How to Create Facebook Lists

Taming your chaotic Facebook feed is easier than you think, and it doesn't require complex tools or browser extensions. By using a built-in feature called Friend Lists, you can create custom, organized feeds and control exactly who sees your posts. This guide provides step-by-step instructions on how to create, manage, and strategically use Facebook Lists to make your time on the platform more intentional and effective.

What Are Facebook Lists (And Why Should You Bother Using Them)?

In a world of ever-changing algorithms, Facebook Lists are your secret weapon for taking back control. At their simplest, a Friend List is a custom grouping of your Facebook friends that you create. Instead of letting the algorithm decide what you see, you can click on a list - like "Industry Peers" or "Close Family" - and see a dedicated news feed containing posts only from the people in that group. No ads, no suggested posts, just a chronological feed from the people you want to hear from most.

Here’s why they’re so valuable for anyone from a casual user to a dedicated social media marketer:

• Cut Through the Noise: Your main news feed is a firehose of algorithmically chosen content. Lists act as a filter, allowing you to see updates from specific groups of people. Want to catch up with college friends without seeing a hundred political posts from old acquaintances? There’s a list for that.
• Enhance Your Privacy: You can use lists to control who sees your posts. When you create a post, you can choose to share it with just your "Family" list or exclude your "Work Colleagues" list. This allows you to use one Facebook profile for both personal and professional connections without messy overlaps.
• Streamline Professional Networking: For entrepreneurs and marketers, lists are a game-changer. Create a list for "VIP Clients," "Potential Leads," or "Networking Contacts." Instead of aimlessly scrolling, you can spend 15 minutes each day engaging intentionally with the people on this list to build meaningful professional relationships.
• Organize and Curate Information: Follow a lot of experts or thought leaders in your industry? Put them on a list called "Industry News." This creates a personalized, ad-free professional journal you can check anytime to stay informed.

How to Create a Facebook Friend List on a Desktop

While some list-management features are less accessible on the mobile app, creating and managing lists is straightforward on the desktop version of Facebook. Here is the process, step by step:

Step 1: Locate the Friend Lists Page

On your Facebook homepage, look at the menu on the left side of your screen. You may need to click "See More" to expand the menu options. Scroll down until you find and click on "Friend Lists." If you have trouble finding it, you can also navigate directly by typing www.facebook.com/bookmarks/lists into your browser.

Step 2: Start Your New List

Once you're on the Friend Lists page, you'll see a few lists that Facebook may have already automatically created for you (more on those below). To create your own, click the blue button that says "+ Create List."

Step 3: Name Your List and Add Friends

A pop-up window will appear. First, give your list a clear, descriptive name in the "List Name" field. For example, "Local Business Owners," "Book Club Members," or "Project Team."

Next, in the "Members" field, start typing the names of the friends you want to add. Facebook will suggest friends as you type. Just click on a person's name to add them to the list. You don't have to add everyone at once, you can always edit the list later.

Step 4: Click "Create"

Once you’ve added your initial batch of friends, click the blue "Create" button at the bottom of the window. That's it! Your new list has been created and is ready to use.

Understanding Facebook's Default "Smart Lists"

When you visit your Friend Lists page, you’ll likely see three lists already there: Close Friends, Acquaintances, and Restricted.

• Close Friends: People on this list will appear more often in your main News Feed, and you'll receive notifications when they post (you can turn this off). It's great for the people you want to keep up with no matter what.
• Acquaintances: This list is for people you don't need to see frequent updates from. Add people here, and you'll rarely see their posts in your main feed. It's a polite way to "unfollow" someone without unfriending them. You can still see their posts by clicking on the Acquaintances list itself.
• Restricted: This list takes privacy a step further. People on the Restricted list can only see your Public posts or posts you specifically tag them in. They will not see anything you share with "Friends." This is perfect for professional contacts like your boss or clients who you feel obligated to friend but don't want to share personal life updates with.

