Facebook used to have a button called “Find Friends” that allowed you to directly search for friends based on the contacts you had on your profile, but that tool no longer exists.
Instead, that button was replaced by the “Friends” tab, from where you have several options to locate those people you know – or would like to know – and with whom you share geographic location, academic institutions, courses taken, interests or mutual friends, among other attributes.
If you’re at your wit’s end trying to find someone you haven’t heard from in a while, here’s a list of tips for finding them on Facebook.
How to find friends on Facebook
With over 3 billion Facebook users worldwide , finding a specific friend can be tricky if you don’t know how to use the social network’s built-in tools. Here you’ll find a series of tips and all the features Facebook offers to easily find friends :
From the main search bar
-Log into your Facebook account, go to the top left of the screen and where it says “Search on Facebook” – on mobile it appears with a “magnifying glass” icon – enter your friend’s name.
-In the filter bar on the left sidebar menu, select “People” to filter the results. Add details such as their location, where they have worked, or where they have studied.
A small list of matches will be displayed. To see more, tap the “View all” button to expand all available options.
Go to “people you may know”
-Log into your Facebook account and in the left side menu tap where it says “Friends”.
-Go to “Suggestions” and you’ll see a list of accounts that are people you might know. Facebook shows them to you based on their relationship with other friends you follow or shared interests.
-If you find that particular person, just tap the “Add friends” option to follow them. If you don’t want them to appear as a suggestion, tap “Remove.”
Search in your Facebook friends’ friends list
-Log into your Facebook account, go to the “Friends” section in the left side menu of the screen.
-Tap the “All Friends” option to see your friends and look for one who you think might be friends with the person you’re looking for. You can use the built-in search bar to find them easily.
-Go to that friend’s profile and tap on the “Friends” tab in the options bar.
-Find that specific friend by entering their name, or using the filters in the section for “Mutual Friends,” “Current City,” “Hometown,” or “Following.” Once you find them, tap “Add Friends.”
Sync contacts with Facebook from the app
-Log in to your Facebook account, go to settings, identified by the three vertical lines icon located in the upper left corner of the screen. Go to “Settings and Privacy,” enter “Account Center,” and tap “Your Information and Permissions.”
-Go to “upload contacts” and select “Facebook account”, activate the “continuously upload contacts” option and press “continue”.
