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All Facebook Settings Explained: A Step-by-Step Guide With Screenshot Cues (2025)

If you want control over your Facebook experience, you need one place to start. This guide shows you exactly where to find every key setting, what each option does, and the fastest path on iPhone, Android, and desktop. You will learn how to boost privacy and security, quiet noisy notifications, shape your feed, manage ads, and run Pages and Groups with confidence.

Menus shift a little on different devices, but the names and paths are almost the same. You will see clear paths, short steps, and simple reasons to use each setting. Wherever a screenshot helps, you will get a cue on what to capture and a short alt text line you can copy.

Before you begin, update the Facebook app for the latest menus and features. When you take screenshots, include the full menu path and visible toggles, and add short alt text like “Facebook Settings and privacy menu on iPhone.”

Icon cheat sheet for this guide: profile photo button (your avatar), three-line menu (hamburger), gear icon (Settings), and the search bar in Settings.

How to Open Facebook Settings on Phone and Desktop

Get to Settings first, then everything else is one tap away. Use the built-in search box inside Settings to jump straight to items like Notifications, Two-factor authentication, or Ad preferences. The Privacy Checkup lives inside Settings and privacy.

Tip: You can search for any setting by name. Type “Privacy Checkup,” “Notifications,” “Login alerts,” “Ads,” or “Quiet mode.”

Screenshot cue for each device: show the exact path with “Settings and privacy” highlighted, crop to include the page title and the search bar if present.

iPhone: Find Settings in the Facebook App

Open Facebook.
Tap your profile photo or the Menu button in the bottom right.
Tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings.
If you see a gear icon at the top right, you can tap it to open Settings directly.
Use the search bar in Settings to find Privacy Checkup, Notifications, or Two-factor authentication.

Screenshot idea: menu path with Settings and privacy highlighted.
Alt text: “Facebook iOS, Settings and privacy menu.”

Android: Open Settings and Privacy Fast

Open Facebook.
Tap the three-line menu in the top right.
Tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings.
Use the search bar at the top to find privacy, login, notifications, or ads.

Screenshot idea: Android menu with Settings and privacy visible.
Alt text: “Facebook Android, Settings path.”

Desktop: Use Settings and Privacy in the Menu Bar

Go to facebook.com and sign in.
Click your profile photo or the account menu in the top right.
Click Settings and privacy, then click Settings.
Use the left sidebar for categories like Privacy, Security and login, Notifications, Ads, Payments, Pages, and Groups.
If you see a search box in Settings, use it to jump to any page.

Screenshot idea: desktop account dropdown with Settings and privacy highlighted.
Alt text: “Facebook desktop, account menu open.”

Search Any Setting, Use Privacy Checkup

The settings search finds pages like Privacy Checkup, Two-factor authentication, Timeline and tagging, and Ad preferences. Privacy Checkup is the fastest way to set your audience for future posts, choose who can look you up, and control profile details.

Screenshot idea: Privacy Checkup start screen.
Alt text: “Privacy Checkup overview, 2025.”

For a quick refresher on privacy controls, see Facebook’s own guide on the Audience and visibility section: View and adjust your Facebook privacy settings.

Privacy and Security Settings to Lock Down Your Account

Start with account protection, then set who can see what. In 2025, Facebook also includes options like Link History controls, improved search visibility choices, and clear login alerts. Best practices: set future posts to Friends, turn on both tag review and timeline review, enable 2FA, and sign out of old sessions.

Note on screenshots: when you capture a toggle, include the label and the state (On or Off) in the crop.

Privacy Checkup: Set Audience, Profile, and Search

Path: Settings, Privacy Checkup.
Choose who can see your future posts. Recommended: Friends.
Review profile details visibility: birthday, hometown, relationship. Recommended: Only me for personal info you rarely share.
Control how people find you: choose who can look you up by email or phone, and whether search engines link to your profile.
If you have public followers, set who can follow you.

Screenshot idea: audience selector for future posts.
Alt text: “Choose audience for future posts.”

