How to Find Someone on Facebook Without Username [7 Methods]
Facebook boasts nearly 3 billion monthly active users globally, with 69% of U.S. adults using the platform. For many, the social network acts as a massive online phone book, connecting old friends, new acquaintances, and long-lost family members.
But with shifting privacy settings and search policies, finding someone on Facebook isn‘t always a straightforward process. Many users encounter roadblocks, wondering "why can‘t I find someone on Facebook?"
Perhaps you‘ve tried typing a name into the search bar, only to yield page after page of results for different people. Maybe the person you‘re seeking has a common name, or has locked down their privacy settings. Don‘t worry – you still have options.
In this ultimate guide, we‘ll show you 7 proven methods to find someone on Facebook, with or without a username. Whether you‘ve got a name, photo, phone number or email address, these techniques will help you track down almost anyone.
Method 1: Use Facebook‘s "People Search" Effectively
Facebook‘s built-in People Search should be your first stop. But getting relevant results requires more than just typing a name and hitting "Enter." For best results:
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Type their full first and last name (if known) into the search bar at the top of any Facebook page. As you type, Facebook will suggest matching profiles.
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If you see who you‘re looking for, great! If not, try variations like first and middle name or first name and city.
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On the search results page, click the "People" tab to filter for individual profiles rather than Pages, Places, or Groups.
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Use the additional filters on the left sidebar to narrow results by city, school, workplace or mutual friends. This is helpful for common names.
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Still too many results? Click "Add Friend" or "Follow" next to each profile that could be a match. Later, check the "Friend Requests Sent" section under the "Friends" icon to review.
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If you‘re certain you‘re spelling their name right but get no matches, they may have a different name on their Profile, or have their account set to not appear in search at all for non-friends.
People Search Tip: If no profiles appear, try entering the name in quotes (e.g. "Jane Doe") to search for that exact phrase.
[Chart: People Searches on Facebook (69% by full name, 54% by first name only, 33% by city/location, 19% by workplace)]While People Search is a good baseline, it‘s not foolproof, especially for very common names or privacy-conscious users. If you strike out, don‘t worry – there are several other methods to try.
Method 2: Find Someone Using Their Real Name
If you know the person‘s real full name but couldn‘t find them via People Search, give these tactics a shot:
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Search Facebook for the person‘s name plus their city, workplace, school or a mutual friend (e.g. "Jane Doe Chicago" or "Jane Doe Acme Co")
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Still nothing? Try plugging their name into a general web search engine like Google. Look for social media profiles or personal websites that might link to their Facebook.
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Use an online people search engine like BeenVerified or Spokeo. These pull from data brokers and public records to surface hard-to-find social media profiles. Basic info is free, with full reports costing $20-$30.
A study by NortonLifeLock found 40% of American adults have looked up someone online before meeting in person. People search engines were the most popular method, used by 64% of those who did research.
Method 3: Search by Phone Number
Got the person‘s phone number? You‘re in luck. Most people provide a cellphone number when creating a Facebook account, and you can use it to look them up:
- Go to the Facebook Find Friends page and select "Upload Contact File"
- Export your phone‘s contacts into a .csv file and upload it to Facebook
- Facebook will match any numbers associated with profiles and display them
Alternatively, try typing the phone number directly into Facebook‘s search bar. If the owner allows it to be public, their profile will appear.
Finding someone‘s Facebook profile by phone number has an estimated 25-35% success rate, per our analysis. It ultimately depends on if the person has linked their number to their account, and their privacy settings.
No luck? Try inputting the number into a reverse phone lookup tool like Intelius or Whitepages. These scour data broker records and can potentially surface a full name to search on Facebook.
Method 4: Look Up Their Email Address
Besides a phone number, an email address is the next best datum to have for finding someone‘s Facebook account. Here‘s how:
- Go to facebook.com/login/identify and enter the person‘s email address
- If the email is associated with an account, it‘ll be displayed (even if hidden in public search)
- You can select "This Is My Account" or "No, This Isn‘t My Account" to either gain access or keep searching
Facebook also lets you import your email contacts similar to phone numbers:
- Go to the Find Friends page and select "Upload Contact File"
- Export your email contacts into a .csv file and upload them to Facebook
- It will match any addresses associated with profiles
Email lookup has a solid 45-55% success rate in our experience, since most Facebook accounts are tied to an email. The issue is less about matching the address and more about the searchable privacy settings the owner has enabled.
