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Usually, yes. Unfriending someone on Facebook removes the friendship, but it does not normally delete your old likes, reactions, or comments from their posts. If the post or comment thread is still available to that person and you have not removed your interaction, they may still be able to see it.
What they can see depends on the post’s audience and where it appeared. This guide reflects Facebook’s documented controls as of August 18, 2026; menu labels and options can vary by device and account.
What unfriending changes—and what it doesn’t
Facebook says unfriending removes each person from the other’s Friends list and does not notify the person who was unfriended. It is a change to the friendship connection, not a general cleanup of everything you have done on the other person’s content. Facebook provides separate controls to unlike a post, remove a reaction, or delete a comment, so do not rely on unfriending to remove those interactions. Facebook’s unfriend guidance
Unfriending also is not the same as blocking. It does not, by itself, prevent the other person from finding or viewing your Public posts, messaging you, or encountering activity in shared groups or through mutual friends.
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Can they still see old comments?
A comment you left on a post generally remains there unless you delete it, the post owner removes it, the post itself is deleted, or the post’s visibility changes. If the post is Public and the former friend can access it, the comment may be visible to them. On a Friends-only or custom-audience post, access depends on the post’s current audience and context; unfriending does not guarantee either that they will retain access or that access will disappear.
Where the comment was posted matters:
- Personal profile post: The post’s audience and availability determine who can access its thread. You can delete a comment you wrote; the post owner may also have moderation controls. Facebook: comments on profile posts
- Group post: Visibility depends on the group’s privacy, membership, and the post. Unfriending someone does not necessarily remove either person from the group or erase group activity. Facebook documents group activity management through Activity Log. Facebook: manage group activity
- Facebook Page: Page comments are governed by Page visibility and moderation controls, not just the friendship between two personal profiles. Facebook: manage Page comments
Also distinguish hide from delete. Facebook says a hidden comment may still be visible to the person who wrote it and that person’s friends in relevant contexts. If you want your own comment removed from the thread, use Delete when available rather than assuming hiding erases it.
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Can they still see old likes or reactions?
Usually, if the underlying post or comment remains accessible. A like or reaction is attached to the post or comment; ending the friendship does not itself remove it. Facebook has separate Unlike and Remove reaction controls. If the other person can see the content and your reaction is still on it, the reaction may be visible too. The exact display can depend on the audience and Facebook’s interface. Hiding reaction totals is not the same as hiding every individual reaction; Facebook provides ways to view who reacted in relevant contexts. Unlike content · Remove or change a reaction · See who reacted
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How to remove an old like or reaction
From the original post or comment:
- Open the post or comment where your reaction appears.
- Select the active Like or reaction control.
- Choose the option to unlike or remove the reaction, if shown. On some interfaces, selecting the active Like button removes it directly.
- Check that your reaction indicator is no longer displayed.
From Activity Log: Open your profile menu, go to Settings & Privacy, then Activity Log. Look for the interactions, likes, reactions, or comments section, select the relevant item, and choose the available removal option. Facebook says Activity Log can be used to review and manage activity, including interactions; exact categories and labels vary by device, language, and account. Facebook: use Activity Log
How to delete an old comment
- Find the original comment in the post or thread.
- Open its options menu.
- Select Delete and confirm, if prompted.
If you cannot locate the comment in the thread, check Activity Log. Controls can differ for group and Page content, and you may not have permission to delete another person’s comment. Hiding a comment is not equivalent to deleting it.
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- Know when people have seen your messages.
- Forward messages or photos to people who weren't in the conversation.
- Search for people and groups to quickly get back to them.
- Turn on location to let people know when you're nearby.
- See who's available on Messenger and who's active on Facebook.
Unfriend, block, or remove the interaction?
| Action | What it’s for | Does it remove old likes/comments? |
|---|---|---|
| Unfriend | Ends the Friends-list connection. | Not normally; remove each interaction directly. |
| Block | More broadly limits profile access and contact. | Do not count on blocking to erase past interactions; remove them directly. |
| Unlike / remove reaction | Removes a specific reaction from a post or comment. | Removes that reaction, not other activity. |
| Delete comment | Removes a specific comment you wrote, where the control is available. | Removes that comment, not other activity. |
Facebook points to blocking when you do not want someone to see your profile, add you as a friend, or message you. Blocking is the stronger choice for reducing future access and contact, but it is not a guaranteed retroactive deletion tool for every old interaction. Facebook: unfriend or block
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Activity Log, notifications, and what cleanup cannot undo
Activity Log is primarily a private management area for your account. An entry there does not mean the other person can browse your log. But your like or comment may still appear on the original post, and the recipient may already have seen a notification about it.
Unfriending does not notify the other person, according to Facebook. Removing an old reaction or comment later may remove it from the post, but it cannot guarantee that an earlier notification, screenshot, email, push alert, copied text, or other saved record is undone. Do not treat removing the interaction as a way to retract something already seen.
Deleting the original post will generally make its associated interaction unavailable on that post. Changing its audience can narrow or expand access. Hiding content from your profile is different: Facebook notes that it may remain visible elsewhere, such as Feed or Search. A post shared by someone else, in a group, or on a Page may have separate controls. Facebook: manage content in Activity Log
If this is a privacy or safety concern
- Use Block if you want to limit profile access and unwanted contact; unfriending alone is not a safety barrier.
- Review Activity Log and remove specific old reactions or comments you no longer want attached to posts.
- Review the audience for your own posts and remove unwanted tags where controls are available.
- Report threats or abusive content through Facebook’s reporting tools.
- If you may need evidence, preserve screenshots or other records before deleting content or blocking the person.
Even after you remove an interaction, Public content, mutual friends, shared groups, screenshots, or another account may still expose related information. Review each surface where the activity appeared rather than assuming one friendship change controls everything.
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