What Does It Mean to Unfollow Someone on Facebook?

How to Unfollow on Facebook (Mobile: Android & iOS)

Using News Feed Preferences

• Tap ☰ Menu: Open your Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (Menu icon) located in the top right corner on Android or bottom right on iOS.
• Navigate to Settings: Scroll down and tap on "Settings & Privacy," then select "Settings."
• Access News Feed Preferences: Under the "Preferences" section, tap on "News Feed Preferences."
• Select Unfollow: Tap on "Unfollow people, pages, and groups to hide their posts."
• Tap to Unfollow: You will see a list of profiles, pages, and groups you follow. Simply tap on the profile picture or name of the person, page, or group you wish to unfollow. There's no confirmation needed; a single tap immediately unfollows them. You can scroll through and unfollow multiple entities from this screen.

Directly from Their Profile or Posts

• From Their Profile:
  • Visit Profile: Navigate to the Facebook profile of the friend you wish to unfollow.
  • Tap Friends: Under their cover photo, you'll see a button that says "Friends." Tap on it.
  • Select Unfollow: A menu will appear. Select the "Unfollow" option from the list.
• From a Post:
  • Locate Post: When you see a post from someone you wish to unfollow in your News Feed, look for the "⋯" (three dots) icon in the top right corner of the post.
  • Select Unfollow: Tap on the "⋯" icon, and a dropdown menu will appear. Choose "Unfollow [Name of Person/Page]" from the options.

How to Unfollow on Facebook Using Desktop/Web

• Click ▼ (top right): On your Facebook homepage, locate the small downward-pointing arrow icon in the top right corner of the screen (next to your profile picture and the bell icon). Click on it to open a dropdown menu.
• Select Settings & Privacy: From the dropdown menu, choose "Settings & Privacy."
• Click Settings: Another menu will appear. Click on "Settings."
• Navigate to News Feed Preferences: In the left-hand sidebar, under "Settings," you will find "News Feed Preferences." Click on it.
• Choose Unfollow: On the News Feed Preferences page, click on "Unfollow people, pages, and groups to hide their posts."
• Unfollow: You will see a scrollable list of all the friends, pages, and groups you currently follow. Simply click on the profile picture or name of the entity you wish to unfollow. Similar to the mobile version, this action is immediate and requires no further confirmation.

How to Unfollow Facebook Pages, Groups, and Public Figures

• From a Post (Three Dots Method):
  • Locate a Post: When you come across a post from a page, group, or public figure in your News Feed that you no longer wish to see, look for the "⋯" (three dots) icon in the top right corner of that specific post.
  • Click and Unfollow: Click on the three dots. A menu will appear with several options. Select "Unfollow Page," "Unfollow Group," or "Unfollow [Public Figure's Name]" depending on the source. This immediately hides future posts from that entity from your News Feed.
• Directly from the Page/Group Profile:
  • Visit the Profile: Navigate directly to the Facebook page or group you wish to unfollow. You can do this by searching for its name or clicking on its name from a post.
  • Hover/Click "Following": Once on the page or group's profile, look for a button that typically says "Following" or "Joined" (for groups).
    • For Pages: Hover your mouse over the "Following" button. A dropdown menu will appear. Select "Unfollow."
    • For Groups: Click on the "Joined" button. A menu will appear. Select "Unfollow group."
    • For Public Figures: If they have a "Follow" button, hovering over it will reveal the "Unfollow" option.

Can You Unfollow Everyone on Facebook at Once?

• Use the News Feed Preferences Unfollow Panel: As detailed in previous sections, navigating to your News Feed Preferences and then selecting "Unfollow people, pages, and groups to hide their posts" presents you with a consolidated list. From this panel, you can rapidly click through the list and unfollow individuals, pages, and groups one by one. While not a single click for everything, it's the most efficient built-in method for mass unfollowing within the Facebook platform. This method is available on both desktop Facebook guides and mobile versions.

• Warning: Privacy and Account Risks: Using such tools often requires granting them extensive permissions to your Facebook account, which can pose significant privacy and security risks. They might access your personal data, post on your behalf, or even lead to your account being compromised or flagged by Facebook for violating its terms of service. Facebook actively discourages the use of unauthorized third-party tools due to these risks.
• Reliability: These tools are often unreliable, breaking with Facebook's frequent updates, and may not function as advertised.

