Where to find the email change option
Facebook stores your email address in your account settings, and you can change it yourself in about two minutes without calling anyone. The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are using the website or the mobile app, but both routes lead to the same place.
On a computer, click the downward arrow in the top right corner of any Facebook page, then select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Personal information. You will see a section labeled Email with your current address listed. Click the pencil icon next to it to edit.
On the Facebook mobile app, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu) in the bottom right corner, scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Personal information, then tap the email field. The edit screen will open.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your Facebook email through Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information on both the website and mobile app.
- Facebook will send a confirmation link to both your old email and your new email before the change takes effect.
- You must confirm the change within a set time window, or the new email will not be saved to your account.
- If you no longer have access to your old email, you may need to use Facebook's account recovery process instead of the standard email change.
What happens after you enter the new email
Once you type in your new email address and click Change Email, Facebook sends a confirmation message to the email address you just entered. You must open that message and click the confirmation link inside it within a certain time frame—usually 24 to 48 hours, though Facebook does not publish an exact important date.
At the same time, Facebook also sends a notification to your old email address letting you know that someone (you) tried to change the account email. This is a security measure. If you did not request the change, you can click a link in that message to cancel it.
Until you click the confirmation link in the new email, your account still uses the old address. The change does not go live until you complete that final step.
When you no longer have access to your old email
If your old email account no longer exists or you cannot log into it, you cannot use the standard email change process because Facebook will not be able to send the confirmation message to your old address. In this case, you need to use Facebook's account recovery tool instead.
Go to the Facebook login page and click Forgotten password? Enter your phone number, email address, or full name. Facebook will show you a list of accounts it found. Select the account you want to recover. You will then be asked to verify your identity—usually by answering security questions, uploading a photo of your ID, or confirming recent logins from your phone or browser.
Once you have verified your identity, Facebook will let you set a new password and update your email address in one process. This route takes longer than a standard email change—sometimes several days—because Facebook reviews your identity proof before unlocking the account.
Changing the email you use to log in versus your account email
Facebook distinguishes between the email address you use to log in and the email address stored in your account profile. When you change the email in Personal information, you are changing both at once—the new address becomes your login email and your profile email.
If you have added a phone number to your account, you can also log in using that phone number instead of email. This does not change when you update your email address. You can still use your phone number to log in even after you change the email.
What to do if the confirmation link does not arrive
Check your spam or junk folder first. Confirmation emails from Facebook sometimes land there by mistake, especially if you have strict email filters turned on. If the email is not in spam, wait a few minutes and try the email change process again—sometimes the confirmation message takes a few minutes to send.
If you still do not receive the confirmation email after 10 minutes, go back to Settings > Personal information and look at the email field. If it still shows your old address, the change did not go through. Try entering the new email address again and submit the form once more.
If you receive an error message saying the email is already associated with another Facebook account, that email address is already in use. You will need to use a different email address, or recover the other account and remove that email from it first.
Updating your email on other devices and apps
After you change your email, you may need to log out and log back in on devices where you use Facebook, especially on phones and tablets. The change takes effect when ready on the website, but some apps and devices cache your old login information and do not refresh it right away.
If you are logged into the Facebook app on your phone and you change your email on the website, you do not need to log out when ready. The app will continue to work. However, if you log out, you will need to use your new email address to log back in.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my email without confirming the link?
No. The confirmation link is required. Until you click it, your account still uses your old email address. If you do not click the link within the time window, the change expires and you will need to start over.
What if I change my email and then when ready change it again?
The first change must be confirmed before you can start a second change. If you try to change your email again before confirming the first change, Facebook will cancel the first change and start a new one with the second email address you entered.
Does changing my email affect my Facebook password?
No. Your password stays the same. You will log in using your new email address, but the password itself does not change. If you want to change your password at the same time, you can do that separately in Settings > Personal information > Password.
Can I use the same email for two Facebook accounts?
No. Each email address can only be linked to one Facebook account. If you try to change your email to an address already in use, Facebook will show an error. You must use a different email address or remove that email from the other account first.
Will my friends see my new email address?
Only if you have set your email to be visible in your privacy settings. By default, your email is not shown on your profile. You can check who can see it by going to Settings > Personal information and looking at the privacy icon next to your email address.