Third-party apps are part of what keep us entertained on Facebook, but they’re not so much fun once they start posting updates on your behalf. Here we reveal how to stop a Facebook app posting to your News Feed. Also see: Best Facebook tips and tricks.
The only way to prevent an app posting to your News Feed is to remove its access to your profile, and if you enjoy using the app you probably won’t want to do that. Instead, you can set up your app preferences so that the apps that insist on posting to your wall are still able to do so, but only you can see those updates. We’ll explain how to set this up in the desktop-, mobile- and app versions of Facebook below. Also see: How to block Candy Crush and other app invites on Facebook.
How to stop a Facebook app posting to your wall – Desktop browser
Step 1. Open a new browser window and log into your Facebook account. At the top right of the window is a downward arrow; click on this and choose Settings.
Step 2. In the lefthand panel click on Apps. You should now see all the apps that are linked to your Facebook account. Underneath each app you’ll see a padlock icon, plus one of the following legends: Public, Friends of friends, Friends, Only Me or Custom.
Step 3. To configure an app so that only you can see its updates, hover your mouse over the app and click the pencil icon to edit your preferences.
Step 4. At the top of the pop-up window click on the drop-down menu next to App visibility and choose Only Me. Hit Save and you’re done.
How to stop a Facebook app posting to your wall – Mobile browser
Step 1. The process is much the same in the mobile version of Facebook. Log into your account in a new browser window on your phone or tablet, then tap on the three lines at the top right of the screen and scroll down to Account settings (tap on this).
Step 2. As with the desktop site, choose Apps, then tap on the top option: Logged in with Facebook.
Step 3. You’ll see apps are separated between those that are allowed to share with friends and those that are allowed to share only with you; you’ll want to focus on those in the first section, whose status updates your friends can see.
Step 4. Tap on any app that is sharing status updates with your friends (or at least has permission to do so), then tap on Visibility of app and choose Only Me. Facebook will remember your choice.
How to stop a Facebook app posting to your wall – Mobile app
Step 1. Launch the mobile app and tap the three horizontal lines in the top right corner, then scroll down to and select Account Settings.
Step 2. Exactly as before, choose Apps, Logged in with Facebook, then tap on any app to redefine its preferences. Choose Only Me in Visibility of app to prevent it posting updates that your friends can see. (Also see: How to switch off notifications in Facebook Messenger.)
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Author: Marie Black, Editorial Director
Marie is Editorial Director at Foundry. A Journalism graduate from the London College of Printing, she's worked in tech media for more than 17 years, managing our EMEA and LatAm editorial teams and leading on content strategy through Foundry's transition from print, to digital, to online - and beyond.