How to Turn Off Sharing on Facebook: A Step-by-Step Guide

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Ever shared something on Facebook that ended up spreading far beyond your friends list?
If you value your privacy or want to control who sees and shares your content, turning off sharing is the best solution.

By default, Facebook allows your friends (and sometimes the public) to share your posts, photos, or stories. But you can limit or completely disable sharing permissions using Facebook’s built-in privacy tools.

In this guide, we’ll show you exactly how to turn off sharing on Facebook — for posts, stories, photos, reels, and more — whether you’re using the mobile app or desktop site.

What Does “Sharing” Mean on Facebook?

On Facebook, “sharing” means allowing others to reshare your posts, stories, photos, or videos to their own profiles or pages.

For example:

  • A friend might share your photo to their timeline.

  • A follower might share your reel to their story.

  • A page might share your post for wider reach.

When you turn off sharing, others won’t be able to repost or distribute your content beyond your selected audience.

2. Why You Might Want to Turn Off Sharing

Here are common reasons users disable sharing:

  • 🔒 Privacy: Keep personal content among friends only.

  • 🚫 Avoid Misuse: Prevent screenshots or public reposting.

  • 👨‍👩‍👧 Family Control: Protect photos of children or family events.

  • 🎯 Professional Separation: Keep personal posts off work-related circles.

  • 🧠 Reduce Exposure: Avoid unwanted attention or spam shares.

3. How Facebook’s Sharing Settings Work

Facebook’s sharing options depend on your audience settings:

Audience Option Who Can Share It?
Public Anyone on or off Facebook
Friends Only your friends (limited reshare options)
Friends except… Excludes selected people
Only me No one else can share
Custom Specific groups or individuals

So, the simplest way to turn off sharing is to restrict your post audience to “Friends” or “Only me.”

4. How to Turn Off Sharing for Future Posts

To prevent others from sharing your future posts:

On Mobile (Facebook App):

  1. Open the Facebook app.

  2. Tap the Menu (☰) icon → Select Settings & Privacy → Settings.

  3. Scroll to Audience and Visibility → Posts.

  4. Tap Who can see your future posts?

  5. Choose Friends or Only me.

Now, all new posts will automatically limit sharing.

On Desktop:

  1. Go to facebook.com and log in.

  2. Click your profile picture → Settings & Privacy → Settings.

  3. Select Privacy on the left panel.

  4. Under Your Activity, find Who can see your future posts?

  5. Choose Friends or Only me.

✅ From now on, your posts won’t have a “Share” button visible to the public.

5. How to Turn Off Sharing on Existing Posts

If you want to stop sharing on specific posts already published:

Steps:

  1. Go to your profile and find the post.

  2. Tap the three dots (⋯) in the top-right corner of the post.

  3. Select Edit Audience.

  4. Change from Public to Friends or Only me.

Facebook automatically removes the Share button when the post isn’t public.

💡 Pro Tip: You can also use the “Limit Past Posts” option to apply this change to all previous public posts at once.

6. How to Stop People from Sharing Your Facebook Stories

By default, your friends can reshare your stories to their own or send them as messages.

To Disable Story Sharing:

  1. Open Facebook → Menu → Settings & Privacy → Settings.

  2. Go to Audience and Visibility → Stories.

  3. Tap Sharing Options.

  4. Toggle off:

    • Allow others to share your story

    • Allow sharing to messages

✅ This ensures only you can post your stories — no one else can reshare them.

7. How to Stop People from Sharing Your Facebook Reels

Facebook Reels are designed for visibility, but you can control their reach.

Steps:

  1. Open the Facebook app.

  2. Tap your profile photo → Reels → Reels Settings.

  3. Go to Privacy Settings.

  4. Toggle off:

    • Allow sharing to stories

    • Allow remixing of your Reels

Now, others can view your Reels but can’t share or reuse them.

8. How to Stop Others from Sharing Your Photos or Albums

Facebook photos and albums have individual privacy settings.

