How to Block People From Seeing Your Story on Facebook: The Definitive Guide

Want to share your latest adventures with everyone except that one overly critical aunt or your ex who just won’t quit stalking? You’ve come to the right place. The good news is that Facebook offers several ways to control who sees your Facebook Story. Here’s the direct answer: you can block people from seeing your story on Facebook by using the Story Settings. Simply go to your Facebook Settings & Privacy, select Stories, then choose Hide Story From, and select the individuals you wish to exclude from viewing your story. It’s quick, easy, and gives you complete control over your audience.

Controlling Your Narrative: Mastering Facebook Story Privacy

Think of your Facebook Story as a digital billboard showcasing your life, and you, the curator. Facebook allows you to tailor who gets to see your daily highlights, rants, and cat videos. You’re not obligated to share everything with everyone. Mastering these privacy settings is crucial for maintaining a comfortable and controlled online presence. Let’s delve into the specifics.

The Quick & Dirty Method: Hiding Stories From Specific Individuals

This is the most direct way to block someone from seeing your story. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Access Your Settings: On the Facebook app (mobile) or website (desktop), click on the menu icon (usually three horizontal lines). Scroll down to Settings & Privacy and select Settings.
2. Navigate to Story Settings: In the Settings menu, look for the Stories section. It might be under “Privacy” or “Audience and Visibility,” depending on Facebook’s latest UI update.
3. Hide Story From: Select the Hide Story From option. This will open a list of your Facebook friends.
4. Choose Your Exclusions: Carefully select the individuals you want to block from seeing your story. A checkmark will appear next to their name. Once you’ve selected everyone, exit the screen. Facebook automatically saves your changes.

That’s it! Those individuals will no longer see your stories, though they remain your Facebook friends (unless you choose to unfriend them, of course). This method is perfect for selectively limiting your audience without burning any bridges.

Broader Strokes: Setting Audience Defaults

Instead of manually blocking individuals each time, you can set a default audience for all your stories. This is a more generalized approach but highly effective if you have a specific group you always want to share with.

1. Go Back to Story Settings: Follow steps 1 and 2 from the previous method to access the Stories settings within Facebook.
2. Story Privacy: This time, select Story Privacy. Here, you have several options:
   • Public: Anyone on or off Facebook can see your story. Use with caution!
   • Friends: Only your Facebook friends can view your story. This is the most common and generally recommended option.
   • Friends Except…: Similar to “Hide Story From,” but this applies a blanket exclusion. You select specific friends to exclude from seeing your stories.
   • Custom: This allows you to create a specific list of people who can see your stories. Only those on this list will be able to view your story.
3. Select Your Audience: Choose the option that best suits your needs. If you select “Friends Except…” or “Custom,” you’ll be prompted to select specific individuals.

Remember, the default audience you set here will apply to all future stories unless you change it.

The Mute Button: A Less Confrontational Approach

While technically not “blocking,” muting someone’s stories is a clever workaround. You won’t see their stories, and they won’t know you’ve muted them. It’s a win-win for avoiding digital drama. To mute a user’s stories:

1. Find Their Story: On your Facebook feed, locate the story of the person you want to mute.
2. Long Press (Mobile) or Hover (Desktop): On your phone, tap and hold on their story icon. On a computer, hover your mouse over the story icon.
3. Select “Mute [Name]’s Story”: A menu will appear. Choose the option to mute their story.

This prevents their stories from appearing in your feed without them knowing. It’s a subtle way to curate your own experience without any direct confrontation.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Facebook Story Privacy

Here are some common questions users have about managing their Facebook Story privacy:

1. If I block someone from seeing my story, are they notified? No, Facebook does not notify users when you block them from seeing your story. It’s a silent block, so they won’t know unless they specifically ask someone else to check.

2. Can someone tell if I’ve muted their story? No, muting someone’s story is completely private. They will have no indication that you’ve muted them.

3. If I block someone from seeing my story, can they still see my regular posts? Yes, blocking someone from seeing your story only affects stories. They can still see your regular posts, provided your post privacy settings allow it. To block someone completely, you need to block them as a friend.

4. Can I block someone from seeing my story after I’ve already posted it? Yes, you can adjust your story settings at any time. However, anyone who has already viewed the story will still have seen it.

5. Is there a way to block someone from seeing my story on Instagram if I’ve linked my accounts? Yes, if your Facebook and Instagram accounts are linked, you can share your story to both platforms simultaneously. However, you’ll need to manage the block lists separately on each platform. Blocking someone on Facebook won’t automatically block them on Instagram, and vice versa.

6. How often can I change my story privacy settings? You can change your story privacy settings as often as you like. There are no limits imposed by Facebook.

7. If I unfriend someone, will they still be able to see my past stories? No, once you unfriend someone, they will no longer be able to see any of your posts or stories that are set to “Friends” privacy.

8. Can business pages block people from seeing their stories? Yes, business pages have the same ability to block individuals from seeing their stories as personal profiles do. The steps are the same.

9. What happens if someone I’ve blocked from seeing my story uses a fake account to view it? This is a challenge with any online platform. There’s no foolproof way to prevent someone determined to circumvent your privacy settings. You can report fake accounts to Facebook, but prevention relies on your vigilance.

10. If I set my story to “Friends Except…”, and then someone on that list unfriends me, will they still be on the exception list? Yes, they will remain on the exception list. You will need to manually remove them from the list.

11. Can I see a list of people I have blocked from seeing my story? Yes, when you navigate to the Hide Story From setting, you’ll see the list of people you’ve already selected to exclude.

12. Does blocking someone from seeing my story prevent them from seeing my highlights? Yes, highlights are simply archived stories. If someone can’t see your stories, they won’t be able to see your highlights either.

By understanding and utilizing these Facebook Story privacy settings, you can maintain a level of control over who sees your content, ensuring a more comfortable and secure online experience. Remember that privacy is a dynamic process, requiring regular review and adjustment to match your evolving needs.