Where to Find the Gender Setting on Facebook

Your gender setting lives in your Facebook profile information, not in account settings. Open Facebook, go to your profile by clicking your name or profile picture, then click the "About" tab. Scroll down to the "Basic Information" section — you will see "Gender" listed there with your current selection.

If you do not see an "About" tab, you may be on the mobile app. On mobile, tap the three horizontal lines (menu), scroll to "Settings & Privacy," then "Settings," then "Personal Information," then "Basic Information." The gender field appears in that same location.

Facebook stores this information separately from your name and profile picture, so changing it does not affect those other details. You can change your gender as many times as you want, and there is no limit to how often you do it.

Key Takeaways

  • Gender on Facebook is found in your About section under Basic Information, not in account settings.
  • You can choose from a preset list of options or type a custom gender term if none of the standard choices fit.
  • Your gender can be visible to everyone, friends only, or hidden entirely — you control who sees it.
  • Changing your gender does not change your name, profile picture, or any other part of your account.
  • You can change your gender back and forth as many times as you want without restriction.

Selecting a Gender or Creating a Custom One

When you click on the Gender field, Facebook shows you a dropdown menu with standard options: Female, Male, and Custom. If one of the first two matches what you want, click it and you are done. If neither does, click "Custom."

The Custom option opens a second dropdown where you can type any gender term you prefer. Facebook does not restrict what you type — you can enter a single word, a phrase, or leave it blank. Once you type what you want, click outside the field or press Enter to save it. Your choice appears on your profile when ready.

If you change your mind later, return to the same Gender field and select a different option. There is no waiting period, no confirmation email, and no record of previous changes visible to other people.

Controlling Who Sees Your Gender

Next to the Gender field, you will see a small icon that looks like an eye or a padlock — this controls who can see your gender. Click it to open privacy options. You can set it to Public (everyone), Friends (people on your friends list only), or Only Me (hidden from everyone except you).

The default is usually Public, but you can change it to any level of privacy you prefer. This setting is separate from your overall profile privacy, so your gender can be hidden while your name and profile picture remain visible, or vice versa.

If you hide your gender, it will not appear on your profile at all — not even to people who visit your page. Other people cannot see what privacy level you chose; they straightforward see nothing in that field.

What Happens After You Change It

Your gender change takes effect when ready. If you set it to Public or Friends, people who visit your profile will see the new gender right away. If you set it to Only Me, no one else will see it at all.

Facebook does not send notifications to your friends when you change your gender. Your friends will only see the change if they visit your profile and look at your Basic Information section. There is no announcement or alert.

Your gender does not affect your username, email address, or login information. It also does not change which ads Facebook shows you or how the platform categorizes your account. It is purely a profile field that you control.

Changing Gender on Mobile vs. Desktop

The process is nearly identical on both, but the path to find it differs slightly. On desktop, use the About tab method described above. On mobile, the three-line menu method is faster because the About tab can be harder to locate depending on your phone's screen size.

Some older versions of the Facebook app may have the setting in a different location. If you cannot find it using the steps above, update your Facebook app to the latest version from your phone's app store, then try again.

If you use Facebook through a web browser on your phone rather than the app, follow the desktop instructions — the layout is the same, just smaller.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If the Gender field is not showing up at all, check whether you are logged into the correct account. Some accounts have different privacy settings or restrictions. Log out completely, then log back in and try again.

If the change does not save when you click away, make sure you clicked outside the field or pressed Enter to confirm it. Sometimes the field requires explicit confirmation before it registers the change. Try clicking the field again and repeating the process.

If you see an error message, it usually means Facebook's servers are temporarily slow. Wait a few minutes and try again. If the problem persists after several attempts, try using a different browser or device.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my gender from specific people?

No. Facebook's privacy settings for gender are all-or-nothing: Public, Friends, or Only Me. You cannot hide it from one friend while showing it to another. If you want some people not to see it, set it to Only Me or Friends and manage your friends list accordingly.

Will changing my gender affect my Facebook ads or recommendations?

Facebook may adjust some ads and content recommendations based on gender, but changing this field does not when ready reset your ad history or targeting. The change takes effect going forward, not retroactively. If you want to reset your ad preferences, you can do that separately in Settings under "Ads."

Do I have to put a gender on my profile?

No. You can leave the Gender field blank, set it to Custom and type nothing, or set it to Only Me so it is hidden from everyone. Facebook does not require you to fill it in or make it public.

Can I change my gender back to what it was before?

Yes. Click the Gender field, select whatever option you want, and save it. Facebook does not prevent you from changing it back, and there is no cooldown period between changes.

Will my friends get a notification when I change my gender?

No. Facebook does not send notifications for gender changes. Your friends will only see the change if they visit your profile and look at your Basic Information section.