You've probably noticed that Facebook is a maze. Seriously, finding the right toggle for your privacy settings feels like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube in the dark. If you’re trying to figure out how to make your friends list public on facebook, you aren't alone. Maybe you're a networking pro. Maybe you’re an influencer. Or maybe you just don't care about the privacy obsession everyone else seems to have lately.
Whatever the reason, visibility matters.
Facebook changed its layout—again. They do this every few years just to keep us on our toes, I guess. What used to be a simple button is now buried under three layers of menus. It’s annoying. It’s clunky. But once you know where the "Who can see your friends list?" setting lives, it takes about thirty seconds to fix.
Why you'd even want a public list
Most people are moving toward "lockdown" mode. You see the "Privacy Checkup" prompts every time you log in. But if you're running a business or trying to build a community, a public friends list acts as social proof. It shows people you're a real human with real connections.
It’s about transparency.
If I'm looking at a professional profile and I can see we have fifty mutual friends, I’m way more likely to trust that person. If everything is hidden, it feels a bit... cold? Or suspicious. Some folks just prefer the "open book" approach to social media. It's the old-school way of using the internet before everything became about data harvesting and hyper-private silos.
How to make your friends list public on facebook (Desktop Version)
Let’s get into the weeds. If you’re on a laptop or a PC, this is the easiest way to do it because you can actually see what you’re clicking.
First, log in. Obviously. Click your profile picture in the top right corner. You'll see "Settings & Privacy." Click that, then click "Settings."
Now, look at the left-hand sidebar. It’s a wall of text. Scroll down until you find "Audience and visibility." Under that section, you’ll see "How people find and contact you." This is the golden ticket.
Finding the specific toggle
Once you're in that menu, look for the line that asks: "Who can see your friends list?"
Next to it, there’s a button. It probably says "Friends" or "Only Me." Click it. A dropdown menu will appear. You want to select "Public."
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Boom. Done.
But wait. There’s a catch. Even if you make your list public, Facebook’s algorithm still respects the privacy of other people. If your friend "John" has his settings set to "Only Me," he won't show up on your public list to strangers. You can control your visibility, but you can’t override theirs. It’s a weirdly democratic system.
The Mobile App is a different beast
Let’s be real: most of us use the app. And the app is a mess.
Open the Facebook app on your iPhone or Android. Tap those three horizontal lines (the "hamburger" menu). On some versions, this is at the bottom right; on others, it's at the top.
Scroll down. Keep scrolling. Tap "Settings & Privacy," then tap "Settings."
You’ll see a section called "Audience and Visibility." It’s the same naming convention as the desktop, but the icons make it look different. Tap on "How people find and contact you."
The final tap
Tap "Who can see your friends list?"
Choose "Public."
Honestly, the app sometimes glitches. I’ve seen cases where people change it, close the app, and it reverts. Always double-check by viewing your profile as a "guest" or asking a friend who isn't logged in to look you up. It’s the only way to be 100% sure the change stuck.
What about your "Followers"?
People often confuse friends with followers. They aren't the same.
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If you have a "Professional Mode" profile, your follower count is public by default. But your friends list—those specific people you’ve actually "added"—is handled by the setting we just talked about. If you're trying to grow a brand, you might want both to be public.
A quick note on safety
I have to say this: making your list public opens you up to "friend-scraping."
Scammers love public friends lists. They clone your profile, use your photo, and then send friend requests to everyone on your list, pretending to be you in trouble. It’s a classic move. If you go public, just keep an eye out for that. Maybe warn your friends that if they see a second "you" asking for money, it’s a scam.
Common glitches and why it might stay hidden
Sometimes you hit "Public" and nothing happens.
This usually happens because of a conflict with "Profile Locking." If you have the "Lock Profile" feature enabled (available in some regions like India or parts of Europe), it overrides almost every other public setting. You can't have a public friends list and a locked profile at the same time. It’s one or the other.
Another issue? Browser cache. If you’re on a computer, hit refresh. If you’re on the app, clear your cache or just restart the thing. Facebook is a massive database, and sometimes the "nodes" take a minute to update your new preference across the whole world.
The "Mutual Friends" exception
Even if you set your list to "Only Me," people can still see mutual friends.
There is no way to hide mutual friends.
If you and I are friends, and a stranger looks at my profile, they will see that you and I are both friends with "Sarah." Facebook views mutual connections as a "public good" for the platform's connectivity. You can't opt out of that. So, even a "public" list is really just an extension of what’s already partially visible.
Why this matters for SEO and Business
If you’re a creator, your friends list is a networking map. When people see who you know, it builds "E-E-A-T" (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness). It’s not just for Google; it’s for humans.
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Seeing that you’re connected to leaders in your industry makes your profile more than just a page—it makes it a hub.
Actionable Steps to Audit Your Privacy
Don't just change the setting and walk away. Do a full audit.
- Go to your profile page.
- Click the three dots (...) next to "Edit Profile."
- Select "View As."
This shows you exactly what a random person on the internet sees. If your friends list shows up there, you’ve successfully figured out how to make your friends list public on facebook.
If it’s still hidden, go back to the "How people find and contact you" section. Ensure no other "Privacy Checkup" settings are overriding your choice. Sometimes, if you've recently used the "Limit Past Posts" tool, it can mess with your visibility settings in weird ways.
Final reality check
Privacy is a sliding scale. You aren't stuck with whatever you choose today.
If you make your list public and suddenly get a bunch of spam, go back and change it to "Friends of Friends." It’s a middle ground. It stops the total strangers but keeps you visible to people within your extended network.
Facebook is your tool. You should be the one deciding who gets to see the people you've spent years connecting with.
Check your "Settings & Privacy" menu every few months. Facebook likes to move the furniture around without telling anyone. Staying on top of these menus is the only way to ensure your profile looks exactly how you want it to look to the outside world.
Take five minutes right now. Open the app. Run the "View As" tool. You might be surprised at what people can (or can't) see on your page. If your friends list is missing and you want it there, follow the path: Settings > Audience and Visibility > How people find and contact you > Public. It's that simple, even if Facebook tries to make it feel complicated.