You can change your birthdate in Facebook settings, but Facebook limits how often you can do it

To change your birthdate on Facebook, go to your profile, click the three-line menu, select "Settings and privacy," then "Settings." Find "Personal information" and click "Birth date." You can edit the month, day, and year there. Facebook allows you to change your birthdate once every 60 days, so if you changed it recently, you may have to wait before making another change.

The process takes less than a minute, but Facebook's restrictions exist to prevent account takeovers and fraud. If you made a typo or entered the wrong date when you created your account, you can fix it when ready. If you changed it within the last 60 days, Facebook will not let you change it again until that window closes.

Key Takeaways

  • Access your birthdate through Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Personal information.
  • Facebook restricts birthdate changes to once every 60 days to protect account security.
  • Your birthdate controls who can see your age and when Facebook shows your birthday to friends.
  • If you cannot change your birthdate because of the 60-day limit, you must wait until that period passes.
  • Changing your birthdate does not affect your account age or when you created your profile.

Step-by-step: changing your birthdate on Facebook

Open Facebook and click your profile picture in the top right corner. From the dropdown menu, select "Settings and privacy," then click "Settings." On the left side, you will see a menu with several options. Click "Personal information."

Look for "Birth date" in the Personal information section. Click on it to open the date editor. You can now change the month, day, and year. After you enter the correct date, click "Save" or "Confirm" (the button name varies slightly by device). Facebook will confirm the change when ready.

If you are on a mobile phone, the steps are the same but the menu layout looks different. Tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) at the bottom right of your screen, scroll down to "Settings and privacy," tap "Settings," then find "Personal information" and tap "Birth date."

What happens if you hit the 60-day limit

Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between birthdate changes. If you try to change your birthdate and see a message saying you cannot, it means you changed it within the last 60 days. You will have to wait until that 60-day window closes before you can make another change.

The timer starts from the date of your last change, not from the date you created your account. If you changed your birthdate on January 15, you cannot change it again until March 16. There is no way to bypass this limit or request an exception through Facebook's standard support channels.

Why Facebook limits birthdate changes

The 60-day restriction protects your account from unauthorized changes. If someone gains temporary access to your account, they cannot permanently alter your birthdate and use it to lock you out later. Your birthdate is also tied to account recovery—Facebook may ask you to confirm it if you lose access to your email or phone number.

Birthdate is also used to enforce age restrictions on certain content and features. Facebook does not allow accounts for people under 13, so the birthdate field is part of how the platform enforces that rule. Frequent changes would make it harder for Facebook to detect age-related violations.

Privacy settings for your birthdate

After you change your birthdate, you can control who sees it. In the same Personal information section, look for the privacy icon next to "Birth date"—it usually looks like a person, a lock, or a globe. Click it to choose whether your birthdate is visible to everyone, friends only, or only you.

Your birthday (the month and day, without the year) is separate from your birthdate. Even if you hide your full birthdate, Facebook may still show friends a notification on your birthday unless you turn that off in notification settings. You can disable birthday notifications by going to Settings, then "Notifications," and searching for "birthday."

Common mistakes when changing your birthdate

The most common error is entering the wrong year. Double-check that you typed the correct year before you save. If you made a mistake, you will have to wait 60 days to fix it, so take a moment to verify the date is correct.

Another mistake is forgetting that Facebook shows your age to other users based on your birthdate. If you change your birthdate to make yourself appear older or younger, that change will be visible to anyone who can see your birthdate. There is no way to change your age without changing your birthdate.

Some people also confuse their birthdate with their birthday. Your birthdate is the full date you were born (month, day, and year). Your birthday is just the month and day. Facebook uses your birthdate to calculate your age but may only show your birthday to friends, depending on your privacy settings.

What to do if you cannot change your birthdate

If you see an error message when you try to change your birthdate, first check whether you changed it in the last 60 days. If you did, you straightforward have to wait. If you did not, or if you are seeing a different error, try logging out and logging back in, then attempt the change again.

If the problem persists, clear your browser cache and cookies, then try again. If you are on a mobile app, try using the Facebook website instead, or vice versa. Sometimes the app and website have temporary glitches that clearing your cache will fix.

If none of these steps work and you believe your account has been compromised, you can report the issue to Facebook through their help center. Go to the question mark icon in the top right, select "Help and support," then "Report a problem." Describe what happened, and Facebook will investigate.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my birthdate more than once every 60 days?

No. Facebook enforces a strict 60-day limit between changes. You cannot bypass this by using a different device, browser, or account. You must wait the full 60 days from your last change before you can make another one.

Will changing my birthdate affect my account age or when I created my profile?

No. Your account creation date is separate from your birthdate. Changing your birthdate does not change when you joined Facebook or any of your account history. It only changes the date of birth associated with your profile.

What if I entered my birthdate wrong when I created my account?

You can change it when ready using the steps above. The 60-day limit only applies to subsequent changes. If this is your first time changing it, there is no waiting period.

Can I hide my birthdate from everyone on Facebook?

Yes. In Personal information, click the privacy icon next to "Birth date" and select "Only me." This hides your full birthdate from everyone except you. Your birthday notification to friends can be turned off separately in notification settings.

What happens if I change my birthdate to under 13?

Facebook may disable your account. The platform does not allow accounts for users under 13. If you change your birthdate to a date that would make you under 13, Facebook may flag your account for review or temporarily restrict access until you correct it.