For a trusted walkthrough on core privacy tools, read Facebook’s help page on basic controls: Basic Privacy Settings & Tools.

Timeline and Tagging: Who Can See or Tag You

Path: Settings, Privacy or Timeline and tagging.
Turn on tag review to approve tags before they appear.
Turn on timeline review to approve posts before they show on your timeline.
Choose who can post on your timeline. Recommended: Only me or Friends if you want to allow posts.
Set who can see posts you are tagged in, and who can see what others post on your timeline.

Tip: review is your safety net against surprise tags.

Screenshot idea: Tag review toggle on.
Alt text: “Tag review enabled.”

Two-Factor Authentication and Login Alerts

Path: Settings, Security and login, Two-factor authentication.
Choose an authentication app or SMS. Authentication app is more secure.
Save backup codes and store them in a password manager.
Turn on login alerts for new or unrecognized logins.
Open Where you are logged in, and log out of old devices and browsers you do not use.

Screenshot idea: 2FA methods list with Authenticator selected.
Alt text: “Set up two-factor authentication.”

Want an outside checklist with context? Consumer Reports has a plain-English walkthrough: Facebook Privacy Settings You Should Change Right Now.

Blocking, Followers, and Activity Log

Path: Settings, Privacy, Blocking to add people or use the restricted list.
Followers: choose who can follow you and see your public updates.
Activity log: browse and delete old posts, likes, and searches. Clean it up twice a year.
Consider turning off facial recognition if you see it in your region.
Manage Link History if available, opt out if you do not want browsing data stored.

Screenshot idea: Blocking list with Add to block list visible.
Alt text: “Blocking settings page.”

Control Notifications, Feed, and Ads You See

Reduce noise, raise signal. Adjust notification channels by type, tune your feed with Favorites and Snooze, and shape ads by topic. Use Quiet mode to protect your focus.

Note: Facebook now uses smarter signals to prioritize meaningful updates and responses. You still control the volume.

Notifications: Push, Email, and SMS

Path: Settings, Notifications.
Toggle off categories you do not need, like birthdays, groups you rarely read, or live videos.
Adjust channels separately: push, email, and SMS.
Set sound and vibration preferences.
Keep security alerts on, so login and password notices still reach you.

Example: leave Comments and Mentions on for push, leave Email off for most categories.

Screenshot idea: notification categories list with toggles.
Alt text: “Manage Facebook notification types.”

Feed Preferences: Favorites, Snooze, and Unfollow

Path: Settings, Feed preferences, or tap the three dots on a post.
Add people and Pages to Favorites to see them first.
Snooze for 30 days to take a short break from a person, Page, or group.
Unfollow to stop seeing posts without unfriending or leaving a group.
Use Favorites for family, close friends, and key Pages to keep your feed relevant.

Screenshot idea: Favorites picker screen.
Alt text: “Add to Favorites in Feed preferences.”

Ad Preferences: Hide Topics and Why You See This

Path: Settings, Ads.
Review whether Facebook can use data from partners, if this control is available in your region.
Check which profile info is used in ads, like relationship status or employer, and toggle off any you do not want used for ads.
Hide or limit topics, such as alcohol, parenting, or politics.
On any ad, tap Why am I seeing this ad to adjust interest signals or hide the advertiser.

Screenshot idea: Ad topics controls.
Alt text: “Hide ad topics in Ads settings.”

For deeper background on privacy and data use, see the official policy page: Meta Privacy Policy.

Quiet Mode and Notification Schedule

Path: Settings, Notifications or Your time on Facebook, then Quiet mode.
Set a daily schedule during work or sleep to silence notifications.
Allow urgent security alerts to break through if the option appears.
Combine this with fewer email and SMS alerts for a cleaner inbox.

Screenshot idea: Quiet mode schedule screen.
Alt text: “Quiet mode hours set.”

Pages and Groups: Settings for Admins and Creators

Admins can set better categories, add social links, tighten group privacy, and moderate posts with less stress. In 2025, Pages support more action buttons, Shops tools keep growing, and Groups offer better moderation and feature sets.

