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

To change your age on Facebook, go to your profile, click the three-line menu, select Settings and privacy, then Settings. Look for Personal information in the left sidebar and click it. Find your birth date listed there and click the pencil icon next to it to edit. You can change the month, day, and year. When you're done, click Save changes.

Facebook restricts how often you can make this change. You can only modify your birth date once every 60 days. If you've recently changed it, you'll see a message telling you when you can change it again. This limit exists to prevent misuse of accounts.

Your birth date visibility matters. By default, only you can see your full birth date on your profile. Your friends see only the month and day (not the year) unless you change your privacy settings. You can adjust who sees your birth date by clicking the audience selector next to the date field — it usually shows a lock icon or a specific audience label.

Key Takeaways

  • Access your birth date through Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information, then click the pencil icon next to your birth date.
  • Facebook allows you to change your birth date only once every 60 days, so plan ahead if you need to correct it.
  • Your full birth date is private by default — only you see the year, while friends see only the month and day.
  • You can adjust who sees your birth date by changing the privacy setting next to the date field in your personal information section.

Why Facebook limits birth date changes

The 60-day restriction exists because birth date is tied to account security and age verification. Facebook uses your birth date to enforce age rules — accounts must belong to people 13 or older in most countries. Frequent changes could let someone hide their actual age or bypass parental controls on teen accounts.

The restriction also protects against account takeovers. If someone gains unauthorized access to your account, they cannot when ready change your birth date to lock you out or hide the account's history. The waiting period gives you time to notice and regain control.

What happens if you need to change it before 60 days have passed

If you made a mistake and need to correct your birth date before the 60 days are up, you have limited options within Facebook itself. The system will not let you bypass the waiting period through the standard settings.

You can contact Facebook support through the Help Center. Go to Settings and privacy > Help and support > Help Center, then search for "birth date" or "personal information." Look for the option to report a problem or contact support. Explain that you entered an incorrect birth date by mistake. Facebook may review your request, though they do not always grant exceptions to the 60-day rule.

Keep in mind that support requests can take days or weeks to receive a response, and Facebook may ask you to verify your identity before making changes to account security settings like birth date.

Privacy settings for your birth date

Your birth date privacy works differently than other profile information. The year of your birth is hidden from everyone except you by default. Friends and the public see only the month and day — for example, "January 15" without the year.

To change who sees your birth date, open your personal information section and look for the audience icon next to your birth date. It usually shows a lock, a person icon, or text like "Only me" or "Friends." Click it to choose a different audience. Your options are typically Only me, Friends, or Public. Most people leave it on "Only me" for security reasons, since birth date is used in password recovery and identity verification.

Changing your age on a teen account

If you manage a teen account (someone under 18), the birth date rules are stricter. Parents or guardians set the initial birth date when creating the account, and teens cannot change it themselves. The account owner — the parent or guardian — must make any changes.

To change a teen's birth date, the account owner logs in to their own Facebook account and goes to Settings and privacy > Settings > Family (or Supervision depending on your region). From there, they can view and edit the supervised teen's information, including birth date. The same 60-day restriction applies.

What to do if your birth date is wrong and you cannot change it

If you've hit the 60-day limit and your birth date is incorrect, document the situation. Take a screenshot of your current birth date in your settings. Note the date you last changed it. This record helps if you need to contact support later.

Wait out the 60-day period if the error is minor. Once the waiting period ends, you can make the correction when ready. If the error affects your account security — for example, if someone else changed your birth date without permission — report it as a compromised account through Facebook's security tools rather than waiting for the timer.

To report a compromised account, go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Security and login. Look for options to report unauthorized activity or change your password. You can also use Facebook's "Not you?" feature on the login screen if you suspect someone accessed your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my birth year from my friends?

Yes. By default, your birth year is hidden from everyone except you. Your friends see only the month and day. If you've changed your privacy settings and want to hide the year again, go to your birth date in Personal information and click the audience icon next to it, then select "Only me."

What happens if I change my age to under 13?

Facebook will restrict your account. Accounts must belong to people 13 or older. If you change your birth date to show you're under 13, Facebook may disable your account or limit your access to certain features. If this happens by mistake, contact Facebook support with proof of your actual age.

Can I change my birth date on the Facebook app instead of the website?

Yes. Open the Facebook app, tap the three-line menu at the bottom right, scroll to Settings and privacy, tap Settings, then Personal information. The process is the same as on the website, and the 60-day restriction applies either way.

Will changing my age affect my Facebook friends or my messages?

No. Changing your birth date does not delete messages, unfriend people, or notify your friends. Only you see the change unless you've set your birth date to be visible to friends or the public. Your friends will not receive a notification about the change.

What if Facebook says I cannot change my birth date because of my account age?

New accounts sometimes have restrictions on editing personal information for the first few days. Wait a few days and try again. If the restriction persists after a week, contact Facebook support and describe the problem. They can review whether your account has a temporary lock on personal information changes.