Create lists for friends on Facebook

Anyone who posts something on Facebook can choose who can see that post. By default this is ‘Friends’. But there are also other options, such as ‘Friends, except…’ or ‘Specific friends’. These come in handy if the message is or is not intended for certain people. Do you want to make more frequent contributions that are only for a select group of people? Then create one or more so-called Friends lists. Then from now on you only need to select that list to share a message with a specific group of people. Friends won’t be notified if you list them. Removing a friend from the list afterwards is easy. Just like adding an extra friend to the list.

By default, there are three Friend Lists to use:

• Dear friends: to share a lot with.
• Acquaintances: people who may see a lot of your contributions, but not everything.
• Inaccessible/Restricted: People you’re friends with, but aren’t allowed to see your updates. Facebook cites someone’s boss as an example.

When posting, choose the desired category (more on that later in this tip), but first you need to fill the Friends Lists with names.

This tip assumes Facebook on the Windows PC:

• Open the browser and go to www.facebook.com
• Log in with your details if necessary.
• Click in the left menu on Friends lists. If necessary, click on Show more to see this option (at the very bottom of the list).
• An overview of Friends lists opens. Click the name of the list to get started.

A page opens showing all the updates from friends from the clicked list. With new lists, this page is still largely empty. On the right is the menu ‘On this list’. Below it is a plus sign with a notification next to it.

• Click on the plus sign Add friends to this list.
• Type part of the friend’s name to be on this list. The person’s name and a small profile picture appear.
• Click on the contact’s name. He or she is immediately added to the list. Someone can be on multiple lists, that’s no problem.
• Continue adding people until you are done. The list is now ‘finished’.
• Click on the button with the house to go back to the overview page. Repeat these steps if you want to create other lists right now.

A custom Friends list is a list that you name yourself, for example for people from your association, family, hobby or interest. This is how you create your own list:

• In the overview of Friends lists, click on Create a list.
• A new window opens. In the ‘List name’ box, type an appropriate name.
• Type part of the friend’s name to be on this list. The person’s name and a small profile picture appear.
• Click on the name of the correct contact person. He or she is immediately added to the list. Someone can be on multiple lists, that’s no problem.
• Continue adding people until you are done. The list is now ‘finished’.
• click on To make.
• Click on the button with the house to go back to the overview page. Repeat these steps to create multiple custom lists.

Is someone on a Friends list and you don’t want this person on it anymore? Then you remove it from the list:

• In the Friends lists overview, click the name of the list from which to remove the person.
• The overview with updates from people on that list will appear.
• Click on the top right Manage list > Edit list.
• An overview of all members of the list appears. Each photo has a cross at the top right. Click on this to remove that person from the list.
• Everthing allright? click on Complete.

Now that there are Friends Lists, you can control which friends from the lists can see each message (text, photo, or link) you post:

• On the landing page, click the “What are you doing” box.
• Below your name there is a gray menu with who can see the message by default, for example ‘Friends’ or ‘Public’. Click on this.
• Click in the menu on the Friends list you want to reach with the message.
• Type the message and post it in the normal way.

Tip: it is not useful to create dozens of Friends Lists. Use this option sparingly and wisely: friend lists are especially useful for posts on very specific topics. Think of families who want to keep pictures of small children together. Or if you like to post about your hobby, but don’t want all your Facebook friends to see it.