Change Your Email in Facebook Settings

To change the email address linked to your Facebook account, go to the Settings & Privacy menu, then select Settings. On the left sidebar, click Personal Information, then find the Email row. Click next to your current email address and type in the new email you want to use. Facebook will send a confirmation link to that new address—you must click the link within a set time to complete the change. Only after you confirm does the new email become active on your account.

The entire process takes about five minutes if you have access to both your old and new email inboxes. If you cannot access your old email anymore, the process is longer and requires you to verify your identity through other means, such as a phone number or photo ID.

Key Takeaways

  • Facebook requires you to confirm the new email address by clicking a link sent to that inbox before the change takes effect.
  • You can change your email from any device where you are logged into Facebook—phone, tablet, or computer.
  • If you no longer have access to your old email, you will need to verify your identity using a phone number or government ID.
  • Your password does not change when you update your email; you still log in with your new email address and the same password.
  • Facebook keeps a record of recent email changes for security, so you cannot change it again for a few days after the first change.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Desktop

Open Facebook in your web browser and log in if you are not already signed in. In the top right corner, click the downward arrow next to your profile picture. A menu will drop down—select Settings & Privacy, then click Settings.

On the left side of the screen, you will see a sidebar menu. Click Personal Information. You will see several rows of information, including your email address. Find the Email row and click the pencil icon or the word "Edit" next to your current email. A text box will appear where you can type your new email address. Type it carefully—Facebook will not let you use an email that is already connected to another Facebook account. Click the Review Change button.

Facebook will display your new email address and ask you to confirm. Click Confirm. Within a few minutes, Facebook will send a confirmation email to your new address. Open that email and click the Confirm Your Email Address link inside it. Once you click that link, your email change is complete.

Changing Your Email on Mobile

Open the Facebook app on your phone and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner on iPhone or the top right corner on Android. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings. Scroll down until you see Personal Information and tap it.

Find the Email row and tap it. A screen will open showing your current email. Tap Edit Email or the pencil icon. Type your new email address into the text box. Tap Next or Confirm, depending on what your phone shows. Facebook will send a confirmation email to your new address—open that email on your phone or computer and click the confirmation link inside it.

What to Do If You Cannot Access Your Old Email

If you no longer have access to the email address currently linked to your Facebook account, you cannot straightforward type in a new one and confirm it. Instead, you will need to verify your identity to Facebook using other information. Go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information. Click on your email address. Facebook will offer you options to verify who you are.

The most common verification method is a phone number. If you have a phone number linked to your account, Facebook will send a code to that number. Type the code into Facebook, and then you can change your email. If you do not have a phone number on file, Facebook may ask you to upload a photo of your government ID—a driver's license, passport, or national ID card. This process takes longer, sometimes several days, because a person at Facebook reviews your ID before allowing the change.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Do not close the confirmation email or delete it before clicking the link inside. If you accidentally delete it, go back to Facebook Settings, click on your email, and ask Facebook to resend the confirmation email. You can request a new confirmation link up to three times.

Do not try to change your email to an address that is already connected to another Facebook account. Facebook will reject it and show an error message. If you want to use that email address, you will first need to remove it from the other account. Also, do not change your password at the same time you change your email—do one change at a time so you do not lock yourself out. After you change your email, you will log in using the new email address and your existing password.

What Happens After You Change Your Email

Once the confirmation is complete, your new email address becomes the primary email for your Facebook account. You will use this new email address to log in from now on. Your old email address is removed from your account and can be used to create a new Facebook account or linked to a different account.

Facebook will not send you a notification to your old email saying the change happened. If someone else has access to your old email, they will not be able to use it to log into your Facebook account anymore. Your password stays the same—only the email address changes. If you have two-factor authentication turned on, you will still use the same phone number or authentication app to log in; the email change does not affect that.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my email address back to the old one right away?

No. Facebook prevents you from changing your email again for several days after the first change, usually three to five days. This is a security measure to prevent someone from hacking your account and locking you out by changing the email repeatedly. If you made a mistake, you will have to wait before you can change it again.

What if I do not receive the confirmation email?

Check your spam or junk folder first—confirmation emails sometimes end up there. If it is not there, go back to Facebook Settings, click on your email, and click Resend Confirmation Email. You can request a new link up to three times. If you still do not receive it, make sure you typed the new email address correctly the first time.

Will changing my email affect my Facebook password?

No. Your password stays exactly the same. After you change your email, you will log in using your new email address and the same password you have always used. You do not need to create a new password unless you want to.

Can I have two email addresses on one Facebook account?

No. Facebook accounts have one primary email address at a time. You can add alternate email addresses in some cases, but only one is active for logging in. To see if your account supports alternate emails, check your Personal Information settings—if there is an option to add an email, you can add one, but you can only log in with the primary email.

What if someone else changed my email without permission?

If you cannot log in because your email was changed, go to the Facebook login page and click Forgot Password. Facebook will ask you to identify yourself using your phone number, name, or other account details. Once you verify who you are, you can reset your password and regain access to your account. Then change your email back and consider turning on two-factor authentication to prevent this from happening again.