To make a Facebook profile private, you need to adjust the privacy settings by following these steps:
- Log into Facebook on the website (desktop version).
- Click your profile picture at the top-right corner and select "Settings & Privacy," then "Settings."
- In the left sidebar, click "Privacy" to open the Privacy Settings and Tools page.
- Adjust the following settings to increase privacy:
- Set "Who can see your future posts?" to "Friends" or "Only me" for maximum privacy.
- Limit who can see the people, Pages, and lists you follow.
- Review and limit the audience for past posts.
- Under "How People Find and Contact You," limit who can send friend requests (e.g., to "Friends of Friends").
- Hide your friends list by setting "Who can see your friends list?" to "Only me" or "Friends."
- Prevent search engines outside of Facebook from linking to your profile.
- Use the "Privacy Checkup" feature from the "Settings & Privacy" menu for a guided privacy review.
- On mobile, similar privacy settings can be found in the Facebook app via "Settings & Privacy."
For more complete privacy, set as many options as possible to "Only me." Note that Facebook Pages cannot be made private; only Groups have privacy settings. Additionally, using a VPN can help hide your Facebook usage from ISPs and network administrators for privacy beyond Facebook settings. This approach will ensure that your Facebook profile and content are as private as possible to other users on the platform and external search engines.
