What checking in means and how it works
Checking in on Facebook means posting your location to your timeline so your friends can see where you are. When you check in, Facebook attaches a location tag to your post — it shows the name of the place, the date and time, and appears on your profile alongside your other posts. Your friends see it in their News Feed, and anyone who visits your profile can see your check-in history unless you change your privacy settings.
Facebook stores check-ins as a record on your timeline. They work on both the Facebook website and the Facebook mobile app, though the mobile app makes checking in faster because it can detect your location automatically using your phone's GPS.
Key Takeaways
- Check in on the Facebook app by tapping the camera icon, selecting "Check In", and choosing a location from the list or searching for one.
- On the Facebook website, click "Photo/Video" in the post box, then look for the location option and search for the place you want to tag.
- Your check-ins are visible to whatever audience you set for that post — you can change it to friends only, public, or a custom list before posting.
- You can delete a check-in from your timeline at any time, and you can turn off location services in your phone settings if you do not want Facebook to detect your location automatically.
Checking in on the Facebook mobile app
Open the Facebook app and tap the camera icon at the top left of your screen. This opens the camera and post creation menu. Tap "Check In" from the options that appear — it is usually near the top of the menu alongside options like "Photo" and "Video".
A list of nearby locations appears based on your phone's GPS. You can scroll through the list and tap the place you want to check in to, or use the search box at the top to type in a specific location. Once you select a location, it attaches to your post. You can add text, photos, or tag friends before you post, just as you would with a regular post. Tap "Post" when you are ready to share your check-in.
Checking in on the Facebook website
Go to Facebook.com and find the post creation box at the top of your News Feed or on your profile. Click "Photo/Video" to expand the post options. Below the text box, you should see icons for adding photos, tagging friends, and other features — one of these is a location icon that looks like a pin or map marker. Click it to add a location to your post.
A search box appears where you can type the name of the place you want to check in to. Facebook shows matching locations as you type. Click the one you want, and it attaches to your post. You can then add text or photos and post as normal. The location appears below your name on the finished post.
Controlling who sees your check-ins
Before you post a check-in, look for the audience selector — it is usually a button showing "Friends", "Public", or a custom setting, located near the "Post" button. Click it to change who can see that specific check-in. You can set it to friends only, public, a specific list of people, or exclude certain people.
If you want to change the default audience for all your future posts, go to your Facebook settings. Click the menu icon (three horizontal lines), select "Settings and Privacy", then "Settings". Go to "Privacy" and look for "Who can see your posts?" — change this to your preferred default. Note that this setting applies to all new posts, not just check-ins, so you may still want to adjust individual posts before posting.
Removing a check-in from your timeline
Find the check-in post on your timeline. Click the three dots in the top right corner of the post (on mobile, swipe left on the post first). A menu appears with options including "Delete". Click "Delete" and confirm. The check-in is removed from your timeline and no longer visible to anyone.
Deleting a check-in does not affect the location history Facebook stores about you — it only removes the post from your timeline. If you want to prevent Facebook from tracking your location at all, you can turn off location services in your phone's settings. Go to Settings, find Location or Privacy, and toggle off location access for the Facebook app.
When check-ins do not appear or work
If you do not see the check-in option in the post creation menu, your phone's location services may be turned off. Go to your phone's settings, find Location or Privacy, and make sure location access is enabled for Facebook. On iPhone, go to Settings > Privacy > Location Services and toggle it on, then scroll down and make sure Facebook is set to "While Using" or "Always". On Android, go to Settings > Location and toggle it on.
If nearby locations are not appearing in the list, you may be in an area where Facebook has not mapped many locations, or your GPS signal may be weak. Try searching for the location by name instead of scrolling the list. If the location you want does not exist in Facebook's database, you can still tag it by typing the name in the search box — Facebook will create a new location entry if it does not find a match.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I check in somewhere without posting about it?
No — checking in on Facebook always creates a post on your timeline. If you want to share your location privately with specific people, you can use Facebook Messenger's location sharing feature instead, which does not post to your timeline. Open a conversation, tap the plus icon, and select "Location".
Do my check-ins show my exact address?
No. Check-ins show the name of a business, landmark, or general area — not your street address or exact coordinates. If you check in at a restaurant, it shows the restaurant's name, not your home address. However, if you check in frequently at the same location, someone could infer where you live or work.
Can I check in someone else?
Yes. When you are creating a check-in post, you can tag friends in it the same way you would tag them in a regular post — click the tag icon and select their names. They will be notified that you checked them in, and the check-in appears on their timeline as well.
What happens to my check-ins if I delete my Facebook account?
All your posts, including check-ins, are deleted when you delete your Facebook account. If you deactivate instead of deleting, your posts remain hidden but are not permanently removed — you can reactivate and see them again.