How to Cancel Sent Facebook Friend Requests (2025 Guide)
If you’ve ever accidentally sent a Facebook friend request or simply had a change of heart after clicking “Add Friend,” you’re not alone. With Facebook’s evolving interface and privacy settings, it’s essential to know how to manage your outgoing friend requests effectively. This guide will walk you through the latest steps to cancel sent friend requests on Facebook, whether you’re using a mobile device or a desktop browser or looking to cancel multiple requests at once.
Facebook has undoubtedly grown to become the leading social media site today. All over the world, many people have come to love and depend on Facebook and are prepared to send friend requests to both known and unknown persons. It is simply normal.
With Facebook, there is no known limit to the number of friend requests you can send. You can send many friend requests to build your network base.
Unfortunately, when someone sends too many friend requests every day, Facebook treats the person as having a fake account, and for that reason, the person is prevented from sending additional friend requests. That person may be blocked for two days to a month or may be permanently banned from sending friend requests if the mistake is repeated.
If you have questions about cancelling all friend requests you have sent on Facebook, you are on the right page.
You can use these four methods to cancel friend requests you’ve sent on Facebook, which I will share in this article. First, you have to log in to your Facebook account before you can continue. Let’s get started!
Why Cancel Sent Friend Requests?
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You added the wrong person by mistake.
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You’re managing your digital footprint and want more control over your connections.
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You’re trying to avoid sending spammy vibes by over-requesting connections.
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You’re hitting the 1,000-request limit (yes, Facebook has one).
Cancel Sent Friend Requests on Facebook Mobile App (iOS & Android)
As of 2025, the Facebook mobile app interface has been streamlined, but the core steps remain largely the same.
Steps:
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Open the Facebook app on your mobile device and log in if needed.
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Tap the search bar at the top and type in the name of the person you sent the request to.
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Go to their profile.
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If the request is still pending, the button will say “Friend Request Sent”.
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Tap “Friend Request Sent” — a pop-up will appear.
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Select “Cancel Request.”
You’re done! The friend request will be canceled immediately, and the other person won’t be notified.
Cancel Sent Friend Requests on Desktop (Web Browser)
Facebook’s desktop site gives more visibility and control over your outgoing requests.
Steps:
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Visit Facebook.com and log in.
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Click on the Friends icon (the two-person silhouette) in the top right corner.
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Click “See All” next to “Friend Requests.”
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On the Friend Requests page, click “View Sent Requests” at the top.
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A list of all your pending outgoing requests will appear.
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To cancel one, click “Cancel Request” next to the person’s name.
You can also search for individuals and cancel the request directly from their profile, just like on mobile.
Read: How to delete my Facebook Account (Delete Facebook Account Guide – 2025)
Cancel Multiple Sent Friend Requests (Bulk Method)
If you’ve sent dozens or even hundreds of friend requests and want to clean things up, you’ll need to use the Activity Log or a browser-based method.
Method 1: Using Facebook Activity Log (Desktop)
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Go to your Facebook profile.
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Click the three dots (···) next to the “Edit Profile” button.
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Select “Activity Log.”
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In the left-hand menu, click “Connections.”
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Choose “Sent Friend Requests.”
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You’ll see a chronological list of sent requests — click “Cancel” on any to revoke them.
Method 2: Use Facebook’s Graph Search (Manual Browsing)
Though Facebook has limited Graph Search, some options still work.
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In the search bar, type:
People you’ve sent friend requests to
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Click the relevant result or hit Enter.
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A list will appear — manually visit each profile and click “Cancel Request.”
Note: Facebook doesn’t currently offer a native bulk cancel button. Third-party browser extensions exist, but use them with caution as they can violate Facebook’s terms of service and compromise your account security.
Important Things to Know
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No notification is sent to the other user when you cancel a request.
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If the person has already accepted your request, you’ll need to unfriend them instead.
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Canceled requests do not count toward your 1,000-request limit anymore.
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You can re-send a request later if you change your mind.
FAQs and Answers
Q: Can someone still see that I sent them a friend request if I cancel it?
A: No. Once you cancel the request, it disappears from their notifications and pending requests — unless they already saw the notification.
Q: Why can’t I cancel a friend request?
A: It’s possible the person already accepted it, blocked you, or their account was deactivated.
Q: Can I view all my canceled requests?
A: No. Facebook doesn’t log canceled friend requests in your Activity Log.
 Summary
Platform | Method | Steps |
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Mobile App | Visit profile → Tap “Friend Request Sent” → Cancel | |
Desktop | Friends tab → See All → View Sent Requests → Cancel | |
Bulk Cancel | Activity Log → Connections → Sent Requests → Cancel individually |
Conclusion
Regularly reviewing your sent friend requests is a great way to tidy up your Facebook experience and maintain a curated friends list. Whether you’re networking, reconnecting, or just casually browsing, it’s smart to stay in control of your digital social footprint.
I hope this article helps. If you have any queries or know other ways to cancel sent friend requests, let us know by leaving your comments, suggestions, and questions in the comment box below. Please hit the share button below to spread this article on social media. Thank you!
Lastly, you should consider reading our other interesting articles, which are all designed to help you have the best possible Facebook experience. Thanks for doing that, and we look forward to seeing you return.
Related:
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Update your Facebook to the Latest Version (2025 Guide)
How to Delete Facebook Search History (2025 Guide)
How to delete my Facebook Account (Delete Facebook Account Guide 2025)
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