How to Use Facebook: Profiles, Pages and Every Feature
To use Facebook, start with one personal account: add a profile photo, post from What’s on your mind? and choose who sees each post with the audience selector. A business then adds a Page, and Meta says you need a profile to create or manage one. Everything else on Facebook builds on those two.
The first two sections cover how to use Facebook as a person; for a business, skip to the decision table. Each feature below gets a short answer checked against Meta’s help pages and a link to its full guide.
Table of Contents
- How to use Facebook: the quick answer
- Getting started with a personal profile
- Profile, pro mode, Page or Group: which do you need?
- Posting on Facebook: text, links, video, music and check-ins
- Privacy and safety: blocking, hiding and hidden comments
- Facebook and Instagram: linking and unlinking accounts
- Running a Facebook Page for a business
- Meta’s business tools for Pages, ads and shops
- Meta AI and fixing posting problems
- What changed on Facebook in 2025-2026
- FAQ
How to use Facebook: the quick answer
Use a personal profile for yourself and a Page for anything commercial. Meta describes a profile as representing a person, a Page as the place for businesses, brands, organizations and public figures to connect with fans or customers, and a group as a space for shared interests. You need a profile to create or manage the other two.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Differences between Profiles, Pages and Groups on Facebook.
- For yourself: the five getting-started steps below, from sign-up to privacy.
- For a business: your profile, then a Page, then your Instagram account connected to it, then Meta Business Suite to plan posts and answer messages for both.
Getting started with a personal profile
Five tasks get a new account ready: create it, add a profile photo, choose who sees your posts, make a first post and check your privacy. Meta’s sign-up article says you must be at least 13, and Meta allows one personal account per person.
Step 1: Create one personal account
On a computer, go to facebook.com, click Create new account, enter your name, email or mobile number, password, date of birth and gender, click Sign up, then confirm your email or mobile number. The app asks for the same details; Meta’s Create a Facebook profile article lists them (checked 2 October 2026).
Create only one. Meta’s Terms say to create one account, your own, and keeping more than one personal account is against its Community Standards.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Can I create multiple Facebook accounts?.
Step 2: Add a profile picture
On a computer, click your profile picture in the top right, click your name, then click the camera at the bottom right of your profile picture to select or upload a photo. For the iPhone and Android apps, follow Meta’s Add or change your Facebook profile picture article (checked 2 October 2026). For your cover photo, see our Facebook cover photo size guide.
Step 3: Choose who sees your posts
The audience selector at the top of a new post sets who sees it, such as Public or Friends. A change affects only that post, so your next one goes back to your default. Two exceptions: anything you post or comment in a public group is public, and on someone else’s profile, they decide who sees your post.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Choose who can see your post on Facebook.
Step 4: Make your first post
Meta publishes these steps for computers only:
On a computer:
- From the top of your Feed, click What's on your mind, [Name]?
- Add a text update or click the type of post you'd like to share (example: Photo/Video, Feeling/Activity).
- You can also add a photo or video, check in, tag people, add feeling/activity, or choose another option (example: a GIF or a Live Video).
- Click the audience selector at the top (example: Public) to select who you'd like to share your post to.
- Click Post.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Share and Manage Posts on Your Profile.
In the apps, Meta’s link, check-in and music steps start from What’s on your mind? at the top of your Feed; the posting section has a guide for each.
Step 5: Check your privacy
On a locked profile, only friends see your profile photos and posts, and past Public posts change to Friends. But Meta says profile lock is available only in certain countries, and it doesn’t list them. Where lock isn’t offered, Meta points to Privacy Checkup, post audience, Profile Review, tag review, Profile Picture Guard and who can friend and follow you.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Lock your Facebook profile.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Lock your Facebook profile.
Profile, pro mode, Page or Group: which do you need?