How to Manage and Edit Your Existing Lists

Your needs change, so your lists should, too. Managing your lists is simple and allows you to keep your custom feeds relevant and organized.

How to Add or Remove People from a List

1. Navigate back to the "Friend Lists" page.
2. Click on the name of the list you want to edit.
3. On the next screen, you’ll see the feed for that list. In the top right corner, click the "Manage List" button and select "Edit List" from the dropdown menu.
4. A pop-up window will appear. On the left, it will show a list of people already in your list. On the right, it will show other friends. You can search for friends to add or click the "X" on someone's profile picture to remove them.
5. Click "Finish" when you’re done.

Pro Tip: You can also add a friend to a list directly from their profile page. Navigate to their profile, click the "Friends" button (with the checkmark), and select "Edit Friend Lists." A menu will appear where you can check or uncheck which lists that person belongs to.

How to Rename or Delete a List

Need to get rid of a list for a project that ended? On the main Friend Lists Hub, find the list you want to remove. Click the three dots (...) icon to the right of the list's name and select "Delete List." You'll be asked to confirm, and then the list will be removed (don't worry, this does not unfriend anyone). There is no rename option, so if you want to change a list name, you'll need to create a new one and delete the old one.

Strategic Ways to Use Your Facebook Lists for Marketing and Networking

Now that you know how to create and manage lists, it’s time to move beyond simple organization and use them as a powerful tool for building your network and brand.

For Targeted Content Sharing and Privacy

One of the most powerful features of Friend Lists is sharing posts with a specific audience. When you create a new post, click the audience selector button (it usually says "Friends" by default). In the dropdown, you can select one of your lists. This is a game-changer if you use your personal profile for professional purposes.

• Share career wins with professionals: Got a promotion or launched a new project? Share that update with your "Industry Peers" list instead of your entire friend group.
• Keep family updates personal: Posting baby pictures? Share them with just your "Close Family" list. This avoids oversharing personal content with professional acquaintances.
• Gather feedback from a trusted group: "Hey, 'My Mastermind Group' list - what are your thoughts on this new landing page design?"

For Intentional Engagement and Relationship Building

Scrolling your main feed can feel reactive and unproductive. Using lists allows you to be proactive and intentional with your time.

• The "VIP Clients" List: Create a list of your best clients. Check this feed daily and spend 10 minutes liking and leaving thoughtful comments on their posts. This keeps you top-of-mind and strengthens business relationships in an authentic way.
• The "Community Leaders" List: If you're building a community, create a list of your most active members or ambassadors. Engaging with their content directly makes them feel seen and encourages them to continue participating in your community.
• The "Potential Leads" List: Have you connected with some interesting people at a networking event? Add them to a list. By engaging with their content thoughtfully, you build rapport before you ever make a pitch.

For Curation and Market Research

Your Facebook feed can also be a professional development tool once you tame it with lists.

• The "Industry News" List: Add leading publications, influencers, and thought leaders in your niche to an interest list (a slightly different type of list for Pages). This creates your own personal industry magazine.
• The "Competitor" List: Keep an eye on your competition. By adding the founders or key employees of competitor companies to a list, you can quietly monitor their Public updates and marketing activities in one clean feed without having to visit each of their profiles individually.

Final Thoughts

Facebook Lists put you back in control, turning what is often a distracting, chaotic news feed into a focused and powerful tool for building connections. They let you filter the noise, protect your privacy, and engage with the people who matter most for your personal and professional goals.

Just as lists bring order to your personal Facebook experience, managing a brand’s presence effectively across Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and more requires a dedicated tool built for today’s social landscape. We created Postbase because we found legacy social media tools were stuck in the past, struggling with video formats and adding unnecessary complexity. Our platform provides a clear visual calendar and a unified inbox to help you plan your content and manage all your engagement in one place, taking the stress out of social media so you can stay organized and grow your brand.