Searching

The easiest way to look for people is to use the search feature

1. Click on the search bar in the blue bar at the top of any page.

2. Type in what or who you are looking for in the text box, then click on the search button.

If your search lists multiple results and you're not sure which one to add, you can also search for an email address or a phone number, or search by town, workplace, school etc. for more specific results.

3. Click on the "Add Friend" next to their name. It should say "Friend request sent" once you have clicked it. You will need to wait for them to accept your request.

If there isn't an "Add Friend" button, that person might've configured their privacy settings to restrict who can add them. If this is the case, you can contact them outside of Facebook and tell them to send you a friend request.

The process is the same on mobile Facebook, except you will need to press on their name first to visit their profile. In there you should be able to add them.

Find Friends

Facebook displays a list of people as suggestions for who you might add, and they generally will be people you know. They'll usually be people from your networks (school or work), mutual friends or from contacts you've uploaded.

To see the list, click on "Find Friends" on the top blue bar. You will be taken to a page displaying a list of people you may know.

The list makes it very easy to add friends, especially if you're starting out, as you won't need to search for each individual person.

If you find that any of the suggestions are irrelevant, you can click on the "Remove" button. Doing so helps Facebook provide better suggestions in the future.

Importing contacts

You can also import contacts from your phone's contact list. If anyone in your contacts list has linked their phone number to their Facebook account, they will show up here.

To import contacts from your phone:

1. On the Facebook app's homescreen, tap on icon with 3 horizontal lines on the row of buttons.
2. Tap on "Friends". You might need to scroll down before you see it.
3. Tap on "Contacts", then "Get Started" and follow the prompts.

It’s a good idea to go through your privacy settings from time to time to see if you’re happy with and know what you are sharing with other Facebook users. Facebook’s privacy settings are very customisable, so you can choose between varying levels of privacy.

Adjusting privacy settings on a laptop / desktop computer

1. From any Facebook page once you’re logged in, look for the black downwards arrow at the top right of the blue bar, then click on it.
2. Look for and click on “Settings” (2^nd last option).

3. In the Settings screen, click on "Privacy" in the menu on the left.

4. Adjust the privacy settings to your liking by clicking on "Edit".

Be reasonable with your settings. If you’re too restrictive with your profile, no one might be able to add or find you. On the other hand, if your account is too open, you might encounter fake or undesirable accounts.

For more information about privacy settings, click here: https://www.facebook.com/help/325807937506242/

Adjusting privacy settings on a tablet / smartphone

1. Open the Facebook app, then look for the row of 5 icons. On iOS devices, they should be at the bottom of the screen. On Android devices, they'll be towards the top, just under the search bar.
2. Press the right-most icon. It looks like 3 horizontal lines.

3. Among the list of options, the one we're looking for is "Account Settings". Scroll down until you find it, then press it.

4. Press "Privacy".

5. In here, you'll be able to adjust your privacy settings. You can change who can see your posts and who can see and add you.

Not only are there profiles on Facebook, there are also Pages. These are essentially public profiles for news outlets, businesses, brands and celebrities, among other things.

Instead of adding these pages as friends however, you can either "Like" or "Follow" the page to keep up to date with them. They won't necessarily see anything from you, however. Think of the relationship like a magazine subscription.

How to find a page to "Like"

Use the search bar to search for a page.

As mentioned before, you can look for news outlets and celebrities. Most well-known companies or people will have an official, verified Facebook page. You will know when you see a tick next to their name. You can also filter your search results to only show verified results.

When you have found a page you'd like to keep up to date with, click on the "Like" button next to the result. It will change to "Liked" afterwards.

When you "Like" or "Follow" a page, their posts will show up on your home page (your News Feed).

You can also "Follow" people. Just like with liking a page, you will see their updates on your news feed. Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO has a "personal" account you can follow.

We also have our own Facebook page! Try searching for us and "Liking" our page.