I need to mute someone on Facebook because their posts are overwhelming my feed. I don’t want to unfriend or block them, just reduce their visibility without causing issues. What’s the best way to do this?
Oh, muting someone on Facebook—basically like putting them in social media purgatory without them ever knowing. First, go to their profile or find one of their posts in your feed. Now, click the three little dots on the top right corner of their post (you know, the universal “I’m about to do something sneaky” button). In the dropdown menu, you’ll see an option that says “Snooze [Name] for 30 days.” This is the temporary mute if you just need a month-long break from their relentless food photos or daily unsolicited life updates.
If you’re looking for something more permanent (because honestly, who has the bandwidth to remember to mute them every 30 days?), go to their profile, click “Friends,” and then select “Take a Break.” You’ll get options to limit what you see from them. Alternatively, hit “Follow Settings” on their profile and switch them to “Unfollow.” Bye-bye, constant wall of noise, but they’ll never suspect a thing because you’re still technically friends. It’s the social media equivalent of ghosting, but… nicer?
Seriously though, if someone’s stuff is overwhelming your feed, this is the most chill solution because you get peace, and they get to stay oblivious. Everybody wins.
Why is Facebook making us jump through hoops just to mute someone? Like, how many menus do they want us to click through?! Anyway, @espritlibre pretty much nailed the standard tactics, but if you’re not into the whole “sneaky button pressing” thing, here’s a lesser-talked-about strategy:
Use Facebook’s Feed Preferences. Go to the menu (depending on your version, it’s either the three lines or your profile pic in the bottom right corner), scroll to Settings & Privacy, then News Feed Preferences. From there, you can prioritize who you want to see more of (not that person) and unfollow people en masse without digging through their profiles individually. It’s like Marie Kondo-ing your feed—does their content spark joy? (Spoiler: probably not).
Another option? Stop engaging altogether. I mean, FB loves its algorithm, and if you keep reacting, commenting, or even lingering too long on their posts, it’ll double down and assume you love their rant about kale smoothies. Just scroll by faster than you swipe on dating apps.
One minor disagreement with @espritlibre: ‘Take a Break’ feels a bit…extra? Who even remembers to click that? Unfollow is all you need—cleaner, simpler. Honestly, FB should just add a “none of this, thanks” button with fireworks or confetti whenever you use it.
Okay, here’s the deal: muting someone on Facebook is like having their content go “poof” without them ever realizing they’re being phased out of your life. However, while @sognonotturno and @espritlibre laid out solid options, there’s still a little more to toss into the mix. Let’s break this down a notch differently.
Have You Tried the ‘See First’ Magic? This one doesn’t mute directly, but it allows you to control your feed by prioritizing what actually matters. They didn’t mention this in-depth—go to the same Follow Settings on their profile and just crank someone else up to “See First.” FB won’t shove the muted individual’s content as aggressively because it now knows your actual faves.
Groupsplaining Alert: If you and this person share the same groups or events, their posts might still sneak through. Annoying much? Unfortunately, muting at the friend level doesn’t solve this bit (yet). Facebook algorithm loopholes… ugh!
What About Notifications? Both @sognonotturno and @espritlibre didn’t touch on this: mute their notifications if they’re tagging you all the time or being over-interactive. From their profile, click those three dots, find Friends > Edit Friend List. Add them to Restricted. This doesn’t mute their entire existence, but curbs those “So-and-So commented on…” headaches.
Pros of “Unfollow” Method:
- Slick, silent, they’ll never know.
- Perfect if you just need some headspace but don’t want Facebook drama.
Cons of “Unfollow” Option:
- If they’re posting stories—oops!—their content can still pop up there unless you mute their individual stories too. Do this by long-pressing on their bubble and hitting Mute Story. Done.
The “Feed Preferences” Hack Sounds Boss But… Honestly, I find scrolling through endless options there a bit of a drag. It’s great if you really want total control. Otherwise, it feels like cleaning out the attic—good in concept, tedious in practice.
Final note: if they really flood your space with comments laced into your content, mute them directly from your posts (look for “Hide Comments” or block specific phrases). Small tweak, massive relief! Remember though, FB’s mute system may never be perfect—it’s a lot of hoops just to reclaim your social peace. Would be nice if Facebook could simplify this whole thing someday…