Delete a contact by opening their profile and removing the connection

To delete a contact from Facebook, open their profile, tap or click the three-dot menu icon, and select "Unfriend" or "Remove Friend". The person will no longer appear in your friends list, and you will not see their posts in your feed. They will not receive a notification that you unfriended them, but they can discover it if they visit your profile or search for you.

The steps differ slightly between Facebook's website and mobile app, but the result is the same. On either platform, the three-dot menu is the fastest route to remove someone without leaving a message or explanation.

Key Takeaways

  • Unfriending someone removes them from your friends list and hides their posts from your feed, but does not delete messages you have already exchanged.
  • The person you unfriend will not get a notification, but they can see you are no longer friends if they visit your profile.
  • On the Facebook website, open the person's profile, click the three-dot menu, and select "Unfriend".
  • On the Facebook mobile app, tap the three-dot menu on their profile and choose "Unfriend" from the menu that appears.
  • If you want to hide someone's posts without unfriending them, you can mute or unfollow them instead.

Delete a contact on Facebook's website

Go to the person's Facebook profile by searching for their name or clicking their name from a comment or post. Once you are on their profile page, look for the three-dot menu icon in the upper right area of their profile header, near the "Message" button.

Click the three-dot menu. A dropdown list will appear with several options. Select "Unfriend" from the list. Facebook will remove them from your friends list immediately. You can verify this by refreshing the page — the "Friends" button will change to "Add Friend".

Delete a contact on the Facebook mobile app

Open the Facebook app and search for the person's name using the search icon at the top of the screen. Tap their profile to open it. At the top of their profile, you will see a three-dot menu icon next to the "Message" button.

Tap the three-dot menu and select "Unfriend" from the options that appear. The app will remove them from your friends list right away. Their profile will now show an "Add Friend" button instead of a "Friends" button.

What happens when you unfriend someone

When you unfriend someone, they disappear from your friends list and their posts stop appearing in your feed. However, unfriending does not delete old messages between you — those remain in your message history unless you delete the conversation separately. The person can still see your public posts and profile information unless you have blocked them or changed your privacy settings.

The unfriended person will not see a notification about being removed. However, if they visit your profile or search for you, they will notice you are no longer listed as a friend. Some people check their friends list regularly and may realize you unfriended them that way.

Mute or unfollow as an alternative to unfriending

If you do not want to see someone's posts but do not want to unfriend them, Facebook offers two other options: muting and unfollowing. Muting hides a person's posts from your feed for 30 days, after which their posts will reappear. Unfollowing removes their posts from your feed permanently, but you remain friends.

To mute someone on the website, click the three-dot menu on one of their posts and select "Mute [Name]". On the mobile app, long-press a post and tap "Mute". To unfollow, use the same menu and select "Unfollow [Name]". Both actions are invisible to the other person.

Block someone instead of unfriending

Blocking is stronger than unfriending. When you block someone, they cannot see your profile, send you messages, or find you in search results. Blocking also unfriends them automatically. If you want to completely cut off contact with someone, blocking is the right choice.

To block someone on the website, open their profile, click the three-dot menu, and select "Block". On the mobile app, tap the three-dot menu and choose "Block". You can unblock them later from your settings if you change your mind, but blocking is the most private way to remove someone from your Facebook presence.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I unfriended them?

They will not receive a notification, but they can learn about they visit your profile or check their friends list. Some people notice right away; others may not realize for weeks or months.

Can I unfriend someone and then friend them again later?

Yes. After you unfriend someone, you can send them a new friend request at any time. They will see the request and can accept or decline it like any other request.

Does unfriending delete our message history?

No. Your past messages remain in your inbox even after you unfriend someone. You can still read old conversations, but you cannot send new messages unless you friend them again or they send you a message first.

What is the difference between unfriending and blocking?

Unfriending removes someone from your friends list but they can still see your public posts and profile. Blocking prevents them from seeing your profile, sending messages, or finding you in search. Blocking is more complete.

Can I undo an unfriend?

You cannot undo an unfriend directly, but you can send the person a new friend request. They will see it as a regular request and can accept or decline. There is no way to restore a friendship without sending a new request.