To tag someone on Facebook, type @ followed by their name while writing a post or comment, then select their profile from the dropdown list.
3 min read
To tag someone on Facebook, type the @ symbol followed by their name while writing a post, comment or photo caption, then select the correct profile from the dropdown list that appears as you type.
Tagging in photos works differently from tagging in text, since it links a person to a specific spot in the image rather than to a sentence.
| Problem | Likely reason |
|---|---|
| Their name does not appear in the dropdown | Their privacy settings limit who can tag them, or you are not friends |
| The tag appears but does not notify them | Their notification settings for tags are turned off |
| You can tag them but they are not shown in your photo tag list | They may have removed themselves from the tag after the fact |
| Tagging a Page instead of a person fails | Some Pages restrict who is allowed to tag them |
Facebook gives every user control over tags that involve them, which is why a tag is not always immediately visible on someone’s timeline. Under Settings and Privacy, then “Profile and tagging,” people can turn on “Review posts you’re tagged in,” which means a tagged post only appears on their timeline after they approve it. This setting does not stop the tag from existing, it only controls whether it shows up publicly on their profile.
Only tag someone if the post genuinely involves them, since irrelevant or excessive tagging is a common source of complaints and can come across as spammy, especially in business or group contexts. For marketing or business Pages, avoid tagging large numbers of unrelated people just to increase reach, since this violates Facebook’s community standards and can lead to reduced distribution or a temporary restriction on the Page’s ability to tag altogether.
If someone tags you in a post you would rather not be associated with, open the post, click the three dot menu and choose “Remove tag,” which detaches your name without deleting the original post itself. You can also go to your own “Profile and tagging” settings to review, hide or remove tags in bulk, and turn on tag review so future tags need your approval before appearing on your timeline.
