How to Change Your Relationship Status on Facebook

Edit your status from your laptop or phone to keep it quiet... or not

A young couple changing their relationship status on the Facebook website on a laptop.

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By
Brad Stephenson - Lifewire Writer
Brad Stephenson
Freelance Contributor
Brad Stephenson is a freelance tech and geek culture writer with 12+ years' experience. He writes about Windows 10, Xbox One, and cryptocurrency.
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Brad Stephenson
Updated March 16, 2019

Updating your Facebook relationship status can be a great way to express your love for your partner and inform all of your friends and family about your personal life. Not everyone wants to share every aspect of their relationship, though, and some might want to adjust how their status is displayed and who can see it. Here's how to change your relationship information on Facebook using the Facebook apps and website.

How to Change Your Relationship Status on the Facebook App

You can update your Facebook relationship status on the official Facebook apps for Android smartphones and tablets and Apple's iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad.

  1. Click your circle avatar to go to your Facebook profile.

    Screenshots of the Facebook app on iPhone.

  2. Click Edit Profile.

  3. Scroll down to the Details block of information and click Edit.

  4. Next to your current relationship status, click the pencil icon.

    Screenshots of the Facebook app on iPhone.

  5. Click Relationship Status to bring up a menu of different options.

  6. Scroll to the status you want and click Done.

  7. Depending on your previous settings, you should see a small icon of featuring two people or a globe. Click it to change who can see your relationship status.

    Choosing the globe icon will make your relationship status viewable to everyone on Facebook, even people you're not friends with. The couple icon, on the other hand, makes it viewable to your friends only.

  8. Optional: If you selected a relationship status that involves another person, you will be provided with the opportunity to enter their name. Type their name in the field to make them a part of your relationship.

    Screenshots of the Facebook app on iPhone.

  9. Optional: Next to Anniversary, click Year and select the year your relationship began.

How to Change Your Relationship Status on the Facebook Website

In addition to the iOS and Android apps, you can also update your relationship status on Facebook by using the Facebook website.

  1. After logging into the Facebook website, as usual, click on the three dots next to your name in the top-left corner of the screen.

    Screenshot of the Facebook website.

  2. Click on Edit Profile.

  3. Scroll down to Relationship and click on the pencil icon next to your current status.

  4. Hover your mouse over the white space to the right of your relationship status to make the status options appear. Click on Edit.

    Screenshot of the Facebook website relationship status settings.

  5. Select your preferred status from the dropdown menu.

    Choosing the --- option will leave your relationship status empty.

  6. Optional: Enter your partner's name and the date your relationship started.

    Screenshot of the Facebook website's relationship privacy settings.

  7. Optional: Click on the globe or people icon to make your status viewable to the general public or just your friends respectively.

    You can also choose Only me to have your relationship status on your Facebook profile but only viewable by yourself. Clicking on Custom will give you the option to specify specific users or lists that can view your relationship status.

  8. Click on Save Changes.

3 Reasons To Update Your Relationship Status

There are several reasons why people choose to change their Facebook relationship status. Here are three of the mains ones.

  • It means you're serious. Many people see changing their Facebook relationship status as an affirmation of their commitment to their partner.
  • It's satisfying. Some people are simply completionists that enjoy filling in every bit of information about themselves on social media.
  • It's practical. A lot of users find updating their relationship status on Facebook as being a time-efficient way to inform friends, family, and followers of a major life moment such as getting engaged or married.

3 Reasons Not to Update Your Status

Filling in the relationship status field on Facebook can be popular but there are some reasons why many choose not to use it.

  • It's not always good news. If you announce that you're dating someone and then break up at a later date, everyone on Facebook will see when you change your relationship status back to single.

A good way to avoid attention after a divorce or becoming single is to simply make your Facebook relationship status completely private before changing it.

  • Personal privacy. Some people simply don't want to share their love life with others online.
  • Partner privacy. Facebook users with a lot of followers or friends may want to hide the identity of their partner or at least not advertise who they are.