How to Re-Follow Someone on Facebook

• Go Back to Their Profile:
  • Search for their name: Use the Facebook search bar to find the profile of the person, page, or group you wish to re-follow.
  • Visit their profile: Once you're on their profile page (for friends), page, or group page.
  • Tap/Click "Follow":
    • For Friends: If you previously unfollowed a friend, you will typically see a "Follow" button or option on their profile (often where a "Friends" button might be for connected friends). Tap or click on this button.
    • For Pages/Public Figures: On a page or public figure's profile, look for a "Follow" button. Click on it.
    • For Groups: If you were previously a member of a group and unfollowed it, you might need to rejoin or click "Follow" if that option is available.
• Revisit News Feed Preferences:
• This method is particularly efficient if you've recently unfollowed several entities or prefer to manage your feed from a centralized location.
  • Access News Feed Preferences: Follow the steps outlined earlier:
    • Mobile: Tap ☰ Menu → Settings & Privacy → Settings → News Feed Preferences → Unfollow people, pages, and groups to hide their posts.
    • Desktop: Click ▼ (top right) → Settings & Privacy → Settings → News Feed Preferences → Unfollow people, pages, and groups to hide their posts.
  • Refollow with One Tap/Click: Within the "Unfollow people, pages, and groups to hide their posts" section, you'll see a list of entities you have unfollowed. Simply tap or click on the profile picture or name of the person, page, or group you wish to re-follow. This action is immediate and will restore their posts to your News Feed.

Benefits of Unfollowing on Facebook Without Unfriending

• Improved Focus: A decluttered News Feed means less irrelevant content competing for your attention. By unfollowing sources that are distracting, overly negative, or simply not aligned with your interests, you can improve your focus on content that genuinely matters to you. This is essential for a more productive and less overwhelming online experience.
• No Drama with Friends/Family: This is arguably one of the most significant benefits. Unfollowing allows you to avoid seeing posts from friends or family members whose content might be irritating, controversial, or simply uninteresting, all without them knowing you've made this choice. This prevents potential awkwardness, arguments, or misunderstandings that can arise from unfriending someone in your social circle.
• Better Content Algorithm: Facebook's algorithm learns from your interactions. By consistently unfollowing content you don't want to see, you're essentially training the algorithm to show you more of what you do want to see. This leads to a more personalized and enjoyable feed over time, filled with content that resonates with your preferences and interests.
• Emotional Wellness and Privacy: Constantly being exposed to content that triggers negative emotions (e.g., excessive complaining, political rants you disagree with, or even just content that makes you feel inadequate) can take a toll on your emotional well-being. Unfollowing allows you to create a more positive and private digital space, shielding yourself from content that might otherwise cause stress or anxiety. It's an act of self-care in the digital realm.

FAQ

Will they know I unfollowed them on Facebook?

Will I still be friends with someone I unfollowed?

Why can’t I see the unfollow option?

• You're not following them: If you are not currently following the person, page, or group, the unfollow option won't appear because there's nothing to unfollow. In this case, you might see "Follow" instead.
• They are not friends (for individuals): If you are not friends with an individual, you would usually see a "Follow" button. If you click that, then the "Unfollow" option would appear if you choose to stop following them.
• Technical Glitch: Occasionally, a temporary app or browser glitch might prevent the option from appearing. Try restarting the app, clearing your browser cache, or trying on a different device.
• Privacy Settings: In rare cases, extremely restrictive privacy settings on the other user's end might indirectly affect what options appear, though this is less common for the unfollow feature itself.

Does unfollowing affect story views or reactions?

• Stories: If you are friends with someone (even if unfollowed), their stories might still appear at the top of your feed unless you specifically mute their stories. Unfollowing primarily affects News Feed posts.
• Reactions: People you are friends with can still see and react to your posts, comment on them, or message you, even if you have unfollowed them. The unfollow action is unidirectional – it only prevents their posts from appearing in your feed.

Final: Take Back Control of Your Feed and Focus