What you can change on your Facebook account
Facebook lets you change your name, email address, password, phone number, and privacy settings without closing your account or creating a new one. You can also change your profile picture, cover photo, and what information appears on your profile. Most changes take effect when ready, though some—like your name—have limits on how often you can change them.
The settings you can modify depend on what you're trying to do. If you want to update personal information, you'll go to one place. If you want to change who can see your posts or contact you, you'll go to another. This guide walks you through the most common changes and where to find each one.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your name, email, password, and phone number from your account settings, which you reach by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner.
- Facebook limits how often you can change your name—usually once every 60 days—so choose carefully before you submit.
- Privacy settings control who can see your posts, send you messages, and find your account, and they live in a separate menu from personal information.
- If you forget your password, use the "Forgot Password" link on the login page rather than trying to change it from settings.
- Changes to your email address take effect right away, but Facebook may ask you to confirm the new address by clicking a link they send you.
How to change your name, email, or phone number
Open Facebook and click your profile picture in the top right corner. From the menu that appears, select Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Personal Information. You'll see fields for your name, email address, and phone number.
To change your name, click the pencil icon next to your current name. Type your new name and click Review Change. Facebook will show you how your new name will appear and ask you to confirm. Keep in mind that Facebook limits name changes to once every 60 days, and the name you enter must follow their guidelines—it should be the name you go by in everyday life, not a nickname or business name.
To change your email address, click the pencil icon next to your email. Type your new email and click Save Changes. Facebook will send a confirmation link to the new address. Open that email and click the link to finish the change. Until you confirm, Facebook will still use your old email to log you in.
To add or change your phone number, click the pencil icon next to your phone number field. Type the number and click Save Changes. Facebook may send you a text message to confirm the number is real.
How to change your password
If you remember your current password, go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Password and Security (on the left menu). Click Change Password. Type your current password, then type your new password twice and click Save Changes.
If you don't remember your password, don't try to change it from settings. Instead, go to the Facebook login page and click Forgot Password? below the login boxes. Enter your email address or phone number, and Facebook will send you a link to reset your password. Click the link in the email or text message, type a new password, and click Continue.
When you create a new password, use something you haven't used before and something that mixes uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using your name, birthday, or other information someone could guess.
How to change your privacy settings
Privacy settings control who can see your posts, send you messages, and find your account. Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Privacy (on the left menu). You'll see several options.
Who can see your posts? Click this setting to choose between Public (anyone on or off Facebook), Friends (only people you've added as friends), or Friends except (everyone except specific people you choose). Most people set this to Friends.
Who can contact you? This controls who can send you messages. You can allow everyone, friends only, or friends and people you follow. If you choose a restricted option, messages from others will go to a separate folder you can check later.
Who can look you up? This setting lets you control whether people can find your account by searching your email address or phone number. You can turn this off entirely, or allow only friends to search for you this way.
You can also control privacy for individual posts after you post them. Click the audience icon (it looks like a person or people) on any post to change who can see just that one.
How to change your profile picture or cover photo
Go to your profile by clicking your name or profile picture anywhere on Facebook. On your profile, hover over your current profile picture and click the camera icon that appears. Choose Upload Photo to pick a new picture from your computer or phone, or Choose Photo to use a picture you've already uploaded to Facebook.
To change your cover photo (the large banner image at the top of your profile), hover over your current cover photo and click the camera icon. You can upload a new photo, choose one from your existing pictures, or search Facebook's library of free cover photos.
How to change your login email or add a backup email
You can have more than one email address connected to your Facebook account. This is useful if you want to log in with a different email or if you lose access to your main email. Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Personal Information. Look for the Email Addresses section (not the same as the single email field mentioned earlier).
Click Add Another Email and type the new email address. Facebook will send a confirmation link to that address. Open the email and click the link to add it. Once confirmed, you can log in using either email address. To make a different email your primary one, click the radio button next to it.
What to do if you can't access your account
If you can't log in because you forgot your password, use the Forgot Password? link on the login page. If you can't access the email or phone number connected to your account, click Can't Access Your Account? on the login page. Facebook will walk you through steps to regain access, which may include answering security questions or uploading a photo of your ID.
If your account has been hacked or compromised, change your password when ready using the reset process above. Then go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Password and Security > Where You're Logged In. You'll see a list of devices and locations where someone has logged into your account. Click Log Out next to any device you don't recognize.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my Facebook name more than once?
Facebook allows you to change your name once every 60 days. If you try to change it before that period is up, you'll see a message telling you when you can change it again. This limit exists to prevent people from impersonating others or evading blocks.
What happens when I change my email address?
Your new email becomes your login email right away, but Facebook sends a confirmation link to the new address. Click that link to fully set up the change. Until you confirm, you can still log in with your old email, but Facebook recommends confirming within a few days.
If I change my password, will I be logged out on my phone?
Changing your password does not automatically log you out on other devices. You stay logged in on your phone, computer, and tablet. If you want to log out everywhere, go to Password and Security > Where You're Logged In and click Log Out next to each device.
Can I hide my phone number or email from other users?
Your phone number and email are not visible on your profile to other users. They're only used by Facebook for account recovery and login. You can control whether people can find you by searching your phone number or email using the privacy settings described above.
What if I want to change my account to a business or creator account?
Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Account Type. You can switch between a personal account, a creator account (for public figures or content makers), or a business account. The change takes effect when ready, though some features may take a few hours to update.