Creating a Facebook Event: The Basic Process
To create a Facebook event, open Facebook on your computer or phone, click the "Events" icon in the left menu, then click "Create Event" and fill in the event name, date, time, and location. Facebook will then ask you to choose who can see the event and whether people need your permission to join. Once you save those details, the event goes live and people can find it, share it, or ask to attend.
The whole process takes about five minutes. You do not need to be a business or organization — any personal account can create an event. The event stays on your profile and in Facebook's event directory, where people searching for events in your area might discover it.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook stores the event details you enter — the date, time, location, description, and guest list — on its servers and uses that information to show the event to people who might be interested.
- You control who sees the event by choosing "Public," "Friends Only," or "Invite Only" when you create it, and you can change that setting later.
- When people join your event, Facebook collects their names, profile pictures, and attendance status, which you can see but which also appear on their own profiles.
- Facebook uses event data to show targeted ads to attendees and to suggest similar events to people who have attended events like yours in the past.
- You can delete an event at any time, but Facebook may keep a record of it in your account history.
Step-by-Step: Creating Your Event on Desktop
Open Facebook in a web browser and look at the left sidebar. Click "Events" — it usually appears below "Friends" and above "Marketplace." If you do not see it, click "See More" at the bottom of the sidebar to expand the full menu.
Once you are on the Events page, look for a button that says "Create Event" or has a plus sign. Click it. Facebook will open a form with fields for the event name, date, start time, end time, and location. Fill in each field. The location can be a street address, a venue name, or just a city — Facebook will suggest matches as you type.
Below the basic details, you will see a dropdown menu that says "Public," "Friends," or "Invite Only." Choose one. "Public" means anyone on Facebook can find and see the event. "Friends" means only your friends can see it. "Invite Only" means only people you invite directly can see it or join. You can also toggle on "Require approval from event organizer" if you want to approve each person who asks to join.
Click "Create" or "Save" at the bottom. Your event is now live. You can add a description, upload a photo, invite specific people, or change any detail by clicking "Edit Event" later.
Creating an Event on Your Phone
Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right. Scroll down and tap "Events." On the Events page, tap the plus sign or "Create Event" button at the top.
The form on your phone works the same way as on desktop: fill in the event name, date, time, and location. Tap the privacy dropdown to choose who can see it. When you are done, tap "Create" or "Save." You can edit the event later by opening it and tapping "Edit."
What Information Facebook Collects When You Create an Event
When you create an event, Facebook stores the event name, date, time, location, description, and any photo you upload. It also records who created the event, when it was created, and every change you make to it afterward. If you add a guest list or invite people directly, Facebook stores their names and whether they said yes, maybe, or no.
When people join your event, Facebook collects their attendance status and displays it on the event page. Their names and profile pictures appear in the guest list, which anyone who can see the event can also see. If the event is public, that guest list is visible to anyone on Facebook.
Facebook also tracks which events you have attended, created, or shown interest in. This information is linked to your profile and used to show you ads for similar events and to suggest events to other people based on what you have attended.
Controlling Who Sees Your Event and Your Guest List
When you create an event, the privacy setting you choose controls who can find and see the event itself. If you choose "Public," the event appears in Facebook's event search and in the feeds of people who follow you. If you choose "Friends," only your friends can see it. If you choose "Invite Only," only people you invite can see it.
The guest list — the names of people who said they are attending — follows the same privacy rule as the event itself. If the event is public, anyone can see who is going. If it is friends-only, only your friends can see the guest list. If it is invite-only, only invited guests can see it.
You can change the privacy setting at any time by clicking "Edit Event" and choosing a different option. If you change a public event to invite-only, people who already saw it can still remember it, but it will no longer appear in searches or in other people's feeds.
Deleting an Event and What Happens to the Information
To delete an event, open it, click "Edit Event," scroll to the bottom, and click "Delete Event." Confirm that you want to delete it. The event will no longer appear on your profile or in Facebook's event directory, and people will no longer be able to see it or join it.
However, Facebook may keep a record of the event in your account history and in its backup systems. If you were concerned about privacy when you created the event, deleting it removes it from public view but does not may provide that Facebook has erased all traces of it from its servers. If the event was public and people shared it or took screenshots, those copies exist outside of Facebook's control.
Common Mistakes When Setting Up an Event
The most common mistake is forgetting to set the privacy level. If you create an event and do not change the default setting, it may be more public than you intended. Always check the privacy dropdown before you save.
Another mistake is entering the wrong date or time and not realizing it until people have already joined. Double-check the date and time before you save, especially if you are creating the event on your phone, where the calendar picker can be straightforward to misread.
A third mistake is not realizing that the guest list is public if the event is public. If you are inviting specific people and do not want others to know who is attending, choose "Invite Only" instead of "Public."
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I create an event without adding a location?
Yes. The location field is optional. You can leave it blank or type "Online" if the event is virtual. Facebook will still create the event and show it to people, though events with a specific location are easier for people nearby to discover.
What happens if I change the event date after people have joined?
When you edit the event and change the date, Facebook sends a notification to everyone who has joined, telling them the date has changed. Their attendance status stays the same — they do not have to rejoin or confirm again.
Can I see who viewed my event but did not join?
No. Facebook only shows you the names of people who clicked "Going," "Interested," or "Maybe." It does not tell you how many people saw the event without responding or who looked at it and decided not to join.
If I delete an event, can people still see it in their notifications or messages?
If you sent notifications about the event before you deleted it, those notifications stay in people's inboxes. The event itself will no longer be clickable, but people will still see that you created an event and then deleted it.
Can I make an event private after I created it as public?
Yes. Click "Edit Event," change the privacy setting from "Public" to "Invite Only" or "Friends," and save. The event will no longer appear in searches, but people who already saw it may remember it.