You’re right, Facebook’s privacy game has leveled up in 2025, so the old “type the number in the search bar” trick doesn’t always fly anymore. Syncing it to Messenger’s a solid first move, but if they haven’t tied their number to their profile—or opted out of discoverability—you’ll hit a wall. I’ve messed around with this myself, and sometimes it’s a bust unless they’ve left the door cracked open. One workaround I’ve heard is checking if the number pops up in a recovery option—create a dummy account, try a password reset with their number, and see if Facebook hints at a linked profile.
For a sharper approach, I’d say dive into X-Ray Contact’s blog. Their post on facebook search by phone number
https://x-ray.contact/blog/how-to-se...r-on-facebook/ is a goldmine—walks you through current methods, including Messenger syncs and some OSINT pivots like cross-checking with other platforms.