Mobile and desktop paths are similar. On mobile, open your Page or Group, tap the gear or Admin tools. On desktop, open your Page or Group, then use the left menu for Settings or Admin tools.

Choose the Right Page Category and Business Details

Path: Page, Settings, Page info.
Pick the most specific categories that match your business or brand.
Add a short description, hours, location, and contact info.
Accurate categories improve discovery and help the right people find you.

Screenshot idea: Page category picker.
Alt text: “Select Page categories.”

Add Social Links and Contact Info to Your Page

Path: Page settings, Contact and social links.
Add Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, website, email, and phone number.
Use the same handle across platforms to make it easy to find you.
Add action buttons like Book appointment or View shop if they fit your goals.

Screenshot idea: Social links fields filled.
Alt text: “Add social links to Facebook Page.”

Group Privacy, Membership, and Feature Sets

Path: Group, Admin tools, Group settings.
Choose Public or Private, and decide if the group is discoverable in search.
Add feature sets like badges, events, fundraising, or product tagging.
Choose who can approve members and whether membership needs questions.

Screenshot idea: Group privacy selector.
Alt text: “Set group privacy and features.”

For a second opinion on privacy choices for groups and profiles, this step-by-step article remains practical and current: Facebook Privacy Changes 2025.

Moderation Tools: Post Approval, Rules, and Badges

Path: Group, Admin tools.
Turn on post approval if your group needs tighter control.
Write clear rules and pin them where members will see them.
Enable badges for engagement, and use keyword alerts to flag problem posts.
If your group is busy, create a schedule for moderator shifts.

Screenshot idea: Post approval toggle on.
Alt text: “Group moderation settings.”

Accessibility, Language, Payments, and Account Control

A few more settings can make Facebook easier to use and manage. These also belong in your quarterly review.

Display and Accessibility: Dark Mode and Text Size

Path: Settings, Display and accessibility or Accessibility.
Turn on dark mode to reduce eye strain at night.
Adjust text size for easier reading.
If you use a screen reader, turn on any available enhancements.

Screenshot idea: Dark mode toggle on.
Alt text: “Enable dark mode in Facebook.”

Language and Region: Date, Time, and Translation

Path: Settings, Language and region.
Change the app language and translation rules for posts and comments.
Pick date and time formats you prefer.
Match language and region to get more local content and events.

Screenshot idea: Language list.
Alt text: “Select app language.”

For another practical walk-through on making your account more private while you tune language and visibility, this tutorial is useful: How to Make Facebook Private: A Complete Guide for 2025.

Payments: Methods, Orders, and Subscriptions

Path: Settings, Payments.
Add or remove cards or PayPal, and check purchase history.
Manage subscriptions, Stars, and in-app purchases.
Only store payment methods you actually use.

Screenshot idea: Payment methods screen.
Alt text: “Manage Facebook payment methods.”

Download Your Information, Deactivate or Delete

Path: Settings, Your information on Facebook.
Download your data. Choose a date range, format, and media quality.
Go to Account ownership and control to deactivate or delete.
Deactivate pauses your profile and keeps your data. Delete removes your account and data, usually after a short grace period.

Screenshot idea: Download your information options.
Alt text: “Request a copy of your Facebook data.”

If you prefer a news outlet’s checklist that matches these steps on web and mobile, see this guide: Facebook privacy settings to change now.

Conclusion

You now have the full map to Facebook settings, from quick access paths to deeper controls. The big wins are clear: stronger security with 2FA, tighter privacy, cleaner notifications, smarter ad controls, and better Page and Group management. Make it a habit to run Privacy Checkup after any life change, review Activity log twice a year, and keep Quiet mode on a daily schedule.

Screenshot checklist to save: Settings path on iPhone, Android, and desktop, Privacy Checkup home screen, Two-factor authentication methods, Notification categories, Ad topics and Why am I seeing this, Feed Favorites picker, Page category screen, Group privacy selector, Dark mode toggle, Download your information. Update your app, then revisit these settings every few months to stay current and keep your account in great shape.