How to Use Facebook

This article will guide you through the process of using Facebook on both your computer and mobile device.

Open Facebook. Go to https://www.facebook.com/ in your browser on your computer or tap the Facebook icon on your mobile device. This will direct you to the login page if you're not already logged in.

• If you haven't downloaded the Facebook app for iPhone or Android, you can do so for free.

Create a Facebook Account. This can be done on both the desktop and mobile versions of Facebook.

Access the Facebook page. The method will vary depending on whether you're using a computer or a mobile device (such as a smartphone):

• Computer - Click on your name in the top right corner of the window.
• Mobile Device - Tap the ☰ icon at the bottom or top right of the screen, then tap your name at the top of the search results.

Upload a profile picture. You can choose a photo of yourself (or any image) as your profile picture to help others recognize you easily:

• Computer - Click on Add Photo at the top left of your Facebook page, click on Upload Photo, select an image from your computer, and click Open.
• Mobile Device - Tap the square profile photo icon at the top of the page, tap Select Profile Picture, choose the photo you want to use, and select Use.
• You can also upload a cover photo by clicking or tapping Add Cover Photo, then choosing Upload Photo on your computer or Change Cover Photo on your mobile device and selecting an image from either device.

Edit your account information. If you missed adding some information during the account setup or wish to remove any details you previously added, follow these steps on your profile page:

• Computer - Click on About under the cover photo area, click on a topic under the "About" section on the left side of the page (e.g., Places You've Lived), hover over an item, and click Edit to make changes.
• Mobile Device - Scroll down and tap About above the "What's on your mind?" field, tap the pencil icon Edit next to the information section, tap Edit, and update your details.

Save your changes. Click or tap Save on the page where you made changes to save and update your profile. Now that your Facebook account is set up, the next step is to add friends.

Select the search bar. Click or tap on the search bar located at the top of the page or screen. This action places the cursor in the search field, and the keyboard will appear if you're using a mobile device.

Type your friend's name. Enter the name of the person you want to add on Facebook, and click or tap on their name when it appears below the input field.

• You can also press ↵ Enter or tap Search as soon as you've finished typing.

Choose your friend. Once you locate the person's profile, click their profile picture to view their page.

• Skip this step if you're on a mobile device.

Click or tap Add Friend (Add Friend). This option is available at the top of the page (on desktop) or next to your friend's name (on mobile). Clicking or tapping this will send a friend request; if accepted, you can view their personal details and posts on Facebook.

Use Facebook's friend suggestions. This section displays suggested users from Facebook based on your activity. These suggestions are most relevant when you've already made a few friends, but you can check out friend suggestions at any time:

• On a computer - Click on your name tab, click Friends below your cover photo, then click ＋ Find Friends, and click Add Friend next to the name of the person you'd like to add.
• On mobile - Tap ☰, tap Friends, tap the Suggestions tab, and select Add Friend next to each person you'd like to connect with.

Add more friends. Facebook works best when you're connected to a few people, so look for more friends. Once you've added more people, you'll be able to post content.

Return to your profile page. Click on your name tab located at the top right corner of the Facebook window to do this.

Click on the status input box. This box, usually located in the center of the page, displays the prompt "What's on your mind?" right below your cover photo and list of tabs. Clicking it will open the status input box.

Create a post. Text is the core of any status, and you can add it by typing into the status box, but you can also enhance your post with other elements:

• Add images by clicking Photo/Video below the text box, then select a photo or video from your computer.
• To tag a friend in your post, type @ followed by a few letters of their name, and click on their name from the dropdown menu.
• You can also add a location by clicking Check in beneath the text box and entering the address.

Click on Post. This is the button below the status window. Clicking this will create the post and add it to your profile page.

Comment on someone else's post. If you're friends with someone, you can click Comment under their post and type your comment beneath the original post.

• Any friends who can see your content will also see this post in their News Feed.

Go back to your profile page. Tap on ☰ either at the bottom or top right of the screen, then tap your name at the top of the search results.

Scroll down and tap the status box. This is the area below the section that appears beneath your profile picture. The screen will display the status input field along with the mobile device's keyboard.

