| Posted on | entertainment
6546 Views
Finding someone's name on Facebook involves using the People filter and learning how to find people through your friends' profiles, and a few other neat tricks.
Facebook users fill their profiles with personal info, and the site is all about linking people through those shared details. You can put that to use when finding old friends, family members, or other connections.
While Facebook searching works well, specialized people search engines and the best people finder websites can be a great assist, especially when you don't know the person's name, don't share mutual connections, are having issues with blocking, or if either party isn't an active user on Facebook.
1. Cross-Platform Search Methods
Facebook profiles usually give way to expanded online presence. When you need to find info on someone, SimpleContacts (https://www.simplecontacts.com/) is great at covering this gap by crawling various social media sites all at once to develop much more detailed digital profiles. It is best in cases where traditional Facebook searching returns little to no results.
In addition to SimpleContacts use the following:
- every Facebook profile has a unique username in its URL;
- search this username on other platforms or search engines to find matching accounts.
These techniques, in combination with the advanced search features provided by SimpleContacts, constitute a complete plan of attack to discover someone's entire online presence. The ability to simultaneously scan Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and others often reveals connections that may have been missed through manual searching.
Remember to respect privacy settings and personal boundaries when conducting your search. Some users intentionally maintain a minimal online presence, and it is best to respect such decisions when using any search method.
2. Perform a Name Search on Facebook
Your primary search bar up top is your first stop in searching for names. Type in the name and under the left menu option, choose People, and sift through matches.
3. Search Facebook by Employer or School
You don't need to know the person's name exactly to look for people through work or school links. First, search for the company or school name, then click on People under the Filters to get a list of users that include that place on their profile. People tend to list current and former employers, making this search effective.
4. Piggyback on Your Friends' Friends
Using your current Facebook friends usually works best when finding people if you think they have any mutual friends.
For instance, if they worked at the same place, went to the same school, or lived in the same city as you or your friends, try the following steps:
- go to a friend's profile and select their Friends tab to see all their connections;
- search through the entire list or scan recently added friends and group-based associations such as workplace, hometown, or school networks;
- you can also scroll through the "People you may know" page or use the Friends of Friends filter after doing a name search.
Remember to respect privacy settings and personal boundaries when looking to find info on someone. Some users intentionally maintain a minimal online presence.
5. Search for People in Public Groups
If you are aware of the interests the person has, then searching through relevant Facebook Groups can be worth a shot. Type in topic-specific groups from the top bar, select Groups, and navigate to the Members or People tab to search.
Note: Public Groups can be viewed to see members for free; closed groups require you to join the group first.
6. Do a Facebook Search by Phone Number
Want to know who a caller is? Try putting the phone number in Facebook's search box. While public posts seldom include numbers, you may be able to find mentions in the older posts of friends—helpful in reconnecting with old contacts.
Use filters to refine results, such as the Date Posted option under Posts if you know approximately when the number might have been posted.