What You Can Change on Your Facebook Account
Facebook lets you change your name, email address, password, and phone number directly from your account settings. You can also change your profile picture, cover photo, and privacy settings without contacting Facebook support. Most changes take effect when ready, though name changes have a waiting period before you can change again.
The steps differ slightly depending on whether you're using Facebook on a computer or a phone. This guide covers both, and explains what happens after you make each change.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your name, email, password, and phone number from the Settings & Privacy menu on your account.
- Facebook requires you to wait 60 days between name changes, and you can only change your name a limited number of times per year.
- If you change your email address, you'll use the new email to log in going forward — your old email stops working for Facebook.
- Changing your password logs you out of all devices, so you'll need to log back in on your phone, computer, and any other place you use Facebook.
- You can change your profile picture and cover photo from your profile page without going into settings.
How to Change Your Name on Facebook
Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner (on a computer) or tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right (on a phone). Select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Personal Information. Next to your name, click Edit.
Type your new name in the field that appears. Facebook will show you how your name will look to other people. Click Review Change, then Save Changes. Your new name appears on your profile right away, but Facebook won't let you change it again for 60 days. If you try to change it before that time is up, you'll see a message telling you when you can change it next.
Facebook limits how many times you can change your name in a year. If you've already changed your name several times recently, you may need to wait longer before changing it again. There's no way to speed this up — you have to wait the full period.
How to Change Your Email Address on Facebook
Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information. Click Email. Type your new email address in the field. Facebook will send a confirmation link to that new email address — you must click the link to finish the change.
Check the inbox of your new email address for a message from Facebook. The subject line will say something like "Confirm your email address on Facebook." Click the link inside the email. Once you click it, your new email becomes your Facebook login email. Your old email address no longer works to log into Facebook, though Facebook may keep it on file for account recovery purposes.
If you don't see the confirmation email, check your spam or junk folder. If it's not there, go back to Settings and try entering the email address again. Facebook will send another confirmation link.
How to Change Your Password on Facebook
Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information. Click Password. Enter your current password, then type your new password twice (once to enter it, once to confirm it matches). Click Change Password.
When you change your password, Facebook logs you out of every device where you're signed in — your phone, computer, tablet, and any other place. You'll need to log back in on each device using your new password. This is a security feature: if someone else had access to your account, changing your password locks them out.
Make your new password at least 6 characters long, and use a mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols if you can. Avoid using your name, birthday, or other information someone could guess.
How to Change Your Phone Number on Facebook
Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information. Click Phone Number. Type your new phone number and select your country from the dropdown menu. Click Save Changes.
Your phone number is not shown on your profile by default — it's stored privately so Facebook can help you recover your account if you get locked out. If you've set your phone number to be visible to friends or the public, you can change that privacy setting from the same menu. Click the privacy icon next to your phone number to choose who can see it.
How to Change Your Profile Picture and Cover Photo
Go to your profile by clicking your name at the top of the page. Hover over your current profile picture and click the camera icon that appears. Select Upload Photo to choose a picture from your computer or phone, or Choose from Photos to use a picture you've already posted on Facebook.
To change your cover photo, hover over the cover image at the top of your profile and click the camera icon. You can upload a new photo or choose one you've already posted. Facebook will let you adjust the position of the photo before you save it — drag it up or down to show the part you want visible.
What Happens When You Change Your Information
When you change your name, email, password, or phone number, the change shows up on your profile and in your account settings right away. Other people see your new name on your posts and messages. Your email and phone number are private — only you and Facebook can see them (unless you change your privacy settings).
If you change your email or password, you may see a notification on your account saying a new device or location logged in. This is normal — it's just Facebook noting that you logged back in after making the change. If you see a login from a place you don't recognize, you can log out that device from your Settings menu.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my name back to what it was before?
Yes, but you still have to wait 60 days between changes. If you changed your name and want to change it back, you'll need to wait until the 60-day period is over. After that, you can change it to any name you want, including your original one.
What if I forget my password?
Click "Forgot Password?" on the Facebook login page. Enter your email address or phone number, and Facebook will send you a link to reset your password. Click the link in the email, then create a new password. You don't need to know your old password to do this.
Can I change my email without changing my password?
Yes. Changing your email and changing your password are separate actions. You can change one without changing the other. However, if you change your email, make sure you have access to that new email address — you'll need it to log in and to reset your password if you forget it.
Will my friends see when I change my name?
Your friends won't get a notification, but they'll see your new name the next time they look at your profile or see one of your posts. Facebook doesn't announce name changes to your friends the way it announces other profile updates.
What if Facebook won't let me change my name?
Facebook may block a name change if you've already changed it recently, if your new name violates Facebook's naming rules, or if your account has been flagged for suspicious activity. If you see an error message, read it carefully — it will tell you why the change was blocked and what you need to do next.