You can change your Facebook email in Settings in about two minutes
Open Facebook on a computer or phone, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Click Personal Information in the left menu. Find the Email row and click the pencil icon next to it. Type your new email address, click Change Email, and Facebook will send a confirmation link to that new address. Click the link in the email to finish.
The whole process takes less than five minutes. Your old email stops working for Facebook login as soon as you confirm the new one, though you can add the old address back later as a recovery email if you want to keep it on file.
Key Takeaways
- You reach the email change form through Settings and Privacy > Settings > Personal Information, then click the pencil icon next to Email.
- Facebook sends a confirmation link to your new email address, and you must click it to complete the change.
- Your old email address stops working for login when ready after you confirm the new one.
- You can add your old email back as a recovery email later if you want Facebook to use it to help you regain access to your account.
- If you no longer have access to your old email, you can still change it, but you will need to verify your identity through a phone number or other method.
Step-by-step on a computer
Log into Facebook and look for the downward arrow or menu icon in the top right corner. Click it and select Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, you will see a menu with options like Personal Information, Password and Security, and Apps and Websites. Click Personal Information.
Scroll down until you see the Email row. It will show your current email address. Click the pencil icon (edit button) to the right of it. A box will appear where you can type your new email address. Delete the old one and type the new address carefully—Facebook will not let you use an email that is already connected to another Facebook account. Click the blue Change Email button.
Facebook will send a confirmation email to the new address you just entered. Go to that email inbox, find the message from Facebook, and click the confirmation link inside it. This link usually works for 24 hours. Once you click it, the change is complete and your old email no longer works for logging in.
Step-by-step on a phone
Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) at the bottom right on iPhone or the top right on Android. Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Tap Personal Information.
Find the Email row and tap the pencil icon next to it. Type your new email address in the box that appears. Make sure there are no extra spaces before or after the address. Tap Change Email (the button text may say Next or Continue depending on your phone's operating system).
Check the email inbox for the new address. Open the confirmation email from Facebook and tap the link inside it. You will be taken back to Facebook to confirm the change. Once you see a success message, your new email is now active on your account.
What happens to your old email address
Your old email address stops working as a login method the moment you confirm the new one. If someone tries to use your old email to log into your Facebook account, they will get an error message saying that email is not connected to any account.
You can add your old email back to your account as a recovery email if you want to keep it on file. This does not make it a login email—it just tells Facebook to use it if you ever need to regain access to your account. To add it back, go to Settings > Personal Information, scroll to the Email section, and look for an option to add a recovery email. You will need to confirm it the same way you confirmed your new email.
If you cannot access your old email anymore
If your old email account no longer exists or you do not have the password, you can still change your Facebook email. Go through the normal steps above, but when you try to confirm the new email, Facebook may ask you to verify your identity instead of sending a confirmation link to the old address.
Facebook will usually ask you to confirm your identity using a phone number on file, a photo ID, or answers to security questions you set up before. Follow the prompts on screen. Once you verify who you are, you can set your new email without needing access to the old one. This process may take a few extra minutes but works reliably.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common error is typing the new email address wrong. Check for typos before you click Change Email—you cannot undo the change if you notice the mistake after confirming it. If you do make a typo, you will have to change it again using the same steps.
Do not try to use an email address that is already connected to another Facebook account. Facebook will reject it and show an error message. Each email can only be tied to one account. If you want to use that email on a different account, you have to remove it from the first account first.
Do not close the confirmation email or delete it before clicking the link. The link usually expires after 24 hours, and if it expires, you will have to start the change process over. If the link does expire, just go back to Settings > Personal Information and click the pencil icon again to request a new confirmation email.
Adding a recovery email for extra security
A recovery email is different from your login email. It is a backup email address that Facebook can use to help you get back into your account if you forget your password or lose access to your main email. You can have both a login email and one or more recovery emails at the same time.
To add a recovery email, go to Settings > Personal Information and look for the Email section. Below your main email, you should see an option to add a recovery email or additional email. Click it, type the address, and confirm it the same way you confirmed your main email. You can add up to three recovery emails if you want extra backup options.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for the email change to go through?
The change is when ready once you click the confirmation link in the email Facebook sends you. The confirmation email usually arrives within a few minutes. If you do not see it after 10 minutes, check your spam or junk folder, or request a new confirmation email by going back to Settings and clicking the pencil icon again.
Can I change my email back to the old one later?
Yes. Go to Settings > Personal Information, click the pencil icon next to Email, and type your old email address. Facebook will send a confirmation link to that address, and once you click it, the change is complete. You can switch between email addresses as many times as you want.
What if I get an error saying the email is already in use?
That email address is connected to another Facebook account. If it is your own account, log into that account first and change its email to something else. Then go back to your main account and try again. If the email belongs to someone else, you will need to use a different email address.
Do I need to change my password when I change my email?
No. Your password stays the same. You will still log in with your new email address and the same password you have always used. Changing your email does not affect your password at all.
Will my friends be able to see my new email address?
No. Your email address is private and only you and Facebook can see it. Your friends cannot view it on your profile or anywhere else on Facebook, even if they try to look for it.