Where to Find Your Age Settings on Facebook

Your age on Facebook lives in your profile information, not in account settings. To reach it, click your profile picture in the top right corner, then select "Settings and privacy" followed by "Settings." From there, go to "Personal information" in the left menu, then click "Basic information." Your birth date appears here, and this is where you change it.

Facebook shows your birth date to other users only if you set it to be visible. Even if your profile is private, the age itself may still appear to people you're connected with, depending on your privacy choices. Before you change your birth date, check whether you want it displayed publicly or hidden entirely — you can adjust that visibility after the change.

Key Takeaways

  • Your birth date is stored under Personal information in Settings, not under account or security settings.
  • You can change your birth date at any time, but Facebook limits how often you can change the year to once every 60 days.
  • Your age visibility is separate from the birth date itself — you can hide your birth date entirely while keeping your account active.
  • If you entered your age incorrectly when you created your account, you can correct it when ready without waiting.

The Step-by-Step Process to Change Your Birth Date

Open Facebook and click your profile picture in the top right. Select "Settings and privacy," then "Settings." In the left menu, find and click "Personal information." You'll see a section labeled "Basic information" — click on it to expand your details.

Look for "Birth date" in that section. Click the pencil icon next to it to edit. Facebook will show you a dropdown menu with three fields: month, day, and year. Change whichever parts are wrong, then click "Save changes" at the bottom. The page will refresh, and your new birth date will appear in your profile.

If you're changing the year of your birth, Facebook may ask you to wait. The platform restricts year changes to once every 60 days as a security measure. If you hit this limit, Facebook will tell you the exact date you can change it again. Month and day changes have no waiting period.

What Happens If You Can't Change Your Year Right Now

Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between changes to your birth year specifically. This rule exists to prevent account takeovers — if someone gains access to your account, they can't when ready change your age to lock you out. If you try to change your year and see a message saying you must wait, note the date Facebook gives you and try again then.

If you entered your birth year incorrectly when you first created your account, you may be able to change it when ready without waiting. Contact Facebook's support through the "Help" menu if you believe your account is new enough to may have access to for an exception, though Facebook does not always grant these.

Controlling Who Sees Your Birth Date

After you change your birth date, decide whether you want it visible. In the same "Basic information" section where you edited your birth date, look for a privacy icon (usually a globe or lock symbol) next to "Birth date." Click it to choose who can see it: everyone, friends only, or only you.

If you select "Only me," your birth date will be hidden from your profile entirely, though Facebook itself will still know it. This is useful if you want to keep your age private but need an accurate birth date on file for account recovery or age-restricted features. Friends will not see your age listed anywhere on your profile.

Why Facebook Might Reject Your Birth Date Change

Facebook requires you to be at least 13 years old to have an account. If you try to enter a birth date that would make you younger than 13, Facebook will reject the change and ask you to enter a valid date. This is a legal requirement under the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) in the United States and similar laws in other countries.

You also cannot enter a birth date in the future or set an age older than about 120 years. If Facebook rejects your entry, check that the year, month, and day are all realistic and that the resulting age is at least 13. Try again with corrected numbers.

If You Forgot Your Birth Date or Can't Remember the Exact Day

If you don't remember your exact birth date, enter your best estimate. Facebook does not require you to be precise — you can use January 1st as a placeholder day if you remember only the month and year, or use July 1st if you remember only the year. You can always change it again later once you find the correct information.

If you're locked out of your account and need to verify your identity, Facebook may ask for your birth date as part of the recovery process. In that case, enter the date you originally provided when you created the account, not a corrected version. If you can't remember it, Facebook offers other recovery methods, such as using a trusted contact or a phone number associated with your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my birth date more than once?

Yes. You can change the month and day as many times as you want. The year can be changed once every 60 days. If you need to change your year again before 60 days have passed, Facebook will show you the date when you'll be able to make the next change.

Will changing my age affect my Facebook friends or my account?

No. Changing your birth date does not notify your friends, delete your account, or affect your posts, photos, or messages. It only updates the age information stored in your profile. Your account remains exactly as it was.

What if I entered a fake birth date when I created my account?

You can change it to your real birth date at any time. Go to Personal information, click Basic information, and edit your birth date. If you're changing the year and hit the 60-day limit, wait until the restriction lifts, or contact Facebook support if your account is very new.

Does hiding my birth date hide my age from Facebook itself?

No. Hiding your birth date only hides it from other users. Facebook itself still stores and knows your real birth date. The platform uses this information for age-restricted features, ads, and account security, even if your profile shows no age at all.

Can I change my birth date on the Facebook app instead of the website?

Yes. Open the app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines), scroll to Settings and privacy, tap Settings, then Personal information, then Basic information. The process is the same as on the website, and the change syncs across all devices.