Where to Find the Gender Setting on Facebook

Your gender setting on Facebook lives in your profile information, not in account settings. Open Facebook and click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select "Settings and privacy" followed by "Settings." From there, click "Personal information" in the left menu, then "Basic information." You'll see a field labeled "Gender" — this is where you make the change.

The exact location shifts slightly depending on whether you're on a phone or computer, but the path is the same. On a phone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, scroll down to "Settings and privacy," then "Settings," then follow the same steps. The gender field appears as a dropdown menu with preset options.

Key Takeaways

  • Your gender setting is in Personal Information under Settings, not in account or privacy controls.
  • Facebook offers a dropdown menu with standard options plus a custom text field if you want to enter something different.
  • You can change your gender as often as you want, and the change takes effect when ready.
  • Your gender is visible only to people you've set as friends, unless you change your privacy settings for that specific field.
  • Changing your gender does not affect your login information, email, or any other account details.

Selecting From the Dropdown Menu or Adding Custom Text

When you click on the Gender field, a dropdown menu appears with options including Female, Male, and Custom. If one of the first two matches what you want to show, select it and you're done. If you want to use different wording, select "Custom" and a text box will open where you can type whatever you prefer — there's no character limit, and Facebook won't reject unusual entries.

After you type your custom text, you'll see another dropdown below it asking who can see this information. The default is usually "Friends," meaning only people on your friends list can see your gender. You can change this to "Public" (everyone), "Friends of Friends," or "Only Me" (private). Make your choice, then click outside the field or press Enter to save.

Who Can See Your Gender and How to Change That

By default, your gender is visible to your friends only. If you want to hide it completely, set the visibility to "Only Me" — then even your friends won't see it on your profile. If you want everyone on Facebook to see it, including people who aren't your friends, change it to "Public." The "Friends of Friends" option is less common but shows your gender to anyone connected to your friends.

You can change who sees your gender without changing the gender itself. Go back to the same Personal Information section, click the privacy icon next to the Gender field (it looks like a person or a globe depending on your current setting), and select a new audience. This change also takes effect when ready.

What Happens to Your Name and Profile When You Change Gender

Changing your gender does not automatically change your name on Facebook. Your name and gender are separate fields. If you also want to change your name, you'll need to do that separately in the same Personal Information section — Facebook allows name changes once every 60 days. Your profile picture, cover photo, and all your posts stay exactly as they are.

Other people won't receive a notification that you changed your gender. It won't show up in their news feed or activity log. The only way they'll know is if they visit your profile and look at your information directly. If your profile is set to private, they may not even be able to see the gender field at all.

Changing Your Gender Multiple Times

Facebook does not limit how many times you can change your gender. You can update it as often as you want, and each change takes effect right away. There's no waiting period, no approval process, and no record of previous changes visible to other users. If you change it back and forth, only the current setting shows on your profile.

If you're testing different options or adjusting your privacy settings, you can make as many changes as needed. Some people update their gender seasonally, for events, or as their identity evolves — Facebook's system is designed to let you control this information without restriction.

Troubleshooting If the Gender Field Won't Save

If you change your gender but it doesn't save, first check that you actually clicked outside the field or pressed Enter to confirm. Sometimes the change appears to be made but hasn't been submitted yet. Refresh your page to see if it took effect. If it still hasn't saved, try clearing your browser's cache and cookies, then log back in and try again.

If you're using the Facebook app on your phone and the change won't stick, try switching to the mobile website version instead (go to m.facebook.com in your browser). Occasionally the app has sync delays. You can also try logging out completely, closing the app, waiting a few minutes, and logging back in. If none of these work, the issue may be temporary server-side, and trying again in an hour usually fixes it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my gender completely so it doesn't show on my profile?

Yes. Set the Gender field to "Only Me" in the privacy dropdown. Your gender will be stored in your account but won't be visible to anyone else, including your friends. You can change this back anytime.

Will my friends get notified when I change my gender?

No. Changing your gender doesn't trigger a notification, post to your timeline, or show up in anyone's activity feed. Only people who visit your profile and look at your information will see the change, and only if you've set it to be visible to them.

Can I use a gender option that's not on the dropdown menu?

Yes. Select "Custom" from the dropdown and type whatever you want. Facebook doesn't restrict custom entries, so you can use any text you prefer.

Does changing my gender affect my Facebook login or password?

No. Your gender is profile information only. It has no connection to your login email, password, two-factor authentication, or any security settings. Changing it won't affect how you access your account.

What if I change my gender and then change my mind?

You can change it back anytime. Go to the same Personal Information section and update the field. There's no limit on how many times you can change it, and no record of previous changes is shown to other people.