Where to Find Your Birth Date Settings

Your birth date on Facebook lives in your profile information, not in account settings. To reach it, open Facebook and go to your profile by clicking your name or profile picture. On your profile page, look for the "About" section — this is where Facebook stores your birth date along with other personal details like your phone number, email, and hometown.

The "About" tab appears near the top of your profile, usually to the right of your profile picture and name. Click it to open a page that shows all the information you have shared. Your birth date may be listed under "Basic Information" or "Contact Information" depending on how you originally set it up.

Key Takeaways

  • Your birth date is stored in your profile's "About" section, not in account or privacy settings.
  • You can change your birth date by clicking "Edit" next to the date field, but Facebook limits how often you can make this change.
  • Your birth date visibility can be set to "Only Me," "Friends," or "Public" — changing the date itself does not automatically change who can see it.
  • If you cannot edit your birth date, you may have hit Facebook's change limit and will need to wait before trying again.

Steps to Edit Your Birth Date

Once you are on your "About" page, scroll down until you see your birth date listed. Next to the date, you should see a pencil icon or an "Edit" button. Click this icon to open the editing window. Facebook will show you the current date broken into three fields: month, day, and year.

Click on each field and type in your new information. Start with the month dropdown, then enter the day, then the year. After you have entered all three parts of the date, look for a "Save" or checkmark button — the exact label depends on which device you are using, but it will appear near the date fields. Click it to save your change.

Facebook will confirm that your birth date has been updated. The change takes effect when ready, though it may take a few minutes to appear everywhere on your profile if you are viewing it on multiple devices or browsers.

Understanding Facebook's Birth Date Change Limits

Facebook does not let you change your birth date as often as you want. The platform restricts how many times you can edit this information within a certain time period. If you have already changed your birth date recently, you may see a message saying you cannot edit it again yet.

The exact waiting period varies, but Facebook typically allows one change every 60 days. If you see a message that you cannot change your birth date right now, you will need to wait before attempting another edit. There is no way to speed up this waiting period — you straightforward have to come back later.

Controlling Who Sees Your Birth Date

Changing your birth date does not automatically change who can see it. Your privacy setting for this information stays the same as it was before. To control visibility, go back to your "About" page and look for a small privacy icon next to your birth date — it usually looks like a globe, a lock, or a group of people.

Click that icon to open a menu with three options: "Only Me" (only you can see it), "Friends" (your friends can see it), or "Public" (anyone can see it). Choose whichever setting you prefer. Remember that changing this setting does not change the date itself — it only changes who can view it.

What to Do If You Cannot Edit Your Birth Date

If you click the edit icon and nothing happens, or if you see an error message, the most common reason is that you have already changed your birth date recently and hit Facebook's limit. Wait at least 60 days from your last change before trying again.

If you have not changed your birth date in a long time and still cannot edit it, try logging out of Facebook completely, clearing your browser cache, and logging back in. Sometimes a stale browser session prevents the edit button from working. If the problem continues after you have tried this, you may need to contact Facebook's support team through the "Help" menu on your profile.

Birth Date Changes on Mobile Devices

The process is nearly identical on the Facebook mobile app, but the layout looks slightly different. Open the app, tap your profile picture at the bottom right, and tap "About." Scroll to find your birth date, tap the pencil icon next to it, and edit the three date fields. Tap "Save" when you are done.

On mobile, the privacy icon next to your birth date may be smaller or positioned differently than on the desktop version, but it works the same way. Tap it to change who can see your birth date. The 60-day change limit applies to mobile edits just as it does to desktop edits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my birth date completely from Facebook?

Yes. Go to your "About" page, click the privacy icon next to your birth date, and select "Only Me." This hides it from everyone except you. You can also choose not to display your birth date at all by removing it from your profile, though this is different from hiding it — removing it means you have not entered a birth date in the system.

What happens if I change my birth date to a different year?

Facebook updates your age based on the new birth date you enter. Your birthday reminders and age-related features will reflect the new year. There is no separate approval process — the change takes effect as soon as you save it.

Why does Facebook limit how often I can change my birth date?

Facebook restricts birth date changes to prevent misuse and fraud. Because birth dates are used to verify your identity and determine age-restricted content access, limiting changes helps protect account security. The 60-day window is Facebook's standard policy across all accounts.

Can I change my birth date if I set it wrong when I created my account?

Yes, the process is the same whether you are correcting an old mistake or updating recent information. You will still be subject to the 60-day change limit, so if you have already changed it once, you will need to wait before making another change.

Does changing my birth date affect my Facebook memories or timeline?

No. Your memories, posts, and timeline are not affected by changing your birth date. Only your age and birthday reminders update. Past posts and photos stay exactly where they are.