How to Change Invite Settings on a Facebook Event

Trying to stop guests from inviting everyone they know to your private Facebook event? It’s a common frustration, and thankfully, it’s a simple fix. This guide will walk you through exactly how to change the invite settings for your Facebook event so you have complete control over your guest list. We’ll cover how to do it for new and existing events on both desktop and mobile.

First, Understand Your Event's Privacy Level

Before you touch any settings, it's important to know the difference between a Public and a Private event on Facebook. This choice is the foundation for who can see your event and, ultimately, who can invite others.

• Public Events: Anyone on or off Facebook can see your event. They are discoverable through search and can be shared freely by anyone. For public events, you have very little control over who shares the event page. The concept of "invite control" doesn't really apply in the same way, as the goal is maximum visibility.
• Private Events: Only people who are invited can see and attend the event. This is where controlling invite settings becomes incredibly valuable. You can decide whether the people you invite can, in turn, invite their own friends.

For most situations where you want to lock down your guest list - like a ticketed workshop, an intimate birthday party, or a company gathering - you'll want to use a Private event.

How to Set Invite Permissions for a New Event

Getting the settings right from the start is the easiest way to manage your event. Here’s how to do it when you first create your event on both desktop and the mobile app.

On a Desktop Computer:

Setting up your private event with the right invite controls from your computer is a straightforward process.

1. From your Facebook News Feed, click on "Events" in the left-hand menu. If you don't see it, you may need to click "See More."
2. Click the "+ Create New Event" button on the left.
3. Choose whether your event is "Online" or "In Person."
4. Fill out the basic details for your event: Event Name, Date, Time, and Location/Link.
5. Next, you'll reach the "Privacy" section. This is the spot that matters most. Select "Private."
6. Once you choose "Private," a new option appears: a checkbox that says "Guests can invite friends." By default, this box is often checked. To prevent attendees from adding others to the guest list, uncheck this box.
7. Continue filling out the rest of your event details and click "Create Event" when you're done.

That's it. Now, only you and any co-hosts you add can invite people to the event. Your attendees won't see the option to invite their own contacts.

On the Facebook Mobile App:

Creating an event on the go? The steps are just as simple on your phone.

1. Open the Facebook app and tap the Menu icon (three horizontal lines, usually in the bottom or top right).
2. Tap on "Events."
3. Tap the plus (+) icon or the "Create" button.
4. Choose whether the event is "Online" or "In Person" and fill in the initial details.
5. On the next screen, you’ll see the "Privacy" setting. Tap on it and select "Private."
6. Just like on desktop, you will then see a toggle switch for "Allow guests to invite friends." Make sure this is toggled off (it will usually be greyed out).
7. Add your finishing touches like a description and cover photo, then tap "Create Event."

How to Change Invite Settings on an Existing Event

So, you've already created your event and realized that guests are adding dozens of people you don't know. Don't worry, you can easily change this setting after the fact.

On a Desktop Computer:

1. Navigate to the event page you want to manage.
2. Below the event name and cover photo, click the "Edit" button.
3. This will open the event creation window with all your current details filled in.
4. Scroll down until you find the Privacy settings section.
5. Find the "Guests can invite friends" checkbox and uncheck it.
6. Click the "Update" or "Save" button at the bottom of the window to apply your changes.

On the Facebook Mobile App:

1. Open the Facebook app and go to your event page.
2. Find and tap the "Manage" button, usually located near the top of the event page.
3. From the management options, tap on "Edit."
4. Scroll down to find the Privacy settings area.
5. Turn off the toggle for "Allow guests to invite friends."
6. Tap "Save" or the checkmark icon in the top right corner to confirm the edits.

A Note on Changing Event Privacy

It's important to remember that Facebook has limitations on changing an event's core privacy from Private to Public or vice versa after a certain point. You can generally change a Public event to a Private one at any time, but you cannot change a Private event to a Public one after you've created it. Be sure to pick the right one from the start to avoid any headaches later.

Strategic Tips for Managing Your Event Invites

Knowing how to change the settings is one thing, but knowing when is just as important. Your decision should align with the goal of your event.

When to Allow Guests to Invite Friends

• Community Building Events: If you're hosting a meet-and-greet, a public park cleanup, or a local interest group gathering, allowing open invites helps spread the word organically.
• Casual Social Gatherings: For a casual backyard BBQ or a big birthday party, letting friends invite other friends can make the event more dynamic and fun.
• Brand Awareness Campaigns: If your event's purpose is to reach as many people as possible, like for a free webinar or an open house, enabling invites is a great way to let your attendees become brand advocates.

When to Restrict Invites

• Ticketed or Paid Events: This is a must. If attendees need to pay, you need to control the guest list completely to track registrations and payments.
• Events with Limited Capacity: For a small dinner party, an intimate wedding, or a workshop with limited seats, restricting invites is necessary to avoid overcrowding and unhappy guests who are turned away.
• Corporate or Private Meetings: To maintain confidentiality and professionalism, company events, client appreciation dinners, or internal team-building activities should always have invites locked down.
• Exclusive Launches: If you're hosting an exclusive preview or a VIP event, restricting invites maintains the feeling of exclusivity and makes the invited guests feel special.

Use Co-Hosts for Controlled Guest List Expansion

What if you want to keep invites locked down for general attendees but need help building the guest list? The answer is co-hosts.

By adding trusted individuals (like business partners, family members, or event planners) as co-hosts, you grant them the same administrative powers you have, including the ability to invite people. This is the perfect middle ground: you prevent a free-for-all on the guest list while still empowering a select few to help you invite the right people.

To add a co-host, simply go to your event's "Edit" screen and find the "Co-hosts" field. Start typing the name of the friend or business page you want to add, and select them from the list.

Final Thoughts

Controlling who can invite guests to your Facebook event is a small setting that has a big impact on your event's success. Whether you need to keep your guest list tight for an exclusive gathering or want to encourage word-of-mouth for a community event, taking a moment to adjust this single setting gives you the control you need to run things smoothly.

Getting these little details right is a big part of presenting your brand professionally on social media. At Postbase, we built our tools to take the chaos out of social media management. Thinking about promoting your event requires planning - and our visual content calendar helps you see your entire promotional schedule across all platforms at a glance. Our goal is to handle the tedious scheduling and organizational work so you can focus on creating memorable experiences for your audience.