The quickest way to add friends on Letterboxd

To add a friend on Letterboxd, go to their profile page and click the "Follow" button near their username. This is the simplest method and works whether you know their exact username or found them by searching. Once you follow someone, you can see their reviews, ratings, and lists on your feed, and they can see yours if their profile is set to public.

If you want a mutual connection where both of you follow each other, you can also send a friend request through the messaging system. However, the follow feature is what most Letterboxd users rely on — it's faster and doesn't require the other person to accept anything. They'll see that you're following them, and if they follow you back, you're connected.

Key Takeaways

  • The Follow button on someone's profile is the main way to connect with other Letterboxd users, and it takes one click.
  • You can find people to follow by searching their username, browsing your friends' follower lists, or looking at who reviewed movies you like.
  • Following someone lets you see their activity on your feed, but they won't get a notification unless they have notifications turned on.
  • Your own profile can be set to private, which hides your activity from people who follow you, so check your privacy settings if you want to control what others see.

Finding people to follow by searching

Open Letterboxd and use the search bar at the top of the page. Type in the person's username or real name if you know it. The search results will show user profiles, movies, lists, and reviews — look for the profile icon next to the name you're searching for. Click on their profile to open it.

If you're not sure of the exact username, try variations or search for their real name. Many Letterboxd users have usernames that don't match their actual names, so if the first search doesn't work, ask the person directly what their username is. Once you're on their profile, the Follow button appears near the top, usually next to their username and member since date.

Adding friends from your existing connections

If you already follow some people on Letterboxd, you can browse their followers and following lists to find others with similar taste in movies. Open any profile you follow, scroll down, and look for the "Followers" and "Following" sections. Click on either list to see who that person is connected to.

This method is useful because people who follow the same accounts often have overlapping interests. You can also look at who reviewed or rated the same movies you did — Letterboxd shows you other users' reviews on each movie's page. If you see someone whose review you liked, click their name to visit their profile and follow them from there.

Using the messaging feature to send a direct request

Letterboxd has a direct messaging system where you can send a message to another user. To do this, go to their profile and look for a message icon or "Send Message" option. Type your message and send it — this is useful if you want to introduce yourself or ask if they'd like to follow each other back.

Keep in mind that following someone doesn't require their permission, so you don't need to message them first. Messages are most useful if you want to have a conversation about movies or explain why you're interested in following them. The other person will see your message in their inbox, and they can reply or ignore it.

Checking your privacy settings so others can see your activity

By default, Letterboxd profiles are public, which means anyone who follows you can see your reviews, ratings, and lists. If you want people to see your activity when they follow you, make sure your profile isn't set to private. Go to your account settings, find the privacy section, and confirm that your profile visibility is set to public or "viewable by everyone."

If your profile is private, people can still follow you, but they won't see your reviews or activity on their feed. This is useful if you want to keep your movie taste private, but it also means your followers won't get much value from following you. You can change this setting at any time, so test it out and adjust based on what you're comfortable with.

What happens after you follow someone

Once you follow someone, their activity appears on your home feed. You'll see when they rate movies, write reviews, add films to lists, and follow other users. You can interact with their reviews by liking them or leaving comments. If they follow you back, you become mutually connected, and you'll both see each other's activity.

Letterboxd doesn't send notifications every time someone follows you unless you have notifications turned on in your settings. The person you followed will see that you're following them if they visit your profile or check their followers list. There's no way to hide that you're following someone, so only follow accounts you're genuinely interested in.

Unfollowing or blocking if you change your mind

If you follow someone and later decide you don't want to see their activity, you can unfollow them by going back to their profile and clicking the Follow button again — it will change to say "Follow" instead of "Following." Unfollowing is simple and the other person won't be notified that you unfollowed them.

If someone is harassing you or posting content you don't want to see, you can block them instead. Go to their profile, find the three-dot menu or settings icon, and select "Block User." Blocked users can't see your profile, message you, or interact with your reviews. You can unblock them later if you change your mind by going to your account settings and finding your blocked users list.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add someone as a friend if I don't know their username?

If you know their real name, you can search for it in the search bar and look through the results. If you still can't find them, ask them directly for their Letterboxd username — it's the easiest way. You can also check if they've linked their Letterboxd profile on other social media accounts like Twitter or Instagram.

Will someone know if I follow them?

They won't get a notification unless they have notifications turned on in their settings. However, they can see that you're following them if they visit your profile or check their followers list. There's no way to follow someone secretly on Letterboxd.

What's the difference between following and messaging?

Following lets you see someone's activity on your feed without needing their permission. Messaging sends them a direct message that they can read in their inbox. You can do both — follow someone and also send them a message to start a conversation about movies.

Can I see who my friends are following?

Yes. Go to any profile you follow, scroll down to the "Following" section, and click it to see everyone they follow. This is a good way to discover new accounts with similar movie taste.

What happens if someone blocks me?

You won't be able to see their profile, and they won't see yours. You can't follow them, message them, or interact with their reviews. If you think you've been blocked, try searching for their username — if their profile doesn't appear, they may have blocked you or deleted their account.