You can cancel a friend request in three places: from your profile, from the other person's profile, or from your pending requests list
Facebook stores unsent friend requests in a few different locations, and the method you use depends on where you are when you decide to cancel. The fastest route is usually your pending requests list, which shows all the requests you have sent but the other person has not yet accepted. You can also cancel directly from someone's profile if you remember who you sent the request to. A third option is to go back through your own profile activity, though this is slower.
The request disappears immediately once you cancel it. The other person does not receive a notification that you withdrew the request, and they will not see it in their requests list anymore. If you change your mind later, you can always send a new request.
Key Takeaways
- Your pending requests list shows all friend requests you have sent but not yet accepted, and you can cancel any of them with one click.
- Canceling a request does not notify the other person, and they will not know you sent one unless they saw it before you withdrew it.
- You can cancel from the other person's profile by clicking the "Cancel request" button that appears where the "Add Friend" button normally is.
- If you accidentally cancel a request you meant to keep, you can send a new one at any time without penalty.
Cancel from your pending requests list
Open Facebook and click the friends icon (two people) in the top navigation bar. Select "Friend requests" from the dropdown menu. You will see two tabs: "Received" shows requests other people sent to you, and "Sent" shows requests you sent to others. Click the "Sent" tab to see all your pending requests.
Find the person whose request you want to cancel. Click the "Cancel request" button next to their name. The request is removed immediately, and the button disappears. You can cancel multiple requests this way without leaving the page.
Cancel from someone's profile
Go to the person's Facebook profile by searching for their name or clicking their profile from a message, comment, or mutual friend's page. Look at the top of their profile where buttons appear. If you have sent them a friend request that they have not yet accepted, you will see a button that says "Cancel request" or shows a checkmark with "Request sent."
Click that button to cancel the request. It will change back to "Add Friend" immediately. This method works if you remember exactly who you sent the request to, but it is slower than using the pending requests list if you need to cancel several at once.
Cancel through your activity log
Click the downward arrow in the top right corner of Facebook and select "Settings and privacy," then "Settings." In the left sidebar, click "Your information and permissions," then "Activity log." Use the filter at the top to show only "Friend requests" or search for a specific person's name.
Find the request you want to cancel and click the three dots next to it. Select "Delete" or "Remove." The request is canceled and removed from your activity log. This method is thorough but takes more steps than the other two options.
What happens after you cancel
Once you cancel a request, the other person's friend requests list no longer shows it. They will not receive a notification about the cancellation. If they saw the request before you canceled it, they may remember it, but Facebook does not alert them that you withdrew it.
Canceling a request does not block the person or change any privacy settings. You can send them a new request whenever you want, and there is no waiting period or penalty for canceling and resending. If you want to prevent them from seeing future requests, you would need to block them separately, which is a different action.
Resending a request after you cancel
If you cancel a request and then change your mind, you can send a new one immediately. Go to their profile, click "Add Friend," and the request goes out right away. There is no limit to how many times you can send and cancel requests to the same person, though sending multiple requests in a short time might look unusual to them if they notice.
Some people turn off the ability to send them friend requests through their privacy settings. If you try to send a request and do not see an "Add Friend" button, they may have disabled requests. In that case, you cannot send a request at all, whether you canceled a previous one or not.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the person know I canceled my friend request?
No. Facebook does not send a notification when you cancel a request. The person will not see it in their requests list anymore, but they will not receive any alert about the cancellation. If they saw the request before you canceled it, they might remember it, but Facebook does not tell them you withdrew it.
Can I cancel a request I sent a long time ago?
Yes. Your pending requests list shows all requests you have sent, no matter how old they are, as long as the person has not accepted or declined them. You can cancel any of them at any time. If someone declines your request, it no longer appears in your pending list.
What if I cancel by mistake?
You can send a new request immediately. There is no waiting period, and the person will not know you canceled the first one. Simply go to their profile and click "Add Friend" again. You can repeat this as many times as you want.
Will canceling a request affect my friendship with someone?
No. Canceling a pending request does not change your relationship with the person or affect any existing friendship. If you are already friends with someone, you cannot send them a friend request. If you are not friends, canceling a request just removes it from their queue.
Why do I not see a "Cancel request" button on someone's profile?
If you do not see "Cancel request," you either have not sent them a request, they have already accepted it, they have declined it, or they have disabled friend requests in their privacy settings. Check your pending requests list to confirm whether you sent a request to that person.