Where to find the phone number setting on Facebook

Your phone number on Facebook lives in your personal information settings, not in a separate security section. On a computer, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left sidebar, click Personal information. You will see a Phone field with your current number (or "Add a phone number" if you have not set one yet).

On a mobile phone, open Facebook, tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the bottom right, scroll down to Settings and privacy, tap Settings, then scroll to Personal information and tap Phone. The layout is the same; the navigation is just touch-based instead of click-based.

Facebook does not hide this setting behind extra verification steps the way some platforms do. You can change it as many times as you want, and you do not need to confirm the old number before entering a new one.

Key Takeaways

  • Your phone number is stored in Settings > Personal information > Phone on both desktop and mobile.
  • You can change your number without confirming the old one first, and you can update it as often as you need.
  • Facebook uses your phone number to help you recover your account if you forget your password, so keeping it current is useful.
  • Your phone number is not visible to other users unless you choose to make it public in your privacy settings.
  • If you no longer want a phone number on file, you can delete it entirely instead of replacing it.

The steps to enter a new phone number

Click or tap on the Phone field. A text box will appear with your current number highlighted (if you have one). Delete the old number completely and type in your new one. Facebook accepts phone numbers in several formats: with or without parentheses, with or without hyphens, with or without a country code at the start. Type it however is easiest for you.

After you enter the new number, click or tap outside the field or press Enter. Facebook saves the change when ready—there is no separate "Save" button. You will see the new number displayed in the Phone field right away. That is it. The change is complete.

What happens to your old phone number

When you replace your phone number with a new one, Facebook removes the old number from your account entirely. If someone else later signs up for Facebook and enters that old number, Facebook will not link it to your account. The old number is gone from your file.

This matters if you are changing numbers because you cancelled a phone plan or switched carriers. Your old number will eventually be reassigned to someone else, and you do not want Facebook trying to use it to recover your account or send you texts. Replacing it with your new number prevents that confusion.

Using your phone number for account recovery

Facebook stores your phone number primarily so you can recover your account if you forget your password. When you go to the Facebook login page and click Forgot password?, Facebook will offer to send a reset code to the phone number on file. If that number is outdated, you will not receive the code and you will have to use a different recovery method (usually your email address).

For this reason alone, it is worth keeping your phone number current. If your email is also compromised or inaccessible, a working phone number becomes your backup way back into your account. Update it whenever you change phone plans or switch devices.

Controlling who can see your phone number

By default, your phone number is private—only you and Facebook can see it. Other users cannot view it on your profile or in search results. However, Facebook does allow you to change this setting if you want to make your number visible to friends or to the public.

To adjust this, go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Privacy. Look for the Who can see your personal information? section. You can set your phone number to be visible to Friends only, Public, or Only me. Most people leave it on Only me for security reasons. Changing this setting does not affect your ability to use the number for account recovery—that works regardless of your privacy choice.

Deleting your phone number instead of changing it

If you do not want a phone number on your Facebook account at all, you can remove it entirely. Go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Phone. Instead of typing a new number, click or tap the X or Remove button next to your current number. Facebook will delete it when ready.

Removing your number means you cannot use it to recover your account if you forget your password. You will have to use your email address instead. This is fine if you have a working email on file, but it removes one layer of backup access. Consider whether you actually need to delete it, or whether straightforward updating it to a new number serves your purpose better.

Troubleshooting: Your number will not save

If you enter a new phone number and it does not appear to save, first check that you are using a valid format. Facebook accepts numbers with or without country codes, parentheses, and hyphens, but the number itself must be real and the right length for your country. A number that is too short or too long will not save.

If the format looks correct and it still will not save, try clearing your browser cache and logging in again. Sometimes a cached version of the page prevents changes from registering. On mobile, try closing the Facebook app completely and reopening it. If the problem persists, you can contact Facebook through the Help Center (accessible from the menu), though Facebook support for account settings issues is limited and response times are slow.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my phone number affect my two-factor authentication?

If you use two-factor authentication on Facebook (a security feature that requires a code from your phone to log in), you will need to update that setting separately. Changing your phone number in Personal information does not automatically update your two-factor authentication phone. Go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Security and login > Two-factor authentication and update the phone number there as well.

Can I use a landline or VoIP number instead of a mobile number?

Facebook accepts landline and VoIP numbers in the phone field, and they will save without error. However, if you need to use that number for account recovery, Facebook will send a text message, which landlines and some VoIP services cannot receive. For recovery purposes, a mobile number is more reliable.

What if I share my Facebook account with someone else?

If multiple people use the same Facebook account, only one phone number can be on file at a time. Whoever changes the number last is the one whose number gets stored. This is a security risk—consider having each person use their own account instead, or at minimum, agree on whose number to keep on file for account recovery.

Does Facebook notify me when someone changes my phone number?

Facebook does not send you a notification when your phone number is changed. If you suspect someone else has access to your account and changed your number, check your login history in Settings and privacy > Settings > Security and login > Where you are logged in. If you see logins from unfamiliar devices or locations, change your password when ready.

Can I add multiple phone numbers to my account?

Facebook only allows one phone number per account. If you want to add a second number for recovery purposes, you cannot do that directly. Your best option is to make sure your email address is current and verified, so you have a backup recovery method if your phone number becomes unavailable.