How to Lock Your Facebook Profile

Facebook has provided a Facebook Profile Locking feature that lets users prevent anyone other than their Facebook friends from viewing their personal data on Facebook. Here's how to lock your Facebook profile on Desktop and mobile.

What Happens When You Lock Your Facebook Profile?

Only your Facebook friends can see what's on your timeline when you lock your profile. Your friends are also the only ones who can see your full-size profile picture and cover photo. Any posts you made that were set to "Public" will now be set to "Friends."

In your profile, Facebook will only show parts of the About Info section. Only your friends will be able to see your Stories. Profile review and tag review will become available.

If you make a new post on your account, it will only be shown to your friends. Keep in mind, though, that locking your profile doesn't change how people find you on Facebook.

How to Lock Your Facebook Profile on Desktop

You can access the Facebook website to lock your profile if you are on a Windows, Mac, Linux, or Chromebook computer.

1. Open your computer's web browser and go to www.facebook.com. Sign in to your account on the site if you haven't already.

2. Click on your name in the top right corner of Facebook to go to your profile page.

3. Click the three dots in the row of tabs under your name.

4. Choose "Lock Profile" from the menu that comes up.

5. You will see a window that says "Lock Your Profile." Click "Lock Your Profile".

6. Your Facebook account has now been locked. Click "OK" to close the window that says "Lock Profile."

7. You're all set. The public can now only see certain parts of your profile.

If you ever want to unlock your profile, click the three dots menu > Unlock Profile > Unlock > Unlock Profile.

How to Lock Your Facebook Profile on Mobile

If you have an iPhone, iPad, or Android phone, you can lock your profile by going to the Facebook app.

1. Open the Facebook app on your phone.

2. Tap the three horizontal lines in the app. On an iPhone or iPad, these lines will be in the bottom-right corner of the app. These lines are in the top right corner of Android.

3. Tap your profile at the top of the "Menu" screen that appears.

4. Tap the three dots below your name on your profile page.

5. You will see a page called "Profile Settings." Tap "Lock Profile" on this page.

6. Tap "Lock Your Profile" when you see the "Lock Your Profile" screen.

You have now locked your Facebook profile so that only your friends can see it.

To get into your profile again, just tap "Unlock Profile" where you previously tapped "Lock Profile."

Related: How to block someone on Facebook.

How to Unlock Your Facebook Profile?

You can also choose to unlock your profile whenever you want on Facebook. Follow these steps, and that's all you need to do:

1. Go to facebook.com on your desktop browser or the Facebook app on your phone.

2. Click on your Profile and then click on the three-dot menu.

3. Click on Unlock Profile then select Unlock.

4. Click on Unlock Profile to confirm.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What happens to profile pictures, cover photos, and feature photos when the profile is locked?

When a Facebook user locks his or her profile, only friends will be able to see the pictures by tapping on them. People who are not on your friends list will only see a smaller version of your profile picture and cover photo. But everyone will be able to see your current profile picture and cover photo, but they won't be able to open them. Also, only friends can tag, comment, or like your profile or cover photo.

What happens to posts, photos, albums, and more once the Facebook profile is locked?

When a Facebook profile is locked, only friends will be able to see the posts, photos, albums, and stories. No one can make Public posts on their profile anymore. Photos, albums, and stories are all the same.