Where to find the phone number setting on Facebook

Your phone number lives in Facebook's account settings, not in your profile. Open Facebook on any browser or the mobile app, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines on mobile, the downward arrow on desktop in the top right), and scroll to Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, select Personal information, then Contact information. Your current phone number appears there if you have added one.

If you do not see a phone number listed, you have not yet added one to your account. You can add a new number at any time using the same path. If you do see a number, you can change it by clicking next to the phone field.

Key Takeaways

  • Your phone number is stored in Settings > Personal information > Contact information, not on your public profile.
  • You can change your phone number without losing your account, and Facebook does not notify your old contacts that you changed it.
  • If you no longer have access to your old phone number, you can remove it and add a new one in the same step.
  • Two-factor authentication linked to your old number will stop working once you change it, so update your security settings afterward.

The step-by-step process to update your number

Click the edit icon (pencil) next to your phone number in the Contact information section. A text box appears with your current number highlighted. Delete the old number and type in your new one, including the country code if you are outside the United States. Facebook accepts numbers in the format +1 (555) 123-4567 or similar variations.

After you enter the new number, click Save changes. Facebook does not send a confirmation code to verify the new number — it saves when ready. Your old number is removed from your account at that moment. If you want to add a second phone number instead of replacing the first, click Add another phone number before saving.

What happens to two-factor authentication when you change your number

If you use two-factor authentication (2FA) with your old phone number, that method stops working the moment you change the number. Facebook will no longer send you login codes to that old number. You need to update your security settings right away so you are not locked out of your account on your next login from a new device.

Go back to Settings, click Security and login, then find Two-factor authentication. Turn off the old phone-based method and set up a new one using your new number, or switch to an authenticator app like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator instead. An authenticator app does not depend on your phone number and works even if you change carriers or lose your phone.

Removing a phone number without adding a new one

You can delete your phone number from Facebook without replacing it. In the Contact information section, click the edit icon next to your number, then click Remove instead of typing a new one. The number disappears from your account when ready. This is useful if you no longer want Facebook to have any phone number on file, or if you are not ready to add a new one yet.

Removing your number does not affect your password or your ability to log in — Facebook uses your email address as your primary login method. However, if you have two-factor authentication turned on and linked to that phone number, you will lose access to that security method until you set up a different one.

If you cannot access your old phone number anymore

If your old phone number no longer works — you changed carriers, lost the phone, or the number was reassigned — you still can change it in your settings. You do not need to receive a code or confirm anything. straightforward go to Contact information, click edit, delete the old number, type the new one, and save. Facebook does not verify that you own the new number before accepting it.

The only complication arises if you also have two-factor authentication turned on with that old number. In that case, you may be asked to verify your identity before you can change your security settings. Facebook may ask you to answer security questions, provide a photo ID, or use a recovery code if you saved one when you first set up 2FA. If you have none of these, you can contact Facebook's support team through the Help Center to regain access.

Privacy and who can see your phone number

Your phone number is not public by default. It does not appear on your profile, and other users cannot search for you by phone number on Facebook. Only you and Facebook can see it. You can control whether your phone number is visible to friends, friends of friends, or no one by adjusting the privacy setting next to your number in Contact information — click the audience icon (globe or friends icon) to change who sees it.

Even if you make your number visible to friends, they see it only if they visit your profile and you have allowed them to see that section. Facebook does not share your number with third parties, advertisers, or apps unless you explicitly grant permission in your app settings.

Changing your number on the Facebook mobile app

The process is identical on the Facebook mobile app. Tap the menu icon (three lines) at the bottom right, scroll down to Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Personal information, then Contact information. Tap the edit icon next to your phone number, delete the old one, type the new one, and tap Save changes. The change takes effect when ready across all devices.

If you use Facebook Messenger as a separate app, your phone number change in the main Facebook app syncs automatically to Messenger. You do not need to update it separately in Messenger.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Facebook notify my contacts that I changed my phone number?

No. Facebook does not send notifications to your friends or contacts when you change your phone number. Your number is not shared with them unless you have made it visible on your profile and they visit it. Changing your number does not affect your friend list, messages, or any other part of your account.

Can I have more than one phone number on my Facebook account?

Yes. You can add multiple phone numbers by clicking Add another phone number in the Contact information section. This is useful if you have a work number and a personal number, or if you are switching phones and want to keep both active temporarily. You can remove any of them individually by clicking edit and then remove.

What if I forget my password and no longer have access to my old phone number?

You can still reset your password using your email address. Go to the Facebook login page, click Forgotten password?, enter your email, and Facebook sends you a reset link. You do not need your phone number to change your password. However, if you also have two-factor authentication turned on with that old number, you may need to verify your identity through other means before you can log back in.

Does changing my phone number affect my Facebook account recovery options?

Your phone number is one of several recovery options Facebook can use if your account is compromised or locked. When you change your number, the old one is removed from your recovery options. Make sure your email address is current and that you have saved any recovery codes Facebook provided when you set up two-factor authentication. These codes let you regain access even if you lose your phone.

Can I change my phone number if I do not remember my password?

Yes. You can change your phone number without entering your password — it is stored in your account settings, not behind a password prompt. However, if you are logged out of Facebook and cannot log back in, you will need to reset your password first using your email address before you can access your settings.