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Anyone on Venmo can see your friends list by default. However, you can make your friends list private through the Venmo app. You can also prevent your Facebook friends and phone contacts from finding you.

Yes, Everyone Can See Your Friends List

Related: How to Make Your Venmo Transactions Private Venmo isn't just an app for sending money, it's a "social network." By default, everyone can see your friends list---and all the transactions you send. That makes it a better social network, right? So why would you want to hide your friends list?

Thankfully, as of June 2021, Venmo now offers more privacy settings, and you can finally hide your friends list---if you want. However, everyone's friends list is public by default. If you don't change this setting, anyone can see your friends list.

How to Make Your Friends List Private

To get started, launch the Venmo app on your iPhone or Android phone.

Open the Venmo app and head to the home screen. Tap the menu icon in the upper-right corner.

Tap settings icon

Tap "Settings" near the bottom of the menu screen.

Tap Settings

Tap "Privacy," and then tap "Friends List" near the bottom of the screen.

If you don't see the Friends List option under "More," try updating the app from the App Store (on iPhone) or in Google Play (on Android).

Tap Friends List

On the Friends List screen, choose the "Private" option. Make sure that there's a blue check mark or blue circle beside the "Private" option---this means that the option is selected.

Tap Private

You can also decide whether you want to appear on other people's friends lists. By default, this switch is green, indicating that you will appear on other people's friends lists.

If you don't want to appear on anyone's friends list, tap the toggle switch so that the circle is gray and to the left.

Tap appear in other users' friends list to off

Go Private from Facebook and Phone Contacts

Since Venmo aims to be a social network, it wants to have you automatically add your Facebook friends and phone contacts. If you don't want to be found from your Facebook friends or phone contacts, here's what to do:

Open the Venmo app and head to the home screen. Tap the menu icon in the upper-right corner.

Tap settings icon

Tap "Settings" near the bottom of the screen.

Tap Settings

Tap "Friends & social" near the bottom of the screen. Then, tap all the toggle switches beside "Facebook," "Facebook Friends," and "Phone Contacts." The switches will turn gray to indicate that the options are off.

Turn friends and socials options off

Depending on how you signed up with Venmo, you might not have all three options. If you find that you're still being found from Facebook or your phone contacts, contact Venmo support.

That's all there is to it! You can now rest at ease knowing that your Venmo friends are private. You might want to make your Venmo transactions private, too.