Restricting someone on Facebook is the quiet move when blocking or unfriending feels too blunt. Facebook's Restricted list works for friends, while Messenger has a separate Restrict control for chats. Start with the option that matches what you want to hide, then use the stronger controls only when you need them.
Put a friend on your Restricted list
Open Facebook and go to the person's profile.
Tap Friends.
Select Edit Friend Lists.
Tap Restricted.
Tap Done.
A Restricted friend can only see posts you share as Public or posts you tag them in, so check the audience selector before posting anything sensitive.
Restrict a friend from a computer
This fixes the same privacy problem on desktop Facebook when the person is already your Facebook friend.
Go to the person's profile on Facebook.com.
Click Friends at the top of their profile.
Select Edit Friend List.
Select Restricted.
Use Take a Break for a softer reset
Take a Break helps when you want to see less of someone and limit what that profile can see from you. Facebook also surfaces it after changing a relationship status to single, divorced, or blank.
Open the person's profile and choose Take a Break, or go straight to facebook.com/take_a_break. In that flow, choose the option that limits what the profile can see, which hides your posts and the posts you are tagged in from them.
Facebook adds that profile to your Restricted list for your posts unless you tag them or share the post as Public. If this method fails, open the person's profile and add them to Restricted directly.
Check your Restricted list
On a computer, log into Facebook and open Friends from the left menu in your Feed. If it is not visible, click See More.
Click Custom Lists, then open Restricted. This is where Facebook shows the people currently on your Restricted list.
To remove someone, click Remove next to their name. To add someone, use that person's profile, then Friends and Edit Friend List.
Restrict someone in Messenger
Messenger restriction is separate from Facebook's Restricted friend list, so use it when the problem is the chat.
- 1.Open the Messenger app.
- 2.Go to Chats.
- 3.On Android, tap and hold the conversation with the person you want to restrict, then tap Restrict.
- 4.On iPhone or iPad, swipe left on that conversation, tap More, then tap Restrict. You can also open the chat, tap the person's name at the top, then tap Restrict.
- 5.To reverse it later, open Menu, then Settings, Privacy & safety, and Restricted accounts, then tap the person and choose Unrestrict.
Hide one post from someone
Use post audience controls when you only want to hide one post instead of changing the friendship or list status.
For an existing post in the Facebook app, go to your profile, scroll to the post, tap the Options menu (the three dots), then tap Edit Privacy and pick the audience you want, such as Friends Except..., Specific, or Only Me. On a computer, go to your profile, scroll to the post, click the audience selector next to the date or time, and choose the new audience there, including Custom to hide the post from specific people.
For a new post, use the audience selector before posting. Choose Friends except... to exclude someone or Specific friends to show the post only to selected people.
If this method fails, add the person to your Restricted list so future friend-only posts stay hidden from them unless you tag them.
Block when restrict is not enough
Blocking applies when you need a harder boundary than restricting. If you block a Facebook profile you are friends with, Facebook also unfriends them.
Open the profile or Page, tap the three dots or More, choose Block, then confirm with Block.
You can also block through settings. Open Settings & privacy, then Settings, then Blocking. Type the person's name, choose Add to blocked list or Block, and confirm.
For Messenger only, open the chat, tap or click the person's name or conversation info, choose Privacy & support, then Block, and select Block messages and calls.
Ignore the Restricted Mode shortcut
The most common cause is that older tips mix up Facebook's Restricted list with a person-level Restricted Mode toggle that Facebook does not offer.
Do not look for a general Restricted Mode switch to restrict one person on Facebook. Use the friend's profile, then Friends, Edit Friend List, and Restricted.
Older paths such as Settings & Privacy, Settings, Blocking, or Manage Blocking are not the current way to add someone to the Restricted list. On desktop, use Friends, Custom Lists, and Restricted to view or remove restricted friends.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will someone know if I restrict them on Facebook?
Facebook does not block or unfriend them when you use the Restricted list. They stay on your friend list, but they only see your Public posts and posts you tag them in.
Can I restrict someone who is not my Facebook friend?
The Facebook Restricted list works for friends. For non-friends, use post audience controls, Messenger controls, blocking, or reporting depending on what you need to stop.
Is restricting on Facebook the same as restricting on Messenger?
No. Facebook's Restricted list limits what a friend can see on your Facebook posts. Messenger's Restrict control affects the chat and is managed separately inside Messenger.
What is the difference between restrict and unfriend?
Restrict keeps the person as a friend while limiting them to Public posts and tagged posts. Unfriend removes friend status, but the person may still see Public content.
