebook on an Android device or an iOS device, hiding mutual friends on both types of mobile devices is the same. The only difference is how you access your Facebook settings menu. Follow the below easy steps to hide your mutual friends on the Facebook mobile app :
- Open Facebook on your mobile device and log into your Facebook account if you have not already logged in.
- Once you are on your newsfeed, use one of the below depending on the device on which you are using the Facebook App :
- For Andriod users: Tap on the three horizontal lines in the Top right corner of the screen.
- For iOS users: Tap on the “Menu” icon, which has your profile picture in the bottom right corner of the screen.
- For Andriod users: Tap on the three horizontal lines in the Top right corner of the screen.
- Scroll down to find and tap on “Settings & privacy”, which will expand the menu.
- Tap on “Settings”.
- Scroll down and Tap on “How people can find and contact you”, which is under the “Audience and visibility” section.
- You will see a list of questions, and among them, you will see “Who can see your friends list?”.
- Tap on “Public”, in the “Choose audience” pop-up, which is the default setting next to “Who can see your friends list?” and then select “Only me”.
- Now ask your friends to do the same to restrict others from seeing your Mutual friends.
How To Hide Mutual Friends on Facebook Using Web Browser
If you are using Facebook using the web browser on your laptop or desktop or any other device with a web browser and want to hide your mutual friends, Just follow the simple steps below:
- Login to your Facebook account if you are not already logged in.
- Click on your Profile picture at the top right corner of the page, which will show you a drop-down menu.
- Click on “Settings & privacy” and the menu will swap with another menu.
- Click on “Privacy center”.
- Once you are in the “Privacy center”, Click on “Settings” and the menu will expand.
- Click on “Facebook settings”.
- Facebook will then show you a pop-up that says, “Review your privacy settings on Facebook – Choose a profile to make changes.” under which you can select which Facebook profile’s account settings you want to change.
- Click on your Facebook profile to be taken to the Facebook privacy settings for that profile.
- Here, you will see “Who can see your friend list?” under the “How people find and contact you” section.
- You will see it is set to “Public” by default.
- Click on “Public” and you will see a “Select audience” pop up with a list of options.
- Click on “Only me” and then click on the “Save” button.
- Now ask your friends to do the same to restrict others from seeing your Mutual friends.
So there you have it, a simple and easy way to hide mutual friends on Facebook desktop.
How to Hide Mutual Friend List from Specific People
So you don’t want to hide your Facebook friend list from everyone? Maybe it’s just some nosy friends or distant relatives you want to hide it from. Good news – you totally can hide it from specific friends or a particular person on Facebook. Now, I know back in the old Facebook days, this wasn’t an option, but they added it later on for user convenience.
To hide your list from certain people, first follow the above steps we talked about. Once you get to the “Choose audience” section (on mobile) or “Select audience” section (on a web browser), instead of picking “Only Me,” select “Friends except…” Then, you can choose who not to show your list to.
Conclusion
So there you have it – a quick rundown on how to hide your mutual friends on Facebook. While it might take a few extra clicks, following these steps allows you to clean up your Facebook Friends list and take control over who can see your connections. Whether you want to limit an ex from snooping through your network or just declutter your page, hiding mutual friends is an easy option. Don’t forget you can always go back and unhide people later if you change your mind. For now, feel free to experiment and customize your Friends list to suit your needs and don’t forget to check out our other Guides on Facebook Tips & Tricks. Your social media, your rules.