What a Private Page Does and Why You Might Want One
A private page on Facebook is a page where you control who can see the content, who can post, and who can find it in search. Unlike your personal profile, a Facebook page is a separate space designed for a business, organization, creator, or community — but you can set the privacy controls so only people you invite can view it at all.
The main reason to create a private page instead of a public one is control. A public page appears in search results and anyone can find it. A private page does not show up in searches, and only people you add as followers or members can see what you post. This works well for small communities, internal team updates, or groups where you want to limit who participates.
Facebook calls this a "private" page, but technically you are creating a standard page and then adjusting its privacy settings. The steps are the same whether you want a public or private page — the difference is in the settings you choose after creation.
Key Takeaways
- Create a new page by going to the menu, selecting "Create" or "Pages," and filling in your page name and category.
- After creation, go to Settings and change the page visibility to "Private" so it does not appear in search results.
- Control who can see posts by adjusting the audience setting for each post, or set a default audience in Settings.
- Add specific people as followers or members so they can see your content and interact with your page.
- A private page still requires you to manage who has admin access and what permissions each person has.
Creating Your New Page
Start by opening Facebook on a computer or the Facebook app on your phone. Look for the menu icon (three horizontal lines on mobile, or a downward arrow on desktop in the top right). Tap or click "Create" and then select "Page."
Facebook will ask you to choose a category for your page — for example, "Community," "Business," "Creator," or "Organization." Pick the one that best matches what your page is for. Then enter the name you want for the page. This name appears at the top of your page and in any search results if the page is public, so choose something clear.
After you enter the name and category, Facebook creates the page and takes you to the page setup screen. You will see options to add a profile picture, a cover photo, and a description. You do not have to fill these in right away — you can do it now or come back later. The important next step is changing the privacy settings.
Changing Your Page to Private
Once your page exists, go to the Settings tab. On a computer, look for "Settings" in the menu at the top of your page. On mobile, tap the three dots (more options) and then "Settings and privacy" or "Settings."
In Settings, look for a section called "Page Visibility" or "Visibility." You will see an option that says something like "Make this page public" or shows the current visibility status. Click or tap on it. Facebook will show you options: "Public" (anyone can find and see it), "Private" (only people you add can see it), or sometimes "Invite Only." Select "Private."
When you change to Private, Facebook may ask you to confirm. It will explain that the page will no longer appear in search results and that only people you invite can see it. Confirm the change. Your page is now private.
Controlling Who Can See Each Post
Even on a private page, you can control the audience for individual posts. When you write a post, before you publish it, look for the audience selector — usually a button that says "Friends," "Public," "Private," or shows an icon like a globe or lock.
Click or tap that button to choose who sees that specific post. Your options usually include "Public" (anyone), "Friends" (your Facebook friends), "Specific people" (you type in names), or "Only me." On a private page, you might also see "Followers" or "Members" as an option if you have set up those groups.
If you want all your posts to default to a certain audience without having to choose each time, go back to Settings and look for "Audience and Visibility" or "Default Post Audience." Set it there, and every new post will use that audience unless you change it for a specific post.
Adding People to Your Private Page
A private page is only useful if people can see it. You add people by inviting them to follow the page or, if you have set up a group-style page, adding them as members.
To invite someone, go to your page and look for an "Invite" button or a section that says "Invite Friends" or "Add Members." Click it and search for the person by name or email. Select them and send the invitation. They will receive a notification and can choose to follow your page or join it.
Alternatively, you can share the page link directly with people via message, email, or another platform. When they click the link, they will see the page and can request to follow it or join. If the page is set to Private, they will need your approval before they can see the content.
Managing Admin Access and Permissions
If you want other people to help you run the page — posting content, responding to messages, or managing settings — you can add them as admins or editors. Go to Settings and look for "Page Roles" or "Admin and Moderator Roles."
Click "Add" and search for the person you want to add. Then choose their role: "Admin" (full control), "Editor" (can post and manage content but not change settings), "Moderator" (can respond to comments and messages), or "Analyst" (can view insights only). Select the role and confirm.
You can change or remove someone's role at any time by going back to Page Roles and clicking the dropdown next to their name. Only you (the page creator) can delete the page or remove yourself as admin, so be careful about who you give admin access to.
Keeping Your Private Page Secure
Because a private page is not searchable, people cannot stumble onto it by accident. However, anyone you add can still share the page link with others, and those people can request access. If you want tighter control, you can review and approve each person who requests to follow the page.
In Settings, look for "Page Moderation" or "Moderation Settings." You can set the page to require your approval before anyone can follow it. You can also block specific people from the page if needed — go to Settings, find "Blocked People and Domains," and add their names.
Regularly check your followers or members list to make sure everyone who has access should have it. You can remove someone by clicking the three dots next to their name and selecting "Remove."
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change a public page to private after I have already created it?
Yes. Go to Settings, find "Page Visibility," and change it from Public to Private. Any posts you have already published will still exist, but they will no longer appear in search results. Only people you have added as followers will see them going forward.
What is the difference between a private page and a Facebook group?
A private page is a one-way broadcast tool — you post content and people follow it. A group is designed for conversation, where members can post, comment, and interact with each other. If you want a community where people talk to each other, a group is better. If you want to control the content and have people follow your updates, a page is better.
If my page is private, can people still message me through it?
Yes. People who follow your private page can send you messages. You can turn off messaging in Settings if you do not want to receive messages, or you can set it so only followers can message you.
Do I need to be friends with someone on Facebook to add them to my private page?
No. You do not need to be friends with someone to invite them to follow your page. You can invite anyone by searching for their name or email address, whether or not you are connected as friends on your personal profile.
What happens if I delete my private page?
All posts, photos, and comments on the page are permanently deleted. Facebook gives you a grace period of a few days where you can cancel the deletion, but after that, the page and all its content are gone. Make sure you want to delete it before you confirm.