7 Easy Ways to Deal With Awkward Friend Requests on Facebook

Learn what to do when you get unwanted friend requests

Written by Rain Kengly

Last Updated: August 31, 2024 Fact Checked

Are those random Facebook friend requests worth accepting or is it a smarter idea to sidestep the unknown requests? If you'd rather have more genuine friendships forming the core of your Facebook experience, we'll show you how to handle awkward friend requests on Facebook so you have the best experience.

Dealing With Unwanted Facebook Requests

You can prevent future awkward friend requests from reaching you by blocking any users you don't want. Alternatively, you can be upfront with your emotions and explain your situation sincerely and truthfully.

1

Stop future friend requests.

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Make a pre-emptive move to keep the awkward friend requests from even reaching you. The best way to do this is to block a user completely. That way, if they ever decide they want to add you on Facebook, they won't be able to see your profile. If you're worried about a stranger adding you, you can change your privacy settings.
- To block a user:
  - Navigate to Settings & privacy.
  - Select Settings.
  - Select Audience and visibility.
  - Select Blocking.
  - Select Edit in the Blocked users section.
  - Select Add to blocked list.
  - Search for the user you want to block.
  - Select Block, and then Confirm.

2

Decline and ignore it.

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If you decline a request, Facebook won't send out screaming notifications the person has been denied. The two of you will just not be connected on Facebook. Because of this, it'll be easy for the person to believe you never got the friend request, if they choose to confront you about it.

3

Tell the truth.

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Alternatively, be upfront. If declining a friend request from your boss, for example, keep it short and polite. Something like "Hi, I received your friend request. I'd like to keep my personal and professional lives separate. Thank you for understanding!" should do it, plus showing a huge dollop of professional initiative on your behalf.
- You could also offer to add them on LinkedIn instead.

4

Think about it first.

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Delay the acceptance and reflect. If you have just met someone while networking or during a night out, take some time to think about it first. You can delete the request and wait for another one to pop up (if it ever does). This gives you time to decide whether this new acquaintance is someone you want to add to your Facebook crowd.

5

Change your privacy settings.

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Review your privacy settings. Just because you have declined a friend request doesn't mean they can't see what you're doing on Facebook. Use those privacy controls to limit the amount seen in your profile by non-friends. Go through each item and make everything "friends only".
- To change who can send you friend requests:
  - Navigate to Settings & privacy.
  - Select Settings.
  - Select Audience and visibility.
  - Select How people find and contact you.
  - Select Edit next to Who can send you friend requests?
  - Select Friends of Friends.

6

Report persistent requests.

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Report users. If you're getting a bunch of random friend requests, it's possible it could be a bot account or someone very persistent. In this case, you can choose to report them.^{[1]
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- Navigate to the profile and click the three-dots icon on the right. Select Find support or report, and then select Report.

7

Keep your friends close.

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It's one thing to have the village following your updates and quite another to have the whole city knowing your movements. Accept the people who count in your life and break loose from the rest.

Community Q&A

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Question

Should I accept someone from my school even if I don't know them personally?

Community Answer

It's up to you. Some people wouldn't feel comfortable adding anyone they didn't know themselves, but if the person goes to your school, you might have some mutual friends. In that case it might be okay, but it's more dependent on your personal level of comfort.

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Question

A stranger requested to add me on Facebook. Should I message him to ask how he found me?

Community Answer

If the person is a complete stranger, it's best to ignore the request. If you give them the chance to talk to you, you may give them information that they can use against you.

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Question

I ignored a friend request, but that person is now on my friend list. How did this happen?

Community Answer

The most obvious answer, if you're sure you didn't accidentally approve this person, is that your profile has been hacked.

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Tips

Don't explain. If someone with whom you don't want to be Facebook Friends sends you a Friend request, just delete it. If you don't know them well enough to Friend them, you don't know them well enough to explain in a way they will accept. Some people will take it as a personal rejection, no matter how carefully you construct your message. You wouldn't send a personal message when you Unfriend someone, so think of it like that and resist the urge to give reasons.

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