You can cancel a friend request you sent before the other person accepts it

If you sent a friend request and changed your mind, you can take it back before the person responds. Facebook lets you remove the request from your end, and the other person will no longer see it in their notifications. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're using Facebook on a computer or a phone.

Once someone accepts your request, you can't "cancel" it the same way — at that point, you're already friends. If you want to undo that, you'd need to unfriend them instead, which is a different action. But if the request is still pending (meaning they haven't accepted or declined yet), you can remove it in seconds.

Key Takeaways

  • You can only cancel a friend request while it's still pending — once someone accepts it, you're friends and need to unfriend them instead.
  • On a computer, go to the person's profile, click the "Cancel request" button next to their name, and confirm.
  • On an iPhone or Android phone, open their profile, tap the "Cancel request" button, and confirm the action.
  • The other person won't receive a notification that you cancelled the request, but they also won't see your request in their inbox anymore.
  • If you cancel a request and later want to send one again, you can do so immediately — there's no waiting period.

How to cancel a friend request on a computer

Open Facebook in your web browser and search for the person's name using the search bar at the top of the page. Click on their profile to open it.

Look for a button near the top of their profile that says "Cancel request" or shows a checkmark with "Friend request pending." Click that button. A small menu may appear asking you to confirm — select the option to cancel or remove the request. The button will change back to "Add Friend" once the request is cancelled.

How to cancel a friend request on your phone

Open the Facebook app on your iPhone or Android phone. Use the search icon (usually a magnifying glass) to find the person's name and tap on their profile.

At the top of their profile, you'll see a button that says "Cancel request" or shows a pending status. Tap that button. A confirmation prompt will appear — tap to confirm that you want to cancel the request. The button will then change back to "Add Friend."

What happens after you cancel a request

Once you cancel, the request disappears from the other person's friend requests list. They won't receive a notification saying you cancelled it — the request simply vanishes from their inbox as if it was never sent. You won't see any confirmation message on your end either, but the button on their profile will revert to "Add Friend," which confirms the cancellation worked.

If you change your mind later, you can send a new friend request to the same person right away. There's no cooldown period or penalty for cancelling and resending requests.

The difference between cancelling and unfriending

Cancelling a request and unfriending are two separate actions. You cancel a request when it's still pending — before the person has accepted. Unfriending happens after someone has already accepted your request and you're officially friends.

If you want to remove someone who already accepted your request, you need to unfriend them instead. To do this, go to their profile, click the "Friends" button, and select "Unfriend." Unlike cancelling a request, unfriending can sometimes trigger a notification to the other person, depending on their privacy settings, though Facebook doesn't always make this obvious.

If the person already accepted your request

If the person accepted your friend request before you tried to cancel it, the "Cancel request" button will no longer appear. Instead, you'll see a "Friends" button or a checkmark. At this point, you're already connected as friends on Facebook.

If you no longer want to be friends with this person, you'll need to unfriend them. Open their profile, click the "Friends" button near the top, and select "Unfriend" from the menu. This removes the friendship connection, though the other person may notice you're no longer on their friends list.

Common mistakes to avoid

The most common mistake is waiting too long to cancel. If the other person accepts the request before you cancel it, you'll have to unfriend them instead, which is more noticeable. Check your sent requests regularly if you're unsure whether someone has responded.

Another mistake is confusing the "Cancel request" button with the "Unfriend" button. Make sure you're looking at the right button for your situation. If you see "Friends" or a checkmark, the request was already accepted and you're dealing with an active friendship, not a pending request.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I cancelled my friend request?

No. Facebook doesn't send a notification when you cancel a request. The request simply disappears from their inbox, and they won't see any message about it. If they check their pending requests list, they'll notice your request is gone, but they won't receive an alert.

Can I cancel a friend request if the person already declined it?

If someone declined your request, there's nothing to cancel — the request is already gone. You can send a new request whenever you want, but there's no "cancel" action needed for a declined request.

What if I can't find the "Cancel request" button?

If you don't see a "Cancel request" button, the person may have already accepted your request, or they may have declined it. Check whether you see a "Friends" button instead, which means they accepted. If you see "Add Friend," they either declined or the request expired.

How long does a friend request stay pending before it expires?

Facebook doesn't have a set expiration date for friend requests. A request can stay pending indefinitely until the person accepts it, declines it, or you cancel it. Some people may never respond to requests, so if you want to remove it, you'll need to cancel it manually.

Can I cancel multiple friend requests at once?

Facebook doesn't have a bulk cancel feature. You'll need to cancel each request individually by visiting the person's profile and clicking the "Cancel request" button. If you sent many requests, this takes a few minutes but can be done on any device.