How to Tag Someone on Facebook

Tagging someone on Facebook is a great way to connect and share moments with others. This guide shows how to tag someone on Facebook to make your social media interactions more dynamic and personal.

Good to know: recover any deleted Facebook messages by trying one of these methods.

How to Tag Someone on Facebook Before Posting on PC

You can tag someone on Facebook in various ways. Perhaps the most popular option is tagging other people in photos. But you can also tag (or mention) them in posts, comments, and more.

Open Facebook in your favorite browser on desktop. Press on Photo/video underneath the What’s on your mind bar to upload a new photo.

Type the accompanying message, and add your photo/video from your local device by clicking below. Then, click on the icon below that looks like a person.

Find the friend you want to tag in your photo using the search function or by scrolling through the list. Press Done.

You can tag multiple people if you would like to.

Before posting, make sure you have selected the correct audience for this post. By default, Facebook allows the Friends of the tagged person(s) to view the image, but if you’re not comfortable with that, change it by pressing the button underneath your name.

Press Post.

Your post will appear as Your name with Friend’s name. The tag won’t appear on the photo, per se.

If you want the tag to appear, hover your mouse over the image, and press Edit.

Select Tag Photo from the menu on the left.

Click on the desired photo, and find the person in question. You aren’t limited to adding just friends. If you know their Facebook name, you can tag them.

Click Save -> Post.

The post will have the same configuration, showing Your name with Friend’s name. However, this time the tag will also show up on the image.

Your friend will be notified that they have been tagged in your post. Depending on their privacy settings, the image can be automatically posted on their profile, or they may need to manually approve it first.

Tip: learn how to download all your Facebook photos in one go.

How to Tag Someone in Posts or Comments

You can also tag someone in the text part of a post. Create a new post, and type your complementary text. To tag someone in this post, use @, and type their name.

Mention people or pages when you reshare with others on the app. To make sure your Facebook post is shareable, follow this guide.

You can mention people who aren’t on your Facebook pages or friends list.

The same method applies if you wish to tag someone in a comment. Use @, and type their name.

How to Tag Someone on Facebook Before Posting on Mobile

Also tag people in new posts using the Facebook app.

Open the app, and tap on the What’s on your mind bar.

Add your text and images. Tap on the person icon at the bottom to add your tag.

Select the person(s) you wish to tag, then tap the back arrow.

To tag the person in the image, press the Edit button in the Create post screen.

Tap on the person-shaped icon at the top.

Press anywhere on the picture to add your tag. Find the desired person(s), and tap Done.

Tap Done again on the next screen.

Press Next.

Press the Share button to send it to your feed.

To tag someone in the text part of posts or comments, use the same trick with @, followed by the name of the person.

Tip: learn more about creating and editing Facebook stories.

How to Tag Someone in a Facebook Story

You can also tag someone in a Facebook story on mobile.

Open the app, and tap on the Create Story option.

Select the image(s) you want to use, or choose the Boomerang or Text story option.

Tap on the Tag people option on the next screen.

Add the person(s) you want to tag, and press Done.

Arrange the tag anywhere on your photo, then press Your Story.

The story will be posted. The person you tagged will receive a Facebook notification informing them that they’ve been featured in your story.

FYI: had enough of social media? Learn how to delete your Facebook account.

How to Tag Someone on Facebook After Posting on PC

If you’re wondering if you can tag someone on an older post, you’ll be happy to know it’s possible. Note that you can only modify your posts and comments, not those posted by other people.

Find the post in question on your Facebook profile, and click the three dots on the right. Select Edit post.

Tag your post as explained above via either method. Once you’re done with your modifications, press the Save button.

Your friend will receive a notification that they have been tagged in your post. Note that you can also remove someone who has been tagged by following the same steps.

To edit a comment, find it and hover your mouse over it. Click the three dots, and select Edit, then add or remove your tags.

How to Tag Someone on Facebook After Posting on Mobile

On mobile, find the post you want to modify, and press on the three dots in the upper right. Select Edit post.

On mobile, you can’t edit the image to add a tag and can only use the first tagging method explained above.

Press the Save button once you’re done.

To edit comments on mobile, long press on the comment, and select Edit from the menu.

FYI: learn how to change your Facebook username if you’re craving a new one.

Why Can’t I Tag Someone on Facebook

If you’ve been trying to tag someone in one of your posts but can’t, it may be because of one of these reasons:

• They don’t allow tagging – some people may have restricted tagging, as they want to avoid appearing in random photos. The options are available via Settings & privacy -> Settings -> Profile & tagging. While you’ll technically still be able to set the tag, it won’t be visible on the person’s profile, and others won’t be able to view them. For more details on how to make Facebook private, check out our dedicated post.
• They are reviewing tags – if the person you’re trying to tag has enabled tagging reviews, the tags won’t appear on their profile (or anywhere on Facebook) unless they approve it.
• They may not be your friend – if you’re trying to tag someone in a photo using the first method, you won’t be able to unless they are part of your Friends list. Try using the second method that adds the tag to the photo.
• They removed the tag – if you’re wondering why you can’t see the tag on their profile, they may have removed the tag.
• The account was deleted – if you can’t find someone in the list of people you can tag, check whether they are still on Facebook. If your search results in a blank profile hit, you’ll know tagging them isn’t possible anymore.

Tagging photos on Facebook is a way to better connect with others on the app. But if you prefer to be a more elusive presence, turn off your Active Status on Facebook so that people don’t know when you’re online. Alternatively, learn how to post or comment anonymously in a Facebook Group.

Image credit: Pexels. All screenshots by Alexandra Arici.