How to Search for Other Players’ Characters in FFXIV

With Final Fantasy XIV being an MMORPG, it is inevitable you will find someone you want to add as a friend or even invite to your Free Company. This is where the player search feature comes into play. You can use this to search for other players’ characters in FFXIV, but it can be a bit confusing.

How to Search for Other Players in FFXIV

To start searching for other players, begin by opening up the main menu. From there, you want to select the “Social” tab and then the first option under it, “Player Search.” It is here where you are able to look for another player in the world. Note that this will only show you players in the same world as you. If you’re looking for a friend that’s in another world, head there first.

If you don’t have anything in particular in mind, you can just execute a player search. This will show you up to 200 players. It usually prioritizes those near you, such as in the same region or area. But you can adjust filters to search in specific locations, such as Kugane or Ul’dah, if you need to.

How to Find Someone Not Showing Up in Player Search

The problem with the player search feature in FFXIV is it doesn’t always work the best. I have seen it myself where you look for a specific player and even search their exact name correctly and it doesn’t show them here. First and foremost, I recommend only searching for one name. Don’t use the full name; just the first or last name.

In addition, I do recommend against using a search filter if you’re looking for a specific player. The filters can sometimes randomly exclude people, especially if you happen to search for a specific job class. It also can help if the person is online, but they don’t have to be for you to find them.

Final Fantasy XIV: Dawntrail is available right now for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.