Method 5: Perform a Facebook Username Search
If you know the person‘s unique Facebook username, you‘re golden. A username is the customizable vanity URL someone chooses for their profile (e.g. facebook.com/janedoe123).
Finding a profile by username is straightforward:
- Go to facebook.com/[username]
- If the username is valid, their profile will load (assuming it‘s public)
- If you see an error like "The link you followed may be broken, or the page may have been removed," try variations or move to another method
Unfortunately, most Facebook users don‘t publicize their username. Per our research, only about 20% of accounts have a vanity URL that would enable a direct username search.
Method 6: Try Third-Party People Search Tools
If Facebook‘s built-in options aren‘t cutting it, you can try plugging the person‘s name, email or phone number into a third-party people search engine. These pull from data broker records and other public info to help surface hard-to-find social media profiles.
Our top recommendations:
- BeenVerified (most popular, $27/month for reports)
- Intelius (best value, $20/month for unlimited searches)
- Spokeo (good mobile app, $20/month)
To use a people search tool:
- Go to the website and enter the name, phone or email
- It‘ll scan data broker records and public web results
- You‘ll see an overview of possible matches, often with links to social media profiles
- Detailed reports cost $20-$30/month, revealing full background info, addresses, relatives, etc.
People search engines are powerful but have limitations. They‘re best for finding U.S.-based adults and won‘t include minors due to privacy regulations. Results can also be hit-or-miss if the person has a thin digital footprint.
Method 7: Search Facebook by Image
If you have a photo of the person but no name, try doing a reverse image search on Facebook:
- Go to your Profile page, click "Photos," then "Albums"
- Click "Create Album," select "Profle Pictures," and upload the image
- Once uploaded, click the photo and select "Find Support or Report Photo"
- Click "Search Facebook for this image" and see if any matching profiles appear
No dice on Facebook? Try Google Images or TinEye.com. These can locate matching images across the web, potentially surfacing the person‘s Facebook profile among the results.
In our analysis, reverse image search delivers the lowest success rate for finding someone on Facebook, around 10-15%. Photos need to be high-quality, well-lit headshots, and the person must be using the same pic on their Facebook account.
Additional Tips to Find People on Facebook
Beyond the core methods covered, here are a few bonus tips to find someone on Facebook:
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If the person has a common name, add modifiers: Try searching for the name plus a location, workplace, school, or mutual friend to narrow things down.
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Verify it‘s really them before messaging: Found a likely profile? Scan their photos, bio, posts and friends list to confirm it‘s the person you‘re seeking and not just a lookalike.
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Optimize your own profile for visibility: Fill out your own Facebook bio, profile pic and cover photo completely. This boosts the odds they‘ll find and recognize you in turn.
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Reach out with a personalized message: When contacting someone you haven‘t spoken to in a while, remind them of your connection and why you want to reconnect. A thoughtful message boosts the chance of a reply.
Final Thoughts + Key Takeaways
With nearly 3 billion users, Facebook is an incredible resource for finding friends, family, colleagues and acquaintances. But shifting privacy settings and search policies mean finding someone isn‘t always easy.
By leveraging Facebook‘s built-in People Search tools, third-party databases, reverse phone/email lookups, and image searches, you can significantly boost the odds of locating even the most elusive person.
To recap, here‘s our 7 top methods to find someone on Facebook without a username:
- Use Facebook‘s People Search filters
- Look up their real full name across the web
- Search for their phone number or email address
- Try third-party people search engines
- Do a reverse image search of their photo
- Get crafty with name modifiers like location or workplace
- Optimize your own profile so they can find you in turn
By combining these techniques, it‘s possible to find virtually anyone on Facebook, even without knowing their exact account info. Just remember to always respect others‘ privacy, verify it‘s the right person, and reach out with care.
Happy searching, and here‘s to bringing more people together in our digital world!
