What approving a tag means and why you might want to do it
When someone tags you in a Facebook photo, video, or post, that tag creates a link from your profile to theirs and makes the content visible to people who follow you. By default, tags go live immediately — anyone who can see the post will see your name attached to it. Tag approval is a setting that lets you review tags before they appear on your profile, giving you control over what content shows up in your name.
You might want tag approval on if you're concerned about unflattering photos, posts that misrepresent you, or simply want to know what's being shared in your name. Once you turn it on, any tag someone tries to add will sit in a queue until you accept or reject it. This doesn't prevent the original post from existing — it just keeps the tag from linking to your profile.
Key Takeaways
- Tag approval is a setting in your Facebook privacy controls that makes you review tags before they appear on your profile.
- You can turn tag approval on or off in Settings under Privacy, in the section labeled "Who can tag you in posts?"
- Pending tags appear in a notification or in your profile's activity log, and you can accept or reject each one individually.
- Turning on tag approval does not delete existing tags — you'll need to remove those separately if you want them gone.
- Tag approval only controls tags in posts and photos; it does not affect tags in comments or messages.
How to turn on tag approval in your privacy settings
Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner of your screen. Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Privacy. Look for the section labeled Who can tag you in posts? — this is usually near the top of the Privacy page.
Click on that option and you'll see a dropdown menu with choices like "Everyone," "Friends," or "Friends except." Below those options, you'll see a checkbox that says Review tags people add to your own posts before the tags appear on Facebook. Check that box. Once you do, any new tags will require your approval before they show on your profile.
The setting takes effect immediately. Tags added after you turn it on will go into a queue; tags that were already on your profile before you turned it on will stay visible unless you remove them yourself.
Where to find and respond to pending tags
When someone tags you in a post or photo after you've turned on approval, you'll get a notification. Click that notification to see the tag and decide whether to accept or reject it. You can also find pending tags by going to your profile, clicking the three dots next to your name, and selecting Activity log. Look for the section labeled Pending or Awaiting approval.
For each pending tag, you'll see a preview of the post or photo. Click Approve to let the tag go live on your profile, or Reject to remove it. If you reject a tag, the original post still exists — the person who posted it can still see it — but your name won't be linked to it on your profile.
Removing tags that were already on your profile
If you had tag approval turned off before and want to remove tags that are already live on your profile, you'll need to do that separately. Go to the post or photo where you're tagged, click the three dots in the corner, and select Remove tag. The post stays up, but your name is no longer attached to it.
You can also find all posts you're tagged in by going to your profile, clicking the three dots next to your name, and selecting Activity log. Filter by Posts you're tagged in to see them all in one place. From there, you can remove tags one at a time.
What tag approval does and doesn't control
Tag approval only affects tags in posts and photos — the kind that link to your profile and show up in your timeline. It does not control tags in comments, messages, or stories. If someone tags you in a comment on someone else's post, that tag will still appear without your approval, though you can remove it afterward.
Tag approval also doesn't prevent someone from posting about you or mentioning your name in text. It only controls the formal tag feature that creates a link. If you want to control who can post on your timeline or message you, those are separate privacy settings you can adjust in the same Privacy menu.
Why someone's tag might not show up even after you approve it
If you approve a tag but it doesn't appear on your profile, the most common reason is that the original post has privacy settings that exclude you or your friends. For example, if someone posts something visible only to a specific group and you're not in that group, the tag won't show on your profile even after approval. The tag exists, but Facebook doesn't display it to you because you can't see the post itself.
Another possibility is that the person who posted it has since deleted the post or changed its privacy settings. Once you approve a tag, you can't control what happens to the original post — only the person who created it can do that.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I approve tags for only certain people?
No. Tag approval is an all-or-nothing setting — once you turn it on, every tag from anyone goes into your approval queue. You can't set it to approve only tags from friends or reject tags from specific people. You review each tag individually as it comes in.
What happens if I reject a tag?
The original post stays on Facebook and the person who posted it can still see it. Your name is simply not linked to it, and it won't appear on your profile or in your timeline. The person who posted it will not get a notification that you rejected the tag.
Does turning on tag approval remove tags that are already on my profile?
No. Turning on tag approval only affects new tags going forward. Tags that were already on your profile before you turned it on will stay visible unless you manually remove them. You can remove old tags by clicking the three dots on the post and selecting "Remove tag."
Can I turn off tag approval for specific posts?
No. Tag approval is a profile-wide setting that applies to all posts and photos. Once it's on, all new tags require approval. You can't turn it off for just one post or one person.
Will the person who tagged me know if I reject their tag?
No. They won't receive a notification that you rejected the tag. They might notice over time that the tag didn't appear on your profile, but Facebook doesn't send them a message about the rejection.