You can remove a friend from Facebook in seconds, and they won't get a notification

To delete someone from your Facebook friends list, find their profile, click the three dots next to the "Friends" button, and select "Unfriend" from the menu. The person stays on Facebook — you just stop seeing their posts and they stop seeing yours. Facebook does not send them a notification that you unfriended them, though they may notice if they check your profile or look at their friends list.

The steps are the same whether you're on a computer or phone, though the exact button locations shift slightly between devices. You can unfriend someone whether or not you've had any recent contact with them.

Key Takeaways

  • Unfriending someone removes them from your friends list but does not delete their account or send them a notification.
  • You can unfriend someone by visiting their profile, clicking the three dots next to "Friends", and selecting "Unfriend".
  • After you unfriend someone, you can still message them unless you also block them.
  • If you want to hide someone's posts without removing them as a friend, you can unfollow them instead of unfriending.

How to unfriend someone on a computer

Open Facebook in your web browser and search for the person's name using the search bar at the top of the page. Click on their profile to open it. Look for the button that says "Friends" — it appears near the top of their profile, usually to the right of their cover photo.

Click the three dots next to the "Friends" button. A small menu will appear with several options. Click "Unfriend" from that menu. The person is now removed from your friends list. Their profile will no longer show a "Friends" button next to your name — instead it will show "Add Friend" if you want to reconnect later.

How to unfriend someone on Facebook's mobile app

Open the Facebook app on your phone and search for the person using the search icon at the bottom of the screen. Tap their name to open their profile. Look for the "Friends" button near the top of their profile.

Tap the three dots next to "Friends" — on iPhones this appears as three horizontal lines, and on Android it appears as three vertical dots. Tap "Unfriend" from the menu that appears. The change takes effect immediately.

The difference between unfriending and blocking

Unfriending removes someone from your friends list. They can still see your public posts, visit your profile, and send you messages. You will no longer see their posts in your feed, and they will no longer see yours.

Blocking is stronger. When you block someone, they cannot see your profile, find you in search, message you, or see your posts. You also cannot see their profile or posts. Blocking is the right choice if you want no contact with someone at all. To block someone, use the same three-dot menu on their profile and select "Block" instead of "Unfriend".

Most people unfriend for privacy or to reduce clutter in their feed. Most people block when they want to avoid contact entirely.

What happens after you unfriend someone

The person can still see your public posts unless you have changed your privacy settings. They can still send you a message, though it will go to your message requests folder rather than your main inbox. If you want to prevent them from messaging you, you will need to block them instead.

You can unfriend someone and then friend them again later if you change your mind. There is no penalty for unfriending and refriending the same person multiple times. If you unfriend someone by accident, you can search for them and click "Add Friend" to restore the connection.

Using unfollow instead of unfriending

If you want to stop seeing someone's posts without removing them as a friend, you can unfollow them instead. When you unfollow someone, their posts stop appearing in your feed, but you remain friends. They cannot tell that you unfollowed them.

To unfollow someone, visit their profile, click the three dots next to their name, and select "Unfollow". You can refollow them at any time using the same menu. Unfollowing is useful when you want to keep the friendship but reduce how much of their content you see.

Removing someone from a specific list or group

If you have organized your friends into custom lists (such as "Close Friends" or "Acquaintances"), you can remove someone from a list without unfriending them entirely. Visit their profile, click the three dots next to "Friends", and look for list management options. You can add or remove them from any list you have created.

If someone is in a Facebook group with you, unfriending them does not remove them from the group. You can still see their posts in the group, and they can see yours. If you want to avoid seeing someone in a group, you can mute the group or leave it entirely.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will the person know I unfriended them?

Facebook does not send a notification when you unfriend someone. However, they may notice if they visit your profile or check their friends list and see that you are no longer there. There is no way to unfriend someone secretly if they actively look for the change.

Can I unfriend someone and still message them?

Yes. Unfriending only removes them from your friends list. They can still send you messages, and you can send them messages. If you want to prevent them from contacting you, you need to block them instead of just unfriending them.

What if I unfriend someone by accident?

Search for their name and click "Add Friend" to restore the friendship. There is no waiting period or approval process — they will be added back to your friends list immediately. They will not receive a notification about the accidental unfriend or the re-add.

Does unfriending delete our old messages?

No. Your message history with that person remains in your inbox even after you unfriend them. You can still read old conversations and continue messaging them if you want to. Unfriending only affects your friends list and feed, not your message archive.

Can I unfriend someone without them seeing it in their activity?

Yes. Unfriending does not create a notification or appear in anyone's activity log. The only way someone finds out is if they notice your name missing from their friends list or if they visit your profile and see that you are no longer friends.