Change your Facebook URL in three steps

Your Facebook URL is the web address people use to find your profile — it looks like facebook.com/yourname. You can change it once every 60 days by going to your Settings, selecting Username, and entering a new one that isn't already taken. Facebook checks when ready whether the username is available, so you'll know right away if you need to pick something different.

The process takes less than a minute, but there are a few things to know before you start: you can only change it every two months, you can't use certain characters or spaces, and changing it doesn't affect your account security or any of your existing friends or messages.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Facebook URL once every 60 days by visiting Settings, then Username, and typing in a new one.
  • Your new username must be between 5 and 50 characters, can't contain spaces, and can only use letters, numbers, periods, and underscores.
  • Facebook checks availability when ready, so you'll see whether your chosen username is taken before you confirm the change.
  • Changing your URL doesn't affect your account security, password, or any of your existing connections and messages.

Where to find the username setting

Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner of your screen. Select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. On the left side, you'll see a menu — click Personal information. Look for the Username row and click the pencil icon next to it to edit.

If you're on a phone, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) at the bottom right, scroll down to Settings and privacy, then Settings. Tap Personal information and then Username. The steps are the same from there.

If you don't see a Username option, it may mean your account doesn't have one yet — in that case, you can create one by following the same path and clicking Add username instead of editing an existing one.

Rules for choosing a new username

Your username must be between 5 and 50 characters long. You can use letters (a–z, A–Z), numbers (0–9), periods (.), and underscores (_), but you cannot use spaces, hyphens, or special characters like @ or #. Facebook will tell you when ready if your choice breaks these rules — the text box will show an error message.

You also can't use a username that's already taken by someone else. When you type your choice into the box, Facebook shows you in real time whether it's available. If it's taken, you'll see a red X and a message saying the username isn't available. If it's free, you'll see a green checkmark.

Usernames are not case-sensitive, so john.smith and John.Smith point to the same profile. Choose something you're comfortable with, because while you can change it again in 60 days, frequent changes can confuse people trying to find you.

What happens after you change your URL

Once you confirm your new username, your old URL stops working when ready. Anyone who tries to visit your old link will see an error page. If you've shared your old URL anywhere — in an email signature, on a website, in a message — you'll need to update those places with your new URL.

Your friends don't need to do anything. They can still find you by searching your name, and all your existing messages, photos, and connections stay exactly as they were. Your account security and password are not affected by changing your URL.

If you change your mind within 60 days, you can't when ready switch back to your old username — you have to wait until the 60-day window passes. After that, if nobody else has claimed your old username, you can reclaim it.

The 60-day waiting period explained

Facebook limits username changes to once every 60 days to prevent abuse and keep usernames stable. The 60 days starts from the moment you confirm your change, not from when you first tried to change it. If you change your username on January 15, you can't change it again until March 16 (60 days later).

This rule applies whether you're changing to a completely new username or trying to reclaim an old one. If you gave up a username and want it back, you still have to wait 60 days from your last change before you can use it again — and only if nobody else has claimed it in the meantime.

Troubleshooting common problems

Your username choice is rejected even though it looks fine: Check that you're not using spaces, hyphens, or special characters. Also make sure the username is at least 5 characters long. If it still doesn't work, the username may already be taken or reserved by Facebook.

You can't find the Username setting: Very old accounts or accounts created outside the United States sometimes don't have the username feature. If you don't see it after following the steps above, your account may not support custom usernames — you can still share your profile using the default URL (facebook.com/profile.php?id=yourID).

You changed your username but people can't find you: Search results take a few hours to update. If someone searches your new username and your profile doesn't appear yet, ask them to search your full name instead. They can also find you by visiting your profile directly if you send them the new URL.

You want to change it again but it says you have to wait: You can only change your username once every 60 days. Check the date of your last change — if it was less than 60 days ago, you'll have to wait until the window closes. Facebook will tell you the exact date you can change it again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my old username again after I change it?

Yes, but only after 60 days have passed since you changed away from it, and only if nobody else has claimed it. If someone else takes your old username during that time, you can't reclaim it unless they give it up.

Does changing my URL affect my Facebook page or business account?

If you have a Facebook Page (for a business or public figure), it has its own separate URL that you can change independently of your personal profile URL. The steps are similar — go to Page Settings, then Username — but the two are not linked.

What if someone else is using a username I want?

You can't take someone else's username. If it's taken, you'll need to choose a different one. You can try adding numbers or underscores to make a variation — for example, john.smith.2024 instead of john.smith.

Will my friends lose access to my profile if I change my URL?

No. Your friends can still find you by searching your name, and all your existing connections stay the same. Only the web address changes — everything else about your account remains unchanged.

Can I have a username with spaces in it?

No. Facebook usernames cannot contain spaces. You can use periods or underscores instead — for example, john.smith or john_smith — to separate words.