What You Can Change on Facebook
Facebook lets you change your name, email address, password, privacy settings, notification preferences, and what information appears on your profile. You can also change your profile picture, cover photo, and biographical details. Most changes happen in your Settings menu, which you reach from the account menu in the top right corner of Facebook on a computer, or the menu icon at the bottom right on a mobile app.
Some changes take effect when ready—like updating your profile picture or changing your password. Others, like your name, have a waiting period: Facebook requires you to wait 60 days between name changes to prevent misuse. If you change your email address, you will need to confirm the new address by clicking a link Facebook sends to it before the change is complete.
Key Takeaways
- Access Settings by clicking the account menu (three horizontal lines or your profile picture) and selecting Settings and Privacy, then Settings.
- Your name can be changed every 60 days, and Facebook may ask you to use your authentic name rather than a nickname or business name.
- Changing your email address requires you to confirm the new address through a link Facebook sends to it.
- Privacy settings control who sees your posts, profile information, and friend list—these are found under Privacy in the Settings menu.
- Notification settings let you choose which activities trigger alerts and whether you receive them by email, text, or in the app.
How to Change Your Name on Facebook
Open Facebook and click the account menu in the top right corner (three horizontal lines on mobile, or your profile picture on desktop). Select Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Personal Information, then click Name. Type your new name in the field that appears and click Review Change. Facebook will show you how your new name will look; click Save Changes to confirm.
Facebook requires you to wait 60 days between name changes. If you have recently changed your name and try to change it again, you will see a message telling you when you can change it next. Facebook also asks that you use your authentic name—the name you go by in everyday life—rather than a business name, nickname, or character name. If your name change violates this policy, Facebook may ask you to change it back or provide identification.
How to Change Your Email Address or Password
To change your email address, go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Email. Click Add Email or Edit next to your current email. Type your new email address and click Add Email. Facebook will send a confirmation link to the new address. Open your email, click the link, and return to Facebook. Your new email is now active, and you can remove the old one if you want.
To change your password, go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Security and Login > Change Password. Enter your current password, then type your new password twice. Facebook recommends a password that is at least 6 characters long and includes a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Click Save Changes. You will be logged out of all devices and will need to log back in with your new password.
How to Change Your Privacy Settings
Privacy settings control who can see your posts, profile information, and friend list. Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Privacy. You will see options for Who can see your posts?, Who can contact you?, and Who can look you up? Click each one to change it.
For posts, you can choose Public (anyone on or off Facebook), Friends (only your friends), Friends except (friends except specific people), or Specific friends (only certain friends you select). For contact options, you can limit who can message you, add you as a friend, or see your friend list. For lookup, you can control whether people can find you by email or phone number. These settings explore to new posts and information you add going forward; they do not automatically change posts you made before you adjusted them.
How to Change Notification Settings
Notifications tell you when someone likes your post, comments, sends you a message, or tags you in something. Go to Settings and Privacy > Settings > Notifications. You will see a list of notification types: Messages, Friend Requests, Comments, Likes, Tags, and others. Click each one to choose how you want to be notified.
For each notification type, you can turn it On or Off, and choose whether you receive it in the app, by email, or by text message. You can also set quiet hours—a time window when Facebook will not send you notifications. This is useful if you want to avoid alerts during work or sleep. Scroll down to Quiet Hours and set your preferred time range.
How to Change Your Profile Picture and Cover Photo
Your profile picture is the small image that appears next to your name on posts and comments. Your cover photo is the large banner image at the top of your profile. To change your profile picture, click your profile picture anywhere on Facebook, then click the camera icon in the bottom right corner of the image. Choose Upload Photo to pick a file from your device, Take a Photo to use your camera, or Choose from Photos to pick an existing photo you have already uploaded to Facebook.
To change your cover photo, go to your profile and click the camera icon on the cover photo itself. You will see the same upload options. After you select a new image, Facebook will let you crop and position it before you save. You can also choose to hide your cover photo from specific people or make it visible only to friends by clicking the privacy icon on the cover photo.
How to Change Your Biographical Information
Your biographical information includes your job title, workplace, school, hometown, relationship status, and other details that appear on your profile. Go to your profile and click Edit Profile (or the pencil icon). You will see sections for Work and Education, Places You Have Lived, Contact and Basic Info, and Family and Relationships. Click any section to add, edit, or remove information.
For each piece of information, you can set who can see it using the privacy icon next to it. For example, you might make your phone number visible only to friends, or hide your relationship status from everyone. After you make changes, click outside the field or press Enter to save. Your profile will update when ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take for Facebook changes to show up?
Most changes—like updating your profile picture, cover photo, or biographical information—appear when ready. Password changes take effect right away, but you will be logged out and need to log back in. Email address changes require confirmation, which usually happens within minutes of clicking the confirmation link. Name changes can take up to 24 hours to appear across Facebook.
Can I change my name more than once?
Facebook allows you to change your name once every 60 days. If you have recently changed your name, you will see a message in the Name field telling you when you can change it again. This rule applies whether you are changing to a completely different name or making a small correction like fixing a typo.
What happens to my old email address if I change it?
Your old email address is removed from your account and becomes available for someone else to use. You can still log in with your new email address. If you want to keep access to your old email, do not remove it from your account—you can have multiple email addresses linked to Facebook at once, though only one is your primary login email.
Can I undo a change I made to my Facebook account?
Most changes can be undone by going back to the same settings menu and changing them again. For example, if you change your privacy settings and then want to revert them, you can go back to Privacy settings and select your previous choice. Name changes have a 60-day waiting period, so if you change your name and when ready regret it, you will have to wait 60 days before changing it back.
Why does Facebook ask me to use my authentic name?
Facebook's policy requires users to use the name they go by in everyday life. This is meant to reduce impersonation and fake accounts. If you use a nickname, stage name, or business name, Facebook may ask you to provide identification or change your name back. If your authentic name is genuinely different from what Facebook suggests, you can appeal the decision by clicking the link in the notification Facebook sends you.