Most people need only a profile. Add pro mode to let anyone follow you, a Page for a business, a group for a community, and a business portfolio when a team manages Pages, Instagram and ad accounts together. A profile is for personal, non-commercial use, so a business belongs on a Page, not a second profile.
| If you want to | Set up | What Meta says |
|---|---|---|
| Keep up with friends and family | A profile | One per person, for personal use; up to 5,000 friends |
| Let anyone follow you as a creator | A profile with pro mode | A profile setting, not a Page; unlimited followers, still up to 5,000 friends |
| Represent a business, brand or public figure | A Page | Made from a profile; unlimited followers; the only option that can advertise |
| Run a community around a shared interest | A group | A free business presence, but no advertising; Pages can create and join groups |
| Manage Pages, Instagram and ad accounts as a team | A business portfolio | Holds Pages, Instagram and Threads accounts, ad accounts, catalogs and people; required for Meta Business Suite |
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Create and manage a Facebook Page.
Checked against Meta Business Help Center: How to represent your business across Meta technologies with Pages, profiles and Groups.
Checked against Meta Business Help Center: About business portfolios.
Need a second account? Meta no longer lets anyone create additional profiles, though existing additional profiles are unaffected, and its alternatives are a Page or pro mode. See can you have more than one Facebook account? for what Meta allows.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: About additional Facebook profiles.
Posting on Facebook: text, links, video, music and check-ins
Most posts start from What’s on your mind? at the top of your Feed, and what you add decides the format. Video changed the most: since Meta’s September 2025 update, every video you post, except Stories and Live, is shared as a reel, whatever its length or orientation.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Create a reel on Facebook.
- Text and photos. Add photos, tags or a feeling to an update, pick the audience and post: how to make a post on Facebook.
- Links. Paste the link into a new post and add an update if you like. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Learn how to share a link on Facebook See how to post a link on Facebook.
- Video. On a computer you upload from your profile’s Reels tab, but effects, music and multi-clip editing need the iPhone or Android app. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Create a reel on Facebook Uploads and subtitles: how to post a video on Facebook.
- Music. You can add a song to a text post only in the iPhone and Android apps, and Meta warns a post can be muted or blocked if it loses the rights to that song. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Add music to your text post on Facebook Read how to add music to a Facebook post.
- Check-ins. Choose Check in while writing a post and pick a nearby place. A Public check-in is visible to the people who manage that place’s Page. Checked against Facebook Help Center: How do I check into a nearby location on Facebook More in how to check in on Facebook.
- Notes. Meta’s Help Center no longer documents the old long-form Notes; a note today is a status of up to 60 characters that expires after 24 hours. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Create, replace or delete a note on Facebook Facebook Notes: what happened explains.
To post later, how to schedule Facebook posts covers Pages, pro mode and groups.
Privacy and safety: blocking, hiding and hidden comments
Facebook’s safety tools work on three levels: you block people, hide or unhide posts, and hide comments.
- Blocking. Block from the person’s profile or from Settings: Meta has removed Block from the post menu in Feed. They aren’t notified. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Block someone's Facebook profile, Page, or nickname Steps for each device: how to block someone on Facebook.
- Who shared your post. We found no Meta Help Center article documenting a list of who shared your post. Meta does document that a share can’t widen your audience: a post shared with Friends can’t be reshared to Public. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Share a post you see on your Feed on Facebook More in seeing who shared your Facebook post.
- Hiding and unhiding posts. Hiding a post from your profile doesn’t make it private; it stays visible to its original audience in Feed and search. Hidden posts are listed in Activity Log under Posts hidden from profile, where you restore them. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Use Activity Log to view hidden information on Facebook See how to unhide a post on Facebook.
- Hidden comments. Meta’s Help Center doesn’t define a “Hidden by Facebook” label; it documents “Hidden by This Page” and “This comment has been hidden”. A comment a Page hides stays visible to the person who wrote it and their friends. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Hide a comment from a post on your Facebook Page Hidden by Facebook: what it means covers the rest.
- Hiding your profile. Beyond profile lock (step 5), see how to hide your profile on Facebook.
Facebook and Instagram: linking and unlinking accounts
Facebook and Instagram link in two separate places, and it matters which one you use. Personal accounts link through Accounts Center, which holds only one Facebook account (some people now see Meta Account settings instead). A Page connects to Instagram from the Page’s own settings, under Linked accounts. You undo each link where you made it.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Add or remove your accounts and profiles from an Accounts Center or Meta Account.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Connect or disconnect an Instagram account and your Page.
