Venmo has become one of the most popular peer-to-peer payment apps, allowing users to easily send, receive, and request money from friends and contacts. With over 60 million active users, chances are many of your friends and contacts are already using Venmo. Here’s a guide on how to view friends who also use the Venmo app and how to adjust your privacy settings.
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Finding Friends on Venmo
Venmo makes it easy to find your friends and contacts who also use the app. When you first sign up, Venmo automatically scans your phone contacts and Facebook friends and adds any existing Venmo users to your friends list.
You can view your full friends list in the Venmo app by:
- Tapping the “People & Businesses” tab
- Tapping the number of friends shown at the top (e.g. “200 Friends”)
- Scrolling down to view your full friends list
You can also search for specific friends by:
- Tapping the “Search” tab
- Typing in their name, username, email, or phone number
If a friend doesn’t appear in search results, it likely means they don’t have a Venmo account.
Connecting with New Friends
To send a payment to someone new, you can search for their name, username, or phone number. If they aren’t on Venmo yet, you can still send money to their email address or phone number.
When paying a new contact for the first time, Venmo will ask you to confirm their phone number for security purposes before the payment is completed.
Adjusting Your Privacy Settings
Venmo’s default privacy settings make most of your profile and friends list public to all Venmo users. Here are some key settings to adjust to increase your privacy:
Make Past Payments Private
By default, all payments are public on Venmo for others to see. To make past and future payments private:
- Go to Settings > Privacy
- Under Default Privacy Settings, choose “Private”
- Under Past Transactions, choose “Change All to Private”
Now only you and the recipient can view payment details.
Make Your Friends List Private
To hide your friends list from public view:
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Friends List
- Choose “Private”
- Toggle off “Appear in Other Users’ Friends Lists”
This prevents other Venmo users from being able to view your friends and contacts.
Turn Off Location Access
Disable location access for Venmo so payments aren’t tagged with your location:
- Go to Settings > Privacy > Location
- Toggle location access to “Off”
Review App Permissions
Check what information Venmo has access to in your phone settings. Consider limiting access to contacts, photos, files, microphone, etc.
Staying Secure on Venmo
While Venmo uses encryption and fraud monitoring safeguards, users should still take precautions when using the app:
- Use unique passwords: Don’t reuse the same password across multiple accounts. Use a password manager if needed.
- Enable login notifications: Get notified whenever someone logs into your Venmo account.
- Beware of scams: Ignore suspicious payment requests. Venmo will never request sensitive information over the phone or email.
- Monitor account activity: Periodically review transactions to catch unauthorized payments.
- Contact Support for issues: Get help from Venmo’s support team if you suspect unauthorized account access or other issues.
Making Payments with Confidence
Once you’ve adjusted your Venmo settings and enabled security features like login notifications, you can pay friends and contacts with more peace of mind.
Some tips when paying people:
- Verify identities first: Confirm you’re paying the right person before sending money, especially for high-value payments.
- Describe payments: Use emojis, notes or memos to describe payments. This gives helpful context to you and your friends.
- Split bills and expenses: Use Venmo to evenly split things like restaurant bills, rent, utilities and more between roommates or groups.
- Pay small businesses: An increasing number of merchants and small businesses accept Venmo as a contactless payment option.
With Venmo’s popularity continuing to grow, chances are you likely already have some friends or contacts using the app. Follow this guide to connect with friends on Venmo, adjust important privacy settings, enable security features, and start sending payments. Reach out to Venmo’s support team if any issues come up along the way.
Frequently Asked Questions About Venmo
Here are answers to some common questions people have about using Venmo and connecting with friends:
What information can friends see about my Venmo account?
By default, friends can see your profile photo, name, username, a feed of your public transactions, and your friends list. Adjust your privacy settings to limit what friends can view.
Can I see my friends’ transaction history and friends list?
You can only view your friends’ transaction history and friends list if they have their privacy settings set to public or friends. If their settings are private, you won’t be able to view this information.
Is Venmo safe to use?
Venmo uses bank-grade encryption and fraud monitoring systems to secure payments and accounts. While no payment app is completely immune to breaches, Venmo invests heavily in security. Enable all available security settings for optimal safety.
What should I do if I think my account was hacked?
If you believe your account was compromised, immediately contact Venmo Support. They can secure your account and reverse any unauthorized transactions made within Venmo’s timeframes. Avoid making additional payments until your account is restored.
Why do I need to verify someone’s phone number before paying them?
Venmo asks you to verify a new friend’s phone number before paying them for the first time as an extra verification check, ensuring you’re about to pay the right person and preventing potential scams.
Can I use Venmo internationally?
Venmo only works between users with U.S. bank accounts and U.S. phone numbers. You cannot send or receive Venmo payments internationally. For international money transfers, consider alternatives like PayPal or Wise.
