ezhenma

Social media, simplified.

Facebook Friend Requests: Send, Accept, Cancel

by

What to Know

  • See requests fast: open facebook.com/friends/requests, or tap Friends in the app.
  • Confirm accepts a request; Delete declines it. The sender is never told either way.
  • To cancel a request you sent, open that person’s profile and tap Cancel request — or use View sent requests.

Friend requests are how connections start on Facebook, but the buttons move around and the rules aren’t obvious. Here’s how to see, accept, send, and cancel requests on both desktop and the app — plus what to do when Facebook blocks you from adding people.

Managing Facebook friend requests: see received, accept or decline, and cancel sent requests

How to see and respond to friend requests

On desktop

  1. Click the Friends icon in the top navigation bar. A red badge shows how many requests are waiting.
  2. Click Friend Requests to open the full list.
  3. Click Confirm to accept, or Delete to decline. The person is not notified if you decline.

You can jump straight there by typing facebook.com/friends/requests into your address bar.

In the mobile app

  1. Tap the menu (three lines) — bottom-right on iPhone, top-right on Android.
  2. Tap Friends, then look next to Friend Requests and tap See all.
  3. Tap Confirm or Delete for each request.

How to send a friend request

  1. Search for the person by name in the search bar, or tap their name in a post or comment to open their profile.
  2. Tap Add friend next to their name or under their profile picture.
  3. The request sends immediately. You’ll get a notification if they accept.

If you don’t see an Add friend button, that person only accepts requests from people they share mutual friends with, or they’ve limited who can add them.

How to see and cancel requests you sent

  1. On the Friend Requests page, click View sent requests. In the app, tap the three dots on the Friend Requests screen, then View sent requests.
  2. Tap or click Cancel next to any pending request.

You can also cancel from the person’s profile: hover over or tap Friend request sent and choose Cancel request. You can’t cancel a request once it’s already been accepted.

Blocked from sending requests? If too many of your requests go ignored, or someone marks one as unwelcome, Facebook may temporarily stop you from adding people. The block lifts on its own — there’s no way to appeal it early. Send requests only to people you actually know to avoid it.

Frequently asked questions

Do friend requests expire?

No. A pending request stays until the person accepts it, declines it, or you cancel it.

Will someone know if I decline their request?

No. Facebook doesn’t notify people when you decline or cancel a request. A declined request simply disappears from their side.

Why can’t I add any more friends?

Facebook caps personal profiles at 5,000 friends. If you’re at the limit, remove inactive contacts, or convert to a Page/switch on followers to keep growing your audience. If you were recently locked out entirely, our account recovery guide can help.

Can I see who I’ve unfriended?

No. Facebook doesn’t keep a visible list of people you’ve removed, and it doesn’t tell them you unfriended them.

Verified against the Facebook website and mobile app as of July 2026.