- Linking. Linking a personal Instagram account to a Page prompts a switch to a professional account, and a private account becomes public when it switches. Both routes: how to link Facebook to Instagram.
- Unlinking. Remove the account in Accounts Center, or disconnect it from the Page’s Linked accounts screen: how to unlink Facebook and Instagram.
- Sharing a post to both isn’t the same as linking. See how to share Facebook posts to Instagram.
Running a Facebook Page for a business
A Page is Facebook’s home for a business: Meta recommends one for businesses, organizations and public figures, and only Pages can advertise. You create it from your personal profile. Keep at least one person with full control: Meta says a Page needs one to stay active, and only full control can manage settings, access and deletion.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Create and manage a Facebook Page.
- Creating it. On a computer, go to Pages, then Create Page, and add a name and category before optional details such as a bio, contact information and photos. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Create a Facebook Page All devices: how to create a Facebook Page for your business.
- Fan pages. “Fan page” is an old nickname for a Page: when Pages launched in November 2007, people “became a fan” of a business. Checked against About Meta newsroom: Facebook Unveils Facebook Ads (2007-11-06) See what a Facebook fan page is today.
- Merging duplicates. Two Pages can merge only if they share a name, represent the same thing, share any physical address and sit in the same business portfolio (Meta’s merge article still calls it Business Manager), and a merge can’t be undone. Meta adds that merging may not be available to everyone. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Merge 2 Facebook Pages Every condition: how to merge Facebook Pages.
- Growing followers. How to grow followers on Facebook covers organic methods only, never bought followers.
- Getting found. We found no ranking guidance for Pages from Meta or Google, so Facebook SEO works from what Meta does document: usernames, Page names and the About section.
- Groups. Any Page can create and join groups, and Meta warns that over-selling in a group can drive members away. Checked against Meta Business Help Center: Create or join Groups as a Facebook Page See how to use Facebook Groups for marketing.
- Marketing. Meta’s own four steps are to create a business Page, chat with customers on Messenger, boost a post and use Page Insights. Checked against Meta for Business: Market Your Business on Facebook Our Facebook marketing strategy builds a plan from there.
Need things to post? See Facebook post ideas for Pages, Facebook engagement posts, hashtags on Facebook and the best time to post on Facebook, or the free Facebook post generator and Facebook hashtag generator.
Meta’s business tools for Pages, ads and shops
Each of Meta’s business tools does one job, and Meta Business Suite, which covers Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, requires a business portfolio.
| Tool | What it’s for | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Meta Business Suite | Posts, stories and reels, a Planner calendar, Inbox and Insights | How to use Meta Business Suite and Meta Business Suite pricing |
| Business portfolio (older guides: Business Manager) | Pages, Instagram and Threads accounts, ad accounts, catalogs and the people who access them | Setting up Meta Business Manager |
| Ad Library | Every active ad across Meta’s products, plus ads about social issues, elections or politics, kept for 7 years | Searching the Meta Ad Library |
| Commerce Manager | Catalogs and shops on Facebook and Instagram; since September 2025, buyers pay on the seller’s website | Facebook Commerce Manager setup |
| Audience Insights (retired) | No longer available; Meta points to Meta Business Suite Insights | What replaced Audience Insights |
Checked against Meta Business Help Center: How Meta Business Suite works.
Checked against Meta Business Help Center: About business portfolios.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: What is the Meta Ad Library and how do I search it?.
Checked against Meta Business Help Center: About Commerce Manager.
Checked against Meta Business Help Center: About changes to Shops and checkout on Facebook and Instagram.
Checked against Meta Business Help Center: Create a new audience from Meta Business Suite Insights.
Meta AI and fixing posting problems
Meta’s help pages document no setting that turns Meta AI off in Facebook, Instagram or Messenger, only narrower controls such as muting a Meta AI chat. When you can’t post, Meta’s help lists specific causes, such as temporary sharing blocks.