Steps:

  1. Go to your profile → Photos tab.

  2. Open an album or specific photo.

  3. Tap the three dots (⋯) → Select Edit Audience.

  4. Change from Public to Friends or Only me.

✅ The “Share” button will disappear for non-friends.

9. How to Stop Sharing from Your Facebook Profile

If you want to block profile-level sharing, you can lock your profile.

Steps:

  1. Go to your Facebook profile.

  2. Tap the three dots (⋯) next to “Edit Profile.”

  3. Choose Lock Profile.

  4. Confirm when prompted.

When your profile is locked:

  • Only friends can see your posts.

  • Others can’t share or screenshot your full-size photos.

  • Tagged photos and public posts are hidden.

10. How to Turn Off Sharing on Facebook Pages

If you manage a Facebook Page, note that page content is public by design. You can’t completely disable sharing, but you can limit it using restrictions.

Steps:

  1. Go to your Facebook Page.

  2. Click Settings → General.

  3. Under Country Restrictions or Age Restrictions, limit visibility.

  4. Alternatively, post content with audience restrictions (available via Meta Business Suite).

This won’t remove the share button but reduces who can interact with your posts.

11. How to Limit Past Posts from Being Shared

Facebook allows you to retroactively change privacy for all old posts.

Steps:

  1. Go to Settings → Privacy.

  2. Under Your Activity, find Limit the audience for old posts on your timeline.

  3. Click Limit Past Posts.

  4. Confirm the change.

All your previous public posts will now be visible to Friends only — and sharing will be restricted.

12. How to Use Facebook Profile Lock for Extra Privacy

The Profile Lock feature is ideal if you want to instantly hide all sharable content.

When enabled:

  • Only friends can see your photos, stories, and posts.

  • Non-friends can view limited information (like name and cover photo).

  • Sharing options for non-friends are disabled.

💡 Available in select regions — mostly for mobile users in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.

13. How to Control Tagging and Mentions (Indirect Sharing)

Even if you disable sharing, tagged posts can still circulate.

To manage tags:

  1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Profile and Tagging.

  2. Adjust:

    • Who can see posts you’re tagged in: Friends or Only me.

    • Review tags people add before they appear on your timeline: Turn On.

This stops unwanted shares via tagging.

14. Troubleshooting: Why Can’t I Turn Off Sharing?

If you can’t disable sharing:

  • 🔄 Update your app — older versions may lack the latest privacy options.

  • 👥 Check post ownership — only the post creator can change sharing settings.

  • 🔒 Page content is always public — consider using a Group for private discussions.

  • 🌐 Public groups or events automatically allow sharing; change them to “Private.”

15. Privacy Tips for a Safer Facebook Experience

  • Regularly run the Facebook Privacy Checkup.

  • Avoid posting sensitive information publicly.

  • Review your audience selector before posting.

  • Enable two-factor authentication.

  • Use “Only me” for personal updates.

16. FAQs About Turning Off Sharing on Facebook

Q1. Can I stop people from sharing my posts completely?

Yes — change the post’s audience to Friends or Only me to remove the share option.

Q2. Can I turn off sharing for one post only?

Absolutely. Edit that post’s audience to Friends or Only me.

Q3. What happens if I lock my profile?

Non-friends can’t share, download, or view full-size images or stories.

Q4. Does turning off sharing affect comments or reactions?

No. Friends can still like and comment — they just can’t share.

Q5. Can I stop people from sharing my photos in Messenger?

Not directly, but restricting your photo audience reduces the chance of forwarding.

17. Final Thoughts

Turning off sharing on Facebook is one of the best ways to protect your privacy and control your online presence. Whether you’re managing family photos, private updates, or sensitive information, these steps ensure your content stays exactly where you want it.

✅ Quick Recap:

  • Change post audience to Friends or Only me.

  • Turn off Story and Reels sharing.

  • Lock your profile for full protection.

  • Use Privacy Checkup regularly.

Once you customize your privacy settings, Facebook will respect your preferences — keeping your posts truly personal.

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