On Facebook, open Activity Log > Review Tags to approve or hide photo tags before they show on your profile.
If friends tag you in pictures, those photos can ripple through feeds and show up on your profile. You can keep things tidy by turning on reviews and checking tagged items in one place. This guide shows the taps and clicks on phone and computer, what each review switch does, and the privacy tweaks that cut surprises.
Quick Steps To Check And Approve Photo Tags
Here’s the fastest path on every device. Use it any time you get a tag alert or want to sweep older items.
| Device | Where To Tap/Click | What You Can Do |
|---|---|---|
| iPhone/iPad | Profile > three dots > Activity Log > Your Tags | Open each photo tag, approve to show, or remove the tag. |
| Android | Profile > three dots > Activity Log > Your Tags | Review tagged photos, approve or remove, report if needed. |
| Computer | Profile > three dots > Activity Log > Tags | Filter by Photos, choose Keep on profile or Remove tag. |
Turn On Review Before Tags And Posts Go Live
Two controls work together. One reviews tags people add to your own posts. The other holds posts where someone tagged you until you say yes. Switch both on for the most control.
“Review Tags People Add To Your Posts”
This switch lets you approve or dismiss tags added to photos and posts you created. Turn it on in Settings > Profile and Tagging. When someone tags a friend in your album, you’ll see a pending item in Activity Log where you can allow or deny the tag. Facebook’s help page explains this control and shows where it lives in settings (tag review).
“Review Posts You’re Tagged In Before The Post Appears On Your Profile”
This one is often called Timeline Review. When a friend tags you in a photo they posted, it won’t display on your profile until you approve it. Go to Settings > Profile and Tagging and switch it on. Facebook documents this feature in the help center with exact menu names (timeline review).
Find Pending Photo Tags From Notifications Or Activity Log
You’ll usually get a bell notification when someone tags you. Tap it to open the photo and choose Show on profile, Remove tag, or More for report options. If you miss the alert, open your profile, tap the three dots, then Activity Log. On phone, look for the Tags or Your Tags filter; on desktop, use the left column filters. This view keeps a running record and is the best place to do bulk clean-up.
Use Smart Filters To Work Faster
When you’re clearing a backlog, filters save time. In Activity Log, pick Photos and videos, then Tagged. Sort by date to handle recent items first. You can also use search in Activity Log to jump to tags from a specific friend. On desktop, the search bar helps you reach items quickly.
Close Variation: Reviewing Photo Tags With Extra Privacy Controls
Turning on both reviews is only part of the story. You can also limit who sees posts that include you, even after you approve a tag. That way, a tagged photo might appear on your profile for friends, while staying hidden from coworkers or a custom list.
Control Who Can See Posts You’re Tagged In
Open Settings > Profile and Tagging > Who can see posts you’re tagged in on your profile? Pick Friends, Only me, or a custom list. This keeps sensitive photos away from groups who don’t need to see them.
Add People To The Audience When You’re Tagged
There’s a separate option that adds your friends to the audience of a post when you’re tagged, even if they weren’t in the original audience. If you want a tighter profile, set this to “Only me.” You’ll find it on the same Profile and Tagging screen.
Step-By-Step: Phone App
Review New Photo Tags
- Open the app and go to your profile.
- Tap the three dots next to “Edit profile.”
- Choose Activity Log, then Tags or Your Tags.
- Open a photo, then pick Show on profile or Remove tag.
Enable Both Reviews
- Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings.
- Tap Profile and Tagging.
- Switch on Review posts you’re tagged in and Review tags people add to your posts.
Step-By-Step: Computer
Review New Photo Tags
- Open your profile on facebook.com.
- Click the three dots, then Activity Log.
- In the left column, pick Tags, then filter to Photos.
- Open each item to keep it on your profile or remove the tag.
Enable Both Reviews
- Click your profile picture > Settings & privacy > Settings.
- Open Profile and Tagging.
- Switch on the two review controls.
What Each Action Does To The Photo
When you respond to a tag review, you’re choosing how the photo connects to your profile and which audiences see it. Use this table as a quick cheat sheet.
| Your Choice | What Changes | Who Can See It |
|---|---|---|
| Show on profile | The tag stays. The photo appears on your profile’s Photos tab and may appear in friends’ feeds. | Follows the post’s audience; your own Profile and Tagging limits also apply. |
| Hide from profile | The post remains tagged, but your profile view hides it. | People in the post’s audience can still see it on the original post. |
| Remove tag | Your name detaches from the photo. | It won’t link to your profile; the post remains for the original audience. |
| Report | Sends the item to Facebook for review and offers tools to message the poster. | Varies by outcome; the post may be limited or removed if it breaks rules. |
Extra Tips That Keep Your Profile Clean
Use “View As” Before You Approve
From your profile, use View As to check how the public sees your page.
Trim Old Tags In Batches
In Activity Log, filter to Photos, set the year, and remove tags in a row.
Adjust Post Audience On The Original Photo
If a friend’s album is set to Public, ask the poster to change the audience to Friends or a smaller list.
Troubleshooting Common Snags
You Don’t See Pending Tags
Open Settings > Profile and Tagging and confirm both review switches are on. Then check Activity Log > Tags. If nothing shows, the poster may have deleted the tag or changed the audience.
You Can’t Approve Or Decline
If a post appears with no review step, the Timeline Review switch is likely off. Turn it on, then ask the friend to remove and re-add the tag.
Someone Keeps Tagging You In Spammy Photos
Use the three dots on the photo to report. You can also open the person’s profile and use the three dots to limit how they interact with you.
You Want Fewer Tag Alerts
Go to Settings > Notifications > Tags to choose which alerts you get and where.
Why These Settings Matter
Tagged photos shape what contacts learn about you. Review switches give you a pause button and a simple way to change the audience. Activity Log also keeps a clean record of past tags.
Close Variation: Manage Tagged Photos On Facebook Pages
If you help run a Page, you can require approval for tags added to posts on the Page and review posts where the Page is tagged. The controls live in the Page’s Settings under Privacy or Page settings > Tagging.
Method Notes
Menu names can differ by region or app version, but the core paths stay steady: Profile > Activity Log for history; Settings > Profile and Tagging for controls; Notifications > Tags for alerts.