Checked against Facebook Help Center: Chat with Meta AI on Facebook (plus Ask Meta AI, Messenger and Instagram Meta AI articles).Not verified
- Meta AI. Muting a Meta AI chat silences its notifications but doesn’t remove Meta AI. Checked against Messenger Help Center: Turn Messenger notifications on or off How to turn off Meta AI lists every control Meta documents.
- Can’t post? Facebook applies temporary sharing blocks after you post a lot in a short time, share posts marked as unwelcome or share something against the Community Standards, and Meta says it can’t lift them early. Checked against Facebook Help Center: Blocked from sharing on Facebook Why can’t I post on Facebook? works through the other causes.
What changed on Facebook in 2025-2026
Five changes in Meta’s help pages leave many older Facebook guides out of date. Meta dates two of them, both September 2025.
| Change | What Meta’s help says now | When |
|---|---|---|
| Additional profiles | You can’t create new ones; existing ones are unaffected | No date given |
| Video | Every video except Stories and Live is shared as a reel, whatever its length or orientation | September 2025, announced 17 June 2025 |
| Blocking | Block is no longer in the post menu in Feed; use the profile or Settings | No date given |
| Shops | Every shop uses website checkout; Commerce Manager’s payouts, order management, returns and disputes are discontinued | September 2025 |
| Audience Insights | No longer available; use Meta Business Suite Insights | No date given |
Sources for each row are linked in the sections above.
What hasn’t changed: Meta’s tools cover only Meta’s apps
Meta Business Suite manages Facebook, Instagram, Threads and WhatsApp, and it’s free, so if those are your only networks, start there. Outfeed AI, which publishes this guide and posts to Facebook Pages through Meta’s Page API, is for when you also need TikTok, LinkedIn, X, YouTube, Pinterest or Bluesky: describe a post in one chat, and it publishes to your Page and up to eight other networks (TikTok posts publish as private while TikTok reviews the app).
The limits, up front: on Facebook, Pages only (never profiles or groups), one photo or video per post (video goes up through Meta’s Page API, not Facebook’s Reels tools), and no Stories; TikTok posts publish as private for now while TikTok reviews the app; X takes text posts only, within a monthly allowance; and there’s no inbox or analytics, so keep Business Suite for messages and Insights. Starter is $29 per month billed monthly, flat rather than per seat, for 10 accounts and 100 posts a month. Starter includes a 3-day free trial with 100 AI credits. Card required. Pro and Agency are billed from the first day.
Post to your Facebook Page and eight other networks from one chat
Weighing up other tools? See our social media management tools comparison, or how to schedule social media posts for each network’s own scheduler.
FAQ
How do I use Facebook for beginners?
Create one personal account (Meta says you must be at least 13), add a profile photo, then start a post from What’s on your mind? and pick who sees it with the audience selector. Finish with a privacy check: profile lock where Meta offers it, or Privacy Checkup and tag review where it doesn’t.
What is the difference between a Facebook profile and a Page?
A profile represents one person and is for personal, non-commercial use; a Page is for businesses, brands, organizations and public figures. A profile can have up to 5,000 friends, a Page can have unlimited followers, and only Pages can advertise. You need a profile to create or manage a Page.
How do I make my Facebook account private?
Pick the audience for each post, such as Friends instead of Public, and lock your profile if Meta offers it where you live: Meta says profile lock works only in certain countries and doesn’t list them. On a locked profile, only friends see your profile photos and posts. Where lock isn’t offered, Meta points to Privacy Checkup, Profile Review, tag review and Profile Picture Guard. See how to hide your profile on Facebook.
How do I use Facebook for my business?
Create a Page from your personal profile: Meta recommends Pages for businesses, and only Pages can advertise. Meta’s own four steps are to create a business Page, chat with customers on Messenger, boost a post to reach new audiences and use Page Insights to learn about your customers.
Are all Facebook videos reels now?
Yes. Since Meta’s September 2025 update, every video posted to Facebook, except Stories and Live, is shared as a reel, whatever its length or orientation. Effects, music and multi-clip editing for reels are only available in the Facebook app for iPhone and Android, not on a computer.