Where to find the email setting and what happens when you change it
To change the email address on your Facebook account, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then find Personal Information in the left menu. Click Email and you'll see your current email listed. Click next to it to edit, type your new email address, and Facebook will send a confirmation link to that new address. You must click the link in that email within a set time to complete the change — if you don't, the old email stays active.
When you change your email, Facebook doesn't delete the old one right away. For a short window (usually a few days), you can still use either email to log in. After that window closes, only the new email works for login. Any password reset links, security alerts, or login notifications will go to the new address once the change is confirmed.
If you no longer have access to the email address currently on your account, the process is different — you'll need to use account recovery instead of the standard settings change.
Key Takeaways
- The email change happens in Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Email, and requires you to confirm the new address by clicking a link Facebook sends to it.
- You can log in with either your old or new email for a few days after the change, but only the new email works after that window closes.
- All future security alerts, password resets, and login notifications will be sent to your new email address once the change is confirmed.
- If you can't access your current email, use Facebook's account recovery tool instead of trying to change the email in settings.
Step-by-step process on desktop or mobile
On a desktop computer, click the down arrow in the top right corner of Facebook, then select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. In the left column, click Personal Information. You'll see Email listed with your current address. Click the pencil icon or the word Edit next to it. Type your new email address in the box that appears, then click the Review Change button.
Facebook will show you a summary of what's about to change. Click Confirm to proceed. Within a few minutes, you'll receive an email at your new address with the subject line "Confirm your email address on Facebook" or similar. Open that email and click the confirmation link. Once you click it, the change is complete.
On a mobile phone, the steps are the same but the layout is slightly different. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the bottom right, scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings. Scroll down to Personal Information and tap Email. Tap Edit, enter your new email, and tap Review Change. Confirm the change, then check your new email for the confirmation link and click it.
What to do if you don't receive the confirmation email
Check your spam or junk folder first — confirmation emails sometimes land there by mistake. If it's not there, wait a few minutes and refresh your inbox, because the email can take a few minutes to arrive. If you still don't see it after 10 minutes, go back to Facebook Settings, click Personal Information, and look at the Email section. You should see an option to Resend Confirmation or similar. Click that to send the confirmation link again.
If you've resent the confirmation email multiple times and still haven't received it, the new email address may be blocked or invalid. Double-check that you typed it correctly — a single wrong letter will cause the confirmation to fail. If the address is correct and you still can't receive the email, try a different email address instead. Some email providers have filters that block messages from Facebook, so switching to a Gmail, Outlook, or Yahoo account sometimes solves the problem.
How to change your email if you can't access your current one
If your current email no longer works — because you closed that account, lost access to it, or it's been compromised — you can't use the standard email change process. Instead, go to facebook.com/login/identify on a desktop or use the mobile app, and look for the "Forgot Password?" or "Can't Access Your Account?" link. Facebook will ask you to enter your name or phone number, then guide you through identity verification.
You may be asked to upload a photo ID, answer security questions you set up in the past, or confirm information about your account. Once Facebook verifies your identity, you'll be given the option to set a new password and change your email address. This process can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few days depending on how much information Facebook needs to confirm you're the real account owner.
Difference between changing email and adding a backup email
Changing your email replaces your primary email address entirely — the old one stops working for login after a few days. Adding a backup email keeps your current email as your main login method but adds a second email to your account for recovery purposes. If you want to keep both emails active on your account, you should add a backup email instead of changing your primary one.
To add a backup email without changing your primary, go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Email Addresses. Click Add Another Email Address and enter the new one. Facebook will send a confirmation link to that address. Once confirmed, you'll have two emails on your account, but only your primary email is used for login and notifications. The backup email is there in case you lose access to the primary one.
What happens to your login and security after the change
Once your new email is confirmed, Facebook uses it for all future communications — password reset links, security alerts, two-factor authentication codes, and login notifications all go to the new address. If you have two-factor authentication turned on (where Facebook sends you a code to enter when you log in from a new device), that code will arrive at your new email.
Your password does not change when you change your email. You log in the same way you always have, just with the new email address instead of the old one. If you want to change your password at the same time, you can do that separately in Settings > Security & Login > Change Password.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use my old email to log in after I change it?
For a few days after the change, yes — both emails work for login. After that window closes (usually three to five days), only your new email works. Facebook sends you a notification when the old email stops working.
What if I change my email by mistake and want to change it back?
You can change it back the same way you changed it the first time. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Email, click Edit, enter your old email address, and confirm the change. Facebook will send a confirmation link to that old email address.
Will changing my email affect my Facebook friends or messages?
No. Your friends will not be notified, and your messages will not be affected. Your profile, posts, and all your account data stay exactly the same — only the email address used to log in and receive notifications changes.
Do I need to update my email anywhere else after changing it on Facebook?
If you use your Facebook login to sign into other apps or websites, those apps will still work — they don't need your email address updated. However, if you've given your Facebook email to anyone (like for a password reset), you may want to let them know your new email address.
What if Facebook says my new email is already in use?
That email address is already attached to another Facebook account. You can only use one email per account. If it's your own other account, you'll need to remove the email from that account first, or use a different email address for this account.