Looking to find someone by phone number on Facebook? A few years back, you could just plug the number into the search bar and boom, you’d get their profile. Those days are long gone. But after spending hours testing different methods this year, we’ve figured out what still works.
In this post, we’re walking you through two reliable ways to search Facebook using a phone number in 2025. These aren’t hacks or magic scripts. They’re just practical steps that have consistently worked for us.
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Can You Still Find Someone on Facebook by Phone Number?
Yes — but not as easily as before. In the past, you could search a phone number directly into Facebook’s search bar, and it might reveal the account linked to it. That’s no longer the case. However, there are two workarounds that still function in 2025:
- Upload your contacts to Facebook and let it match accounts.
- Use the Facebook “Forgot Password” page to reveal name and profile info.
Let’s go through each.
Method 1: Upload Your Contacts
This works only if the person you’re searching for has that number linked to their account and hasn’t blocked lookups via privacy settings.
Steps to Sync Contacts with Facebook:
- Open the app.
- Tap the menu icon, then the gear icon.
- Select “See more in Account Center”.
- Go to “Your information and permissions”.
- Tap “Upload contacts”.
- Toggle it on and confirm.
The platform will scan your contacts and try to match them to existing profiles. If a match is found, you may see friend suggestions, though the platform won’t explicitly say it was due to the number — it’s a subtle “easter egg” built into their algorithm.
Method 2: Use the Password Recovery Page
This is our favorite fallback method. It’s surprisingly reliable, and doesn’t require you to be logged in to find someone by phone number.
- Go to facebook.com/login/identify in a browser. (If you are logged in, make sure you are logged out, or use Incognito Mode)
- Enter the phone number in the field.
- Hit Search.
If the number is connected to an account, Facebook will display the name and profile picture, even if you don’t have access to the account. And if you’re wondering whether they get notified, they don’t. Facebook does not alert users when someone searches for them using their phone number.
Bonus Tip: Friend Suggestions from Contacts May Be a Clue
Even though Facebook doesn’t outright tell you why someone is suggested, adding their number to your contacts and syncing might surface them. It’s not guaranteed, but several users have noticed this subtle pattern, even on Instagram.
So if you suddenly see someone familiar pop up in “People You May Know”, and they match a number you recently saved, that’s likely no coincidence. Others can also find you if they have your phone number saved in their contacts.
Unless you adjust your privacy settings, the platform may suggest your profile to them. To control this:
- Go to Settings & Privacy
- Tap on “How people can find and contact you”
- Look for the option that says:
“Who can Facebook suggest your profile to based on your phone number or email address?” (Yes, it’s a long label — but at least it’s self-explanatory.) - Under “People with your phone number”, choose the privacy level you’re most comfortable with.
Myth Busted: No Other Methods Work
Ignore posts claiming you can search Facebook using ZIP codes, magical software, or Tony Stark’s satellites. They’re fake. These two methods above are the only working options as of 2025.
And while they work most of the time, even these aren’t foolproof. Facebook has leaned heavily into privacy in recent years, so be respectful, and only use these tips for valid reasons. If someone doesn’t want to be found, respect that. But if you’re genuinely trying to reach out, these two tricks can still open the door.
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