The best way to connect with someone on Facebook is to add them as a friend.
Once you are connected with someone as a friend, you should generally be able to see their posts and updates and will be able to send them direct messages via the Messenger app. There are exceptions to this rule depending on the privacy settings that the individual has on their profile and how they choose to allow their posts and updates to be seen – however, the general consensus is that being friends on Facebook gives you visibility of their full profile.
What all of this means is that, when you come across someone you know or want to become friends with, the standard action is to add them as a friend. This request is then received within their app, inviting them to accept the invitation or decline.
In this article, we’re taking you through some of the reasons why you may be unable to connect with someone as a friend on Facebook.
They Haven’t Accepted Your Request
If you have added someone as a friend on Facebook but still cannot see their posts or profile, it could be that they haven’t accepted your request.
The way to know if they have declined your invitation or left it unanswered is to see what the ‘Friends’ button says when you visit their profile. If it invites you to add them, then you know they declined your invitation. If it says the request has been sent, then they haven’t yet responded.
You (or They) Have Reached the Friend Limit
Did you know that you can only have up to 5,000 friends on any single Facebook account?
If you try to exceed this number of friends by adding new friends, or you send a friend request to another user who has 5,000 friends, then you will be unable to connect with them due to Facebook’s limit.
The only ways of bypassing this friend limit are to change your account from a personal account to a professional account, follow them rather than becoming a friend, or delete someone else in order to open up a space in your friend list. If the other user has reached their limit, there is nothing that you can do until they follow one of the above actions.
Your Privacy Settings Limit Friend Requests
It could be that your privacy settings are designed to limit friend requests to only come from those who are friends of existing friends on your account.
If this is the case, or this applies to the individual who you are trying to connect with, you will only be able to become friends on Facebook if you share mutual friends.
You’ve Blocked Them / You’ve Been Blocked
Blocking another user on Facebook, or being blocked yourself, prevents you from being able to engage and/or connect with the other user.
This is as much about finetuning your own Facebook experience as it is about securing privacy and protection. You can easily unblock another user by visiting their profile and choosing ‘Unblock’ before sending them a friend request. If they have blocked you, the only way that you can engage with them is away from the Facebook app.
We hope this helps! When Facebook won’t let you connect with another user it can be really annoying – however, this article is designed to share and highlight some of the common issues that could be standing in your way.