Create a post. Text is the fundamental part of any status, added by typing into the status box. You can also enrich your post with additional elements:

• To add an image, click on Photo/Video below the text box and select a photo or video file from your device.
• To tag a friend, type @, followed by the first few letters of their name, then click on the name that appears in the dropdown menu.
• To add a location, click Check in below the text box and enter the address.

Change the privacy settings of your post if needed. By default, your posts are visible only to friends, but you can alter this by clicking the Friends option on the top left of the input area and selecting a different privacy setting (e.g., Public or Only me) and then click Done to finalize.

Tap Share (Share). This option is located in the upper right corner of the screen. By tapping it, your post will be created and added to your profile.

Comment on someone else's post. If you're friends with someone, you can tap on Comment below their post and type your reply beneath the original post.

• Anyone who can see your content will also be able to view this post in their News Feed.

Access your News Feed. To do this, click on the f icon in the top left corner of your Facebook page.

Click on Photo/Video (Photo/Video). You'll see this green and white icon near the top of your News Feed page.

Select a photo or video from your computer. In the File Explorer (on Windows) or Finder (on Mac) window that opens, navigate to the folder where the image you want to upload is stored, then click to select it.

• To select multiple photos or videos at once, hold down the Ctrl (on Windows) or ⌘ Command key while clicking each image/video you want to upload.

Click on Open (Open). This option is located at the bottom-right of the window. Your photos and/or videos will be uploaded to Facebook.

Optionally, you can add text to your post. While it's not required, you can type a message by clicking on the "Say something about..." box above your image/video and entering your text.

Click on Post (Post). This button is located below the status field. Clicking it will create and post your content on your profile.

• All friends who can view your posts will see it on their News Feed.

Navigate to your News Feed. Double-tap the square "News Feed" icon at the bottom-left of your iPhone screen or at the top-left of your Android screen.

Tap on Photo (Photo). This option is found at the top of your News Feed. You will see a list of photos and videos from your phone (or tablet).

• On Android, the Photo option is located at the top-right of your News Feed page.

Select the photo or video you want to upload. Tap on the item you'd like to upload to Facebook.

• If you want to select multiple photos or videos at once, tap on each one you wish to upload.

Tap on Done (Done). This option is located at the top-right corner of the screen. Your photo/video will be uploaded to Facebook.

Optionally, add text to your post. While it's not required, you can enhance your post by tapping the box above your photo to type in a message.

Tap on Share (Share). This option is located at the top-right corner of the screen.

Tap on the "News Feed" box. You'll find this option at the bottom of the screen. This action ensures your post will appear on both your personal profile and your News Feed.

Tap on Share Now at the bottom of the screen. This will create and add your post to your personal profile.

• Anyone who can view your content will see your post in their News Feed.

Add GIFs to Facebook. These are animated images that you can insert into your posts and comments on Facebook.

• Facebook offers a wide selection of GIFs, featuring various emotions, for your comments.

Chat with your friends. Facebook comes with an integrated chat feature that allows you to stay connected with your friends on this social network.

• You can also install the Facebook Messenger app for iPhone or Android if you want to chat with your Facebook friends on mobile devices.

Be kind to others and protect yourself. Never share personal information with strangers, and always remain polite and respectful towards others.

Create a Facebook Page. These are non-personal pages dedicated to a specific topic, location, or idea. You can use a Facebook Page for anything from showing your admiration for a celebrity to running a business, and feel free to create as many free pages as you want.

Attract more fans to your business Facebook Page. If you have a business Facebook Page, organization, art, or anything else, you can implement various strategies to attract fans and gain more visibility.

• If you ever feel that Facebook is no longer suitable for you, you can permanently delete your Facebook account at any time.
• Facebook allows you to reset your password when necessary.
• If you switch to a new email address, you can easily update your Facebook email address.
• If you want to edit a photo before posting, you can use the photo editing feature while uploading your image.

• Follow basic life principles while using Facebook: avoid interacting with strangers, never share personal information, and refrain from bullying others.