What locking your Facebook account does
Locking your Facebook account restricts who can see your profile and contact you, but keeps your account active. When your account is locked, people who are not your friends cannot view your photos, posts, or friend list. They also cannot message you or tag you in posts. Your friends can still see your content and reach you normally.
Locking is different from deactivating or deleting. A locked account stays on Facebook—you can still log in, post, and message. A deactivated account hides your profile temporarily but can be reactivated. A deleted account is permanent after 30 days. Lock your account when you want to tighten privacy without stepping away from Facebook entirely.
Key Takeaways
- Locking your account takes one click in Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Privacy, then Lock Your Account.
- A locked account hides your profile from non-friends but keeps you able to log in, post, and message your friends.
- You can unlock your account at any time by logging in and reversing the lock in the same Settings menu.
- Locking does not stop someone from messaging you if they already have your contact information outside Facebook.
- If you want to prevent all contact, deactivation or deletion may work better than locking alone.
How to lock your account on desktop
Open Facebook and go to the menu in the top right corner (the downward-facing arrow or three horizontal lines). Click Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Privacy. Scroll down until you see the section labeled How People Find and Contact You. You will see an option that says Lock Your Account. Click it.
A pop-up will appear explaining what locking does. Read it to confirm you understand the change. Click the button to confirm the lock. Your account is now locked. The lock stays in place until you remove it yourself—Facebook does not unlock accounts automatically.
How to lock your account on mobile
Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Tap Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Scroll down and tap Privacy. Look for the section How People Find and Contact You and tap Lock Your Account.
A confirmation screen will appear. Tap to confirm. Your account is now locked. The process is the same on iPhone and Android. If you cannot find the option, make sure you are using the latest version of the Facebook app—older versions may not have this feature in the same location.
What a locked account does and does not do
A locked account prevents strangers from viewing your profile, photos, posts, and friend list. They cannot tag you in photos or posts. They cannot send you a friend request. However, they can still see your name and profile picture if they search for you. If someone already has your phone number or email address, they can still contact you outside of Facebook.
Your friends see no change. They can still view your posts, message you, and tag you. If you are in a group, group members can still see your posts in that group. Your past posts remain visible to whoever could see them before you locked your account—locking does not retroactively hide old content from people who already saw it.
Unlocking your account
To unlock your account, log in to Facebook and return to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Privacy. Find Lock Your Account again. This time, the option will say Unlock Your Account or show that your account is currently locked. Click or tap to unlock. The change takes effect immediately.
You can lock and unlock as many times as you want. There is no waiting period or limit on how often you can change this setting. If you forget you locked your account and cannot find someone, check this setting first—it may explain why their profile is not showing up in your search results.
When locking is not enough
Locking works well if you want to reduce unwanted contact from strangers while staying connected to friends. It does not work if someone is harassing you through messages, comments, or tags—they can still do those things if they are already your friend. In that case, you can unfriend them, block them, or report their behavior to Facebook.
If you want to step away from Facebook entirely, deactivation hides your account for as long as you want and can be reversed if you log back in. Deletion is permanent after 30 days and cannot be undone. If you are being stalked or threatened, report it to Facebook and consider contacting local law enforcement—they can sometimes request data from Facebook if a crime is involved.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can someone still find me if my account is locked?
Yes. People can still search for your name and see your profile picture and name. They just cannot view your posts, photos, or friend list. If you want to be completely unsearchable, deactivation or deletion is necessary.
Does locking my account stop friend requests?
Yes. When your account is locked, people who are not already your friends cannot send you a friend request. Existing friends can still message you and interact with your posts normally.
What happens to my old posts when I lock my account?
Nothing changes about your old posts. If someone could see a post before you locked your account, they can still see it. Locking only affects what new people can see going forward.
Can I lock my account if someone is harassing me?
Locking helps if the harassment is coming from strangers. If it is from someone already on your friends list, unfriend or block them instead. You can also report abusive messages and comments directly to Facebook.
Is locking the same as deactivating?
No. Locking keeps your account active and visible to friends. Deactivating hides your entire profile from everyone except you. You can reactivate a deactivated account by logging back in, but deactivation is more private than locking.