Facebook facebook.com How to make a Facebook business page private
Facebook Pages are public by design, but you can hide one by unpublishing it. Switch to the Page, open Settings, go to Access and control, choose Unpublish Page and confirm. Admins can still see and edit it.
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- Privacy settings
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Step by step
- 1
Switch into your Page
Log in to Facebook and switch to the business Page you manage. You need full Facebook access to the Page to unpublish it.
- 2
Open Settings
Open your Page's Settings.
- 3
Go to Access and control
Find Access and control in the settings menu.
- 4
Choose Unpublish Page
Select the option to unpublish the Page.
- 5
Confirm
Confirm when Facebook asks. The Page is no longer visible to the public. The menu can differ by app version, so look for the unpublish option if a label has moved.
Watch out for
- Unpublishing is hiding, not deleting. The Page and its content stay on Facebook.
- Admins can still edit an unpublished Page, but those edits stay hidden until you publish again.
- Ad campaigns are paused and can't be restarted while the Page is unpublished.
- If you unpublish a parent Page, its child Pages are unpublished too.
- Your personal profile has its own privacy settings. Unpublishing a business Page doesn't change them.
Other ways to do it
- 1
Deactivate or delete the Page
If you want it gone rather than hidden, Facebook also has options to deactivate a Page or delete it. Deleted Pages aren't permanently removed until 14 days have passed.
What stays out there
Unpublishing hides your Page from the public on Facebook. It doesn't change what other sites already copied. A business listing with your name, a home address used as the business address or a personal phone number can be picked up by people-search sites and business directories and stay up after the Page is hidden.
Serus finds where your details are listed and removes them.
Frequently asked
Can a Facebook business page be private?
Not in the sense of friends only. Pages are public. Unpublishing makes the Page invisible to the public while admins keep access.
What is the difference between unpublishing and deactivating a Page?
Both hide the Page and neither deletes it. Facebook describes them as separate options in its help center.
Will people still find my unpublished Page?
Facebook says an unpublished Page is no longer visible to the public. Copies on other sites or in search results may take time to update.
How do I bring the Page back?
Republish it from the same settings area. Edits made while it was unpublished go live at that point.
Sources
Related guide Guide: How to Delete Yourself from the Internet Something changed? If these steps no longer match what you see, tell us and we'll re-check it.
