Easy Ways to Limit Who Can Contact You on Facebook

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Stop receiving Facebook messages from people you don't want to talk

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: August 16, 2024 Fact Checked

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Customize Delivery on a Phone or Tablet

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Customize Delivery on a Computer

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Block Someone on a Phone or Tablet

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Block Someone on a Computer

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Anyone you are friends with, closely connected to, or have chatted with on Facebook can send you messages through the app. Everyone else you haven't chatted with can only send you message requests, which you can accept or ignore. These options are customizable, so you can choose which messages go to your Message Requests folder, which arrive in your Chats inbox, and which you won't see at all. You can also block individuals from sending you messages entirely—even without unfriending them or blocking them on the entire app. This wikiHow article will teach you different ways to control who can message you on Facebook.

Changing Who Can Send You Facebook Messages

Open the Messenger mobile app.
Tap the menu, and go to Settings > Privacy & safety.
Select Message delivery.
Select the group or user you wish to alter.
Select where you want their messages to go, or not to receive their messages.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

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1
Open the Messenger app on your iPhone or Android. It's the blue, purple, and pink speech bubble icon with a white lightning bolt inside. You can find it on your home screen or on your Apps menu.
- Use this method to control whose messages appear in your Facebook Messenger "Chats" screen. For example, if you don't want people who have your phone number in their contacts but aren't your Facebook friends to be able to message you, you can customize that here.
- Messenger will open to the "Chats" screen. If it opens to a conversation, tap the back arrow to go back.
This three-lined menu icon is in the top-left corner. A menu will expand.^{[1]
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Research source}

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You'll see this gear icon towards the upper right corner of the menu.
It's in the middle of the menu under "Who can reach you."
This section is broken into groups and subgroups, including People With Your Phone Number, Your Followers on Instagram (if your Instagram and Facebook accounts are linked) under the "Potential Connections" header, and Others on Facebook under the "Other People" header. You can control how you receive messages from each of the listed groups separately.
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Select a delivery option. Here's what the options mean:
- If you want to receive messages from this group, select Chats.
- If you don't want to receive messages from this group, select Don't Receive Requests.
- If you want messages from this group to arrive as a request that you can accept or deny before responding, select Message Requests.
- Once you change this, Facebook will automatically update to apply your new settings, so you're done.
If you want to review your message requests at any point, go back to the Chats screen, tap the three-line menu icon, and then tap Message Requests.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Customize Delivery on a Computer

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1
Go to https://www.messenger.com and sign in. This is the website for Facebook Messenger.
- Use this method to control whose messages appear in your Facebook message list. For example, if you don't want people who have your phone number in their contacts but aren't your Facebook friends to be able to message you, you can customize that here.
It's at the bottom-left corner of the page.
It's at the top of the menu next to a gear icon.
This opens your Facebook Privacy Settings and Tools.
The "How You Get Message Requests" section is broken into groups, including People With Your Phone Number, Your Followers on Instagram (if your Instagram and Facebook accounts are linked) and Friends of Friends on Facebook. You'll control how you receive messages from each of the listed groups separately.
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Select a delivery option. Here's what the options mean:
- If you want to receive messages from this group, select Chats.
- If you don't want to receive messages from this group, select Don't Receive Requests.
- If you want messages from this group to arrive as a request that you can accept or deny before responding, select Message Requests.
If you want to review your message requests at any point, go back to https://www.messenger.com and click the speech bubble icon with three dots inside it.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Block Someone on a Phone or Tablet

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Tap the person's name on the Chats screen to open the conversation.^{[2]
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Research source}
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Tap your contact's name at the top of the conversation. More options will appear.
- If you tap 'View Profile, you'll see their profile on Facebook and will be able to block them by tapping the three-dot icon and selecting Block. Otherwise, tapping their profile picture will open more options.
You can find this option near the bottom of your contact's profile.
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Select a blocking option. The behavior of these two options is different:
- Tap Block Messages and Calls to prevent the person from sending you messages or calling you using the Facebook Messenger app.^{[3]
  X
  Research source} They'll still be able to see your messages in group chats and vice-versa.
- Tap Block on Facebook to block the user from interacting with you anywhere on Facebook, including in group chats.
- If you don't want to block someone but would rather not see their new messages in your Chats folder, you can tap the back button and select Restrict instead. This moves the conversation to your Message Requests and you won't receive any notifications when that person messages you.
You will no longer receive messages from this person.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Block Someone on a Computer

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1
Go to https://www.messenger.com and sign in. This is the website for Facebook Messenger.
- This method will help you block private messages from people on Facebook. You can block these messages without blocking the person completely.
To do this, type the person's name into the Search Messenger box at the top-left corner, and then click their name when it appears in the search results.
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Click Privacy & support. It's an option on the right panel.
- If you don't see the panel on the right, click the three-dot menu icon in the top right corner of your screen. It'll move the conversation to the middle of the screen and show more options for that person on the right.
A pop window will appear.
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Select a blocking option. The two options will have different results:
- If you don't want to receive messages from this person but are okay with them interacting you in other places on Facebook (e.g., group chats, comments), select Block Messages and Calls. The person will not know you've blocked them, but they won't be able to send you private messages.
- If you don't want this person to see you or communicate with you anywhere on Facebook, select Block on Facebook. If you're currently friends with this person, you will unfriend them.
- Alternatively, if you don't want to block them but also don't want their messages, you can click Ignore messages instead. This will turn off any notifications for new messages from that user and send them directly to Spam, so you won't see them.

Community Q&A

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Question

Someone who isn't my friend keeps making new accounts and sending me messages. How do I stop this?

Community Answer

You should contact Facebook and let them know what's going on. Give them the names and number of accounts you have had to block.

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Question

If I block someone on Facebook what can they see?

Community Answer

They can't see anything. Your account will appear set to private and they aren't able to follow you.

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How can I do a closed friends request?

Community Answer

You can set your friend requests to only friends of friends by going to your settings, clicking "Privacy", scrolling down to "Who Can Send Me Friend Requests" and clicking "Friends of Friends".

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