You can cancel a friend request you sent by clicking the pending request and selecting "Cancel Request"
When you send a friend request on Facebook, you can change your mind at any point before the other person accepts or declines it. The request sits in their notifications until one of three things happens: they accept it, they decline it, or you cancel it. Cancelling takes about ten seconds and the other person will not get a notification that you cancelled — they will straightforward see the request disappear from their notifications.
The steps are slightly different depending on whether you are using Facebook on a computer or on a phone, but both routes are straightforward and do not require any special settings or permissions.
Key Takeaways
- You can cancel any friend request you sent before the other person accepts or declines it, and they will not be notified that you cancelled.
- On a computer, go to the person's profile, find the "Cancel Request" button next to their name, and click it.
- On a phone, tap the person's profile, tap the pending request button (usually showing a clock icon or "Friend Request Sent"), and select "Cancel Request".
- Once you cancel, you can send a new request to the same person after a few days if you change your mind again.
- Cancelling a request is different from blocking or unfriending — it only removes a request that has not yet been answered.
How to cancel on a computer
Open Facebook in your web browser and navigate to the profile of the person whose friend request you want to cancel. Look for a button near their name at the top of their profile — it should say "Cancel Request" or show a clock icon with a checkmark. Click that button, and the request will be cancelled when ready.
If you do not see the "Cancel Request" button, the request may have already been accepted or declined. If it was accepted, you will see an "Unfriend" button instead. If it was declined, the button will say "Add Friend" again, meaning you can send a new request if you want to.
How to cancel on a phone or tablet
Open the Facebook app and go to the person's profile by searching for their name or finding them through a mutual friend. At the top of their profile, you will see a button showing the status of your request — it usually displays a clock icon or says "Friend Request Sent". Tap that button.
A menu will appear with options. Select "Cancel Request" from the menu. The request will be cancelled, and you will return to their profile. The button will now say "Add Friend" again if you decide to send a new request later.
What happens after you cancel
Once you cancel a request, the other person will not see a notification about it. The request straightforward disappears from their notifications and their "Friend Requests" list. From their perspective, it will be as though you never sent the request at all.
You can send a new friend request to the same person after a few days have passed. Facebook does not permanently block you from requesting the same person — it just prevents you from sending multiple requests in quick succession to avoid spam.
The difference between cancelling, declining, and blocking
Cancelling a request means you are removing a request you sent before the other person responded. Declining a request means they sent you a request and you said no. Blocking someone is a separate action that prevents them from seeing your profile, messaging you, or sending you friend requests at all.
If someone sent you a friend request and you want to remove it, you decline it instead of cancelling it. Look for the "Decline" button next to their request in your notifications or in your "Friend Requests" section. If you want to prevent them from sending future requests, you would block them instead.
Why you might want to cancel a request
People cancel friend requests for many reasons: they sent it to the wrong person, they changed their mind about connecting with someone, they realized they do not actually know the person, or they sent it by accident. Whatever the reason, cancelling is a low-stakes action that does not damage your relationship with the other person or leave any trace in their notifications.
If you are worried about privacy or about who can see your activity, cancelling a request is cleaner than accepting it and then unfriending later, because the other person will never know you sent the request in the first place.
If you cannot find the cancel button
If you are looking at someone's profile and do not see a "Cancel Request" button, check whether the request was already answered. If the button says "Unfriend", the person already accepted your request and you are now friends. If the button says "Add Friend", the person declined your request or it expired.
Facebook friend requests expire after a certain period if they are not answered, though the exact timeframe is not publicly stated. If your request expired, you can send a new one by clicking "Add Friend".
Frequently Asked Questions
Will the person know I cancelled my friend request?
No. They will not receive a notification, and the request will straightforward disappear from their notifications. It will be as though you never sent it.
Can I cancel a friend request after they have already accepted it?
No. Once someone accepts your request, you are friends. To remove them, you would unfriend them instead, which they may see depending on their privacy settings. Cancelling only works on requests that have not yet been answered.
How long do I have to wait before sending a new request to the same person?
Facebook does not publish an exact waiting period, but most users report being able to send a new request after a few days. If you try to send one when ready and get an error, wait a few days and try again.
Is cancelling a request the same as blocking someone?
No. Cancelling removes a pending request. Blocking prevents someone from seeing your profile, messaging you, or sending you requests. Blocking is a stronger action and the person may realize they are blocked if they try to visit your profile.
What if I sent a request to someone by mistake?
Cancel it when ready using the steps above. The person will not be notified, and there is no record of the request in their notifications. You can send a new request later if you want to.