You can delete a friend request you sent, and the other person won't be notified

If you sent someone a friend request and want to take it back, Facebook lets you cancel it in a few taps. The person won't get a notification that you deleted it — they'll simply see that the request is no longer pending. This is useful if you sent a request by mistake, changed your mind about connecting with someone, or want to try again later without the awkwardness of them seeing an old request still sitting there.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're on a phone or computer, but the process takes less than a minute either way.

Key Takeaways

  • You can cancel any friend request you sent by visiting the person's profile and clicking the pending request button.
  • The other person will not receive a notification when you delete your friend request.
  • On mobile, look for "Friend Request Sent" or a checkmark icon on their profile; on desktop, the button appears near their name at the top of their profile.
  • Once you delete a request, you can send a new one anytime — there's no waiting period or limit on how many times you can do this.
  • Deleting a request is different from unfriending someone; unfriending removes an existing connection, while deleting a request cancels a pending one.

How to delete a friend request on your phone

Open the Facebook app and search for the person's name or navigate to their profile. Once you're on their profile, look for a button that says "Friend Request Sent" or shows a checkmark icon — this button is usually near the top of their profile, sometimes next to a message button.

Tap that button. A small menu will appear with the option to "Cancel Request" or "Remove Request." Tap it, and the request is deleted. The person's profile will now show an "Add Friend" button instead, as if you'd never sent a request at all.

How to delete a friend request on a computer

Go to Facebook.com and search for the person's name in the search bar at the top. Click on their profile to open it. Near the top of their profile, you'll see a button that says "Friend Request Sent" — it may also show a checkmark icon or a small arrow next to it.

Click that button. A dropdown menu will appear with the option to "Cancel Request." Click it, and the request is removed. Their profile will now show an "Add Friend" button.

What happens after you delete a request

Once you delete a friend request, there is no record of it on the other person's account. They won't see a notification, and they won't see the request in their pending list. If they visit your profile, they'll see an "Add Friend" button, just as they would if you'd never sent a request.

You can send a new request to the same person anytime you want. There's no cooldown period or limit on how many times you can send and delete requests to the same person, though sending multiple requests in a short time might look unusual to them if they notice.

The difference between deleting a request and unfriending

Deleting a friend request cancels a request that hasn't been accepted yet. Unfriending is different — it removes someone you're already connected with as a friend. If you're already friends with someone and want to remove them, you'll use the unfriend option instead, which does send them a notification in some cases (they may notice you're no longer on their friends list).

If you sent a request and the person accepted it, you're now friends. To remove them, you'd need to unfriend them, not delete a request. You can unfriend someone by visiting their profile, clicking the "Friends" button, and selecting "Unfriend."

Why you might want to delete a friend request

Common reasons include sending a request to the wrong person, deciding you don't want to connect with someone after all, or wanting to clear out old pending requests before sending a new one. Some people delete requests if they realize they don't actually know the person well enough, or if they sent a request during a moment they now regret.

There's no penalty for deleting requests, and the other person won't know you did it. If you change your mind later, you can always send another request.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I deleted my friend request?

No. Facebook does not notify people when you delete a friend request you sent. They simply won't see the request in their pending list, and they won't receive any message about it.

Can I delete a friend request someone sent to me?

Yes, but it works differently. To decline a request someone sent you, go to your friend requests (the icon at the top of Facebook), find their request, and click "Decline" or the X button. This removes the request from your list without accepting them as a friend.

What if I delete a request and want to send one again?

You can send a new request immediately. Visit their profile and click "Add Friend." There's no waiting period between deleting a request and sending a new one.

Does deleting a request affect my friendship with someone?

Only if you're already friends with them. Deleting a pending request has no effect on existing friendships. If you want to remove an actual friend, you need to unfriend them, which is a separate action.

Can I see a list of all the friend requests I've sent?

Facebook doesn't show you a dedicated list of requests you've sent. You can only manage them by visiting each person's profile individually. If you want to keep track, you might note the names somewhere or visit their profiles periodically to see if the request is still pending.