Delete a contact by unfriending them
To remove someone from your Facebook friends list, find their profile, open the menu next to the "Friends" button, and select "Unfriend." The person will no longer see your posts, and you will no longer see theirs in your feed. They won't receive a notification that you unfriended them, but they may notice if they check your profile and see you're no longer listed as a friend.
On a computer, visit the person's profile page. Hover over or click the "Friends" button (it appears as a blue button with a checkmark). A dropdown menu will appear with the option to unfriend. On a mobile phone, tap the "Friends" button and select "Unfriend" from the menu that appears.
After you unfriend someone, they can still message you unless you also block them. If you want to prevent them from contacting you at all, you will need to block them separately.
Key Takeaways
- Unfriending removes someone from your friends list and stops them from seeing your posts, but they won't get a notification.
- You can unfriend someone by clicking the "Friends" button on their profile and selecting "Unfriend" from the menu.
- Unfriending is different from blocking — unfriended people can still message you unless you block them separately.
- Once you unfriend someone, you can add them back later if you change your mind.
- If you want to hide someone's posts without unfriending them, you can unfollow them instead.
The difference between unfriending, blocking, and unfollowing
Unfriending removes someone from your friends list. They can no longer see posts you mark as "Friends only," but they can still see your public posts and send you messages. This is the most common way to remove a contact.
Blocking is more restrictive. A blocked person cannot see your profile, send you messages, or find you in search. Blocking is useful if you want to cut off all contact with someone. You can block someone without unfriending them first — blocking automatically removes them from your friends list.
Unfollowing keeps someone on your friends list but hides their posts from your feed. You remain friends, but you won't see what they post. This is useful if you want to stay connected without seeing their updates regularly.
How to block someone instead of unfriending
If you want to prevent someone from contacting you or seeing your profile at all, block them instead. On a computer, go to their profile, click the three-dot menu icon, and select "Block." On a mobile phone, tap the three-dot menu and choose "Block."
When you block someone, Facebook removes them from your friends list automatically. They won't be able to find your profile in search, see your posts, or send you messages. They also won't see that you blocked them — they'll just notice they can't find your profile anymore.
You can unblock someone later if you change your mind. Go to Settings, select "Blocking," find the person's name, and click "Unblock."
How to unfollow someone without unfriending
If you want to stay friends with someone but don't want to see their posts, unfollow them instead of unfriending. On a computer, go to their profile and click the "Following" button, then select "Unfollow." On a mobile phone, tap the "Following" button and choose "Unfollow."
When you unfollow someone, they remain your friend and can still see your posts. You just won't see their posts in your feed anymore. This is a quieter way to distance yourself from someone without the awkwardness of unfriending.
What happens after you unfriend someone
After you unfriend someone, they can still see posts you've marked as public. They can also still message you, though your conversation will remain in their message requests if you haven't messaged them before. If you want to prevent messages entirely, you need to block them.
Any shared photos, comments, or tags between you and the unfriended person will remain on Facebook. If you were tagged in a photo together, both of you can still see it. If you want to remove yourself from a photo, you can untag yourself separately.
You can add the person back as a friend later if you change your mind. There's no waiting period — you can send them a friend request immediately after unfriending them.
Removing contacts from your Facebook messenger list
If you want to remove someone from your Messenger contacts without unfriending them on Facebook, you can delete the conversation. On a computer, right-click the conversation and select "Delete." On a mobile phone, swipe left on the conversation (iPhone) or long-press it (Android) and tap "Delete."
Deleting a Messenger conversation removes it from your chat list but doesn't unfriend the person or block them. They can still message you, and the conversation will reappear if they send you a new message. If you want to prevent them from messaging you, you need to block them on Facebook itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know if I unfriend them?
Facebook doesn't send a notification when you unfriend someone, but they may notice if they visit your profile and see you're no longer listed as a friend. Some people check their friends list regularly and will realize you're gone.
Can I unfriend someone and then add them back?
Yes. There's no waiting period after unfriending someone. You can send them a friend request immediately, and they can accept it like any other request. The previous friendship history remains on your profiles.
What's the difference between unfriending and blocking?
Unfriending removes someone from your friends list but they can still see your public posts and message you. Blocking prevents them from seeing your profile, finding you in search, or messaging you at all. Blocking is more complete.
If I unfriend someone, can they still see my old posts?
They can see any posts you marked as public before you unfriended them. They cannot see posts you marked as "Friends only." Going forward, they won't see your new posts unless you mark them as public.
How do I remove someone from Messenger without unfriending them?
Delete the conversation in Messenger by right-clicking it (computer) or swiping left or long-pressing it (mobile) and selecting delete. This removes it from your chat list but doesn't unfriend them or stop them from messaging you.