Where to find your follower count on Facebook
Your follower count appears on your profile page, in the same place whether you use Facebook on a computer or phone. On a computer, go to your profile, look at the cover photo area, and you'll see a row of numbers below your name — one of those numbers is "Followers" with a person icon next to it. Click that number to see the list of people following you.
On a phone, open the Facebook app, tap your profile picture at the bottom right, then tap your name at the top of your profile. Scroll down past your posts until you see a section that says "Followers" — tap it to see the full list. The exact layout changes sometimes as Facebook updates the app, but the followers section is always near the top of your profile information.
If you don't see a followers count at all, your account may be set to private or you may not have enabled the follower feature. Facebook allows you to turn followers on or off in your privacy settings, so if the option is missing, that's why.
Key Takeaways
- Your follower count is displayed on your profile page below your name on desktop, or in the profile section on mobile.
- Clicking the follower number shows you a list of everyone who follows your public posts, even if you haven't added them as friends.
- Followers can see your public posts but cannot see your private messages, friend list, or content you've marked as friends-only.
- You can remove followers one at a time from the followers list, or turn off the follower feature entirely in your privacy settings.
The difference between followers and friends on Facebook
A friend is someone you've mutually added — you see their posts, they see yours (depending on your privacy settings), and you can message each other. A follower is someone who sees your public posts without being your friend. They chose to follow you, but you didn't have to accept anything.
This matters because followers can only see what you've marked as public. If you post something and set it to "Public," followers see it. If you set it to "Friends Only," followers don't. You control what each group sees by changing the privacy setting on individual posts, or by changing your default post privacy in settings.
Some people use followers to share professional updates or public content without adding everyone as a friend. Others don't use the follower feature at all and keep their account friends-only. Neither is better — it depends on what you want your Facebook to do.
How to remove followers you don't want
Open your profile, click or tap the followers number, find the person you want to remove, and look for the three dots or menu icon next to their name. Tap or click that menu and select "Remove Follower." They won't be notified that you removed them, but if they visit your profile later, they'll see they're no longer following you.
Removing a follower does not unfriend them if they're already your friend — it only stops them from seeing your public posts in their feed. If you want to unfriend someone entirely, that's a separate action in your friends list.
You can also prevent someone from following you in the future by blocking them, though that's a stronger action — blocked people can't see your profile, message you, or find you in search. Removing a follower is the gentler option if you just don't want them seeing your posts.
Controlling who can follow you
Go to your settings (the downward arrow or menu icon at the top right of Facebook), select "Settings and Privacy," then "Settings." Look for "Privacy" in the left menu. You'll see an option that says "Who can follow you?" — you can set it to "Everyone," "Friends," or "Friends of Friends."
If you set it to "Friends," only people you've added as friends can follow you. If you set it to "Everyone," anyone can follow your public posts. This setting doesn't change who can already follow you — it only affects new followers going forward. People who are already following you stay followers unless you remove them individually.
You can also turn off followers entirely by going to the same privacy settings and toggling off the "Followers" feature. When followers are off, nobody can follow you, and your profile works like a traditional friends-only account.
What followers can and cannot see
Followers can see any post you mark as public. They cannot see posts marked "Friends Only," "Specific Friends," or "Private." They also cannot see your friend list, your private messages, your photos in albums marked as private, or any information you've hidden from the public in your privacy settings.
If you tag yourself in a location or event, followers can see that. If you comment on a public page or post, followers can see your comment. Basically, anything you've made public is visible to followers — anything you've restricted is not.
This is why checking your privacy settings on individual posts matters. If you post something and forget to change it from "Public" to "Friends Only," followers will see it. You can edit the privacy of old posts by clicking the three dots on the post and selecting "Edit Privacy."
Viewing your follower list on mobile vs. desktop
On desktop, the process is straightforward: profile page, click the followers number, see the list. On mobile, the steps are the same but the buttons are smaller. Some people find it easier to manage followers on a computer because the screen is larger and the menu options are easier to tap accurately.
If you're using the Facebook app on a phone, make sure you're looking at your own profile, not someone else's. Tap your profile picture at the bottom of the screen to make sure you're in the right place. If you're viewing someone else's profile, you'll see their follower count but you won't be able to remove followers or change settings.
The mobile website (facebook.com in a phone browser) works the same as the app, so if one isn't working well for you, try the other. Some people prefer the mobile website because it's less cluttered than the app.
Why your follower count might change
Your follower count goes up when someone new follows you, and down when someone unfollows you or when you remove them. It also goes down if someone deletes their Facebook account — their follow disappears automatically.
Sometimes your follower count changes and you have no idea why. This usually means someone followed you, you didn't notice, and then they unfollowed you later. Or someone's account was deactivated. Facebook doesn't send you a notification every time someone follows or unfollows you, so you won't always know why the number changed.
If your follower count drops suddenly by a lot, it's usually because Facebook removed fake accounts or spam accounts that were following you. This is normal and not a sign that something is wrong with your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see who unfollowed me?
Facebook doesn't show you a list of people who unfollowed you. You can only see your current followers. If you want to know whether a specific person is still following you, visit your followers list and search for their name.
Do followers see my stories?
Only if you set your stories to public. By default, stories are visible to friends only. You can change the privacy of individual stories by tapping the three dots when you're posting, or change your default story privacy in settings.
What happens if I block someone who's following me?
Blocking removes them as a follower and prevents them from seeing your profile, messaging you, or finding you in search. They'll know they're blocked if they try to visit your profile. Removing a follower is less noticeable if you just want them to stop seeing your posts.
Can I make my entire profile private so only friends see it?
Yes. Go to Settings, then Privacy, and set "Who can see your posts?" to "Friends." This makes all your posts friends-only by default. You can still post publicly if you change the privacy on individual posts, but the default will be friends-only.
Do people get notified when I remove them as a follower?
No. They won't receive a notification, but they'll see they're no longer following you if they visit your profile. There's no notification log that tells them you removed them specifically.