The fastest way to change your Facebook profile

Open Facebook on your phone or computer, tap or click your profile picture in the top right corner, and select "Settings & privacy" then "Settings". From there, scroll to "Personal information" and choose what you want to change — your name, profile picture, cover photo, bio, or contact details. Each change saves when ready once you confirm it.

On mobile, you can also tap your profile picture at the bottom of the screen, then tap the pencil icon next to your name or photo to edit directly. The steps are the same whether you use the app or a web browser, though the layout looks slightly different.

Key Takeaways

  • Your profile picture and cover photo can be changed from your profile page by tapping or clicking the camera icon on each image.
  • Your name, email, phone number, and bio are all edited through Settings & privacy, then Settings, then Personal information.
  • Facebook limits how often you can change your name — typically once every 60 days — so plan ahead if you need a legal name change.
  • Changes to your profile picture, cover photo, and bio take effect when ready and are visible to your audience settings right away.
  • You can control who sees each piece of your profile information by adjusting privacy settings next to each field.

Changing your profile picture or cover photo

Tap or click your profile picture anywhere on Facebook to open your profile. Look for a small camera icon that appears when you hover over or tap the image. Click that icon and choose "Upload photo" to pick a new image from your device, or "Choose from photos" to use a picture you have already posted.

The same camera icon appears on your cover photo — the large banner image at the top of your profile. Click it to upload a new cover photo or select one from your existing photos. Both changes appear on your profile when ready, and your friends will see them in their news feeds if they follow your profile updates.

Changing your name on Facebook

Go to Settings & privacy, then Settings, then scroll down to "Personal information" and tap or click "Name". Type your new name in the field and tap "Review change". Facebook will show you how the name will appear and ask you to confirm. Once you submit, the change is live.

Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between name changes, so you cannot change your name again until 60 days have passed. If you are changing your name for a legal reason — marriage, divorce, or court order — you may be able to change it sooner by contacting Facebook support with documentation, though this process takes longer than a standard change.

Updating your bio, email, and phone number

Your bio is the short description that appears on your profile. To change it, go to Settings & privacy, then Settings, then Personal information, then "Bio". Type or paste your new bio and tap outside the box or press Enter to save. Your bio can be up to 101 characters and appears to anyone who visits your profile according to your privacy settings.

Your email and phone number are also in Personal information. Tap or click each field to edit. You can add multiple email addresses or phone numbers, and you can set which one is primary. These details are used for account recovery and notifications, and you control who can see them through the privacy dropdown next to each field.

Controlling who sees your profile changes

Next to most fields in Personal information — including your phone number, email, bio, and birthday — you will see a privacy icon (usually a globe, lock, or people symbol). Tap or click that icon to choose who can see that information: everyone, friends only, or only you.

Your profile picture and cover photo have their own privacy settings. Go to your profile, tap or click the three dots on your profile picture, and select "Edit privacy". You can set who can see the photo and who can comment on it. These settings do not prevent the photo from appearing in your friends' news feeds when you first upload it, but they control who can view it on your profile page itself.

Changing your profile URL and username

Your profile URL is the web address people use to find you — something like facebook.com/sarah.okafor or facebook.com/yourname. To change it, go to Settings & privacy, then Settings, then scroll to "Personal information" and tap or click "Username". Type a new username and tap "Review". The username must be between 5 and 50 characters and can include letters, numbers, periods, and underscores.

You can change your username once every 60 days, the same as your name. Your old URL will stop working once you change it, so if you have shared your profile link anywhere, update those links. Your friends can still find you by searching your name even if your username changes.

What happens when you change your profile information

Most changes — profile picture, cover photo, bio, email, phone number — take effect when ready and are visible to anyone with permission to see them. Your friends will see a notification that you updated your profile, and the change may appear in their news feeds.

Name and username changes take effect right away but are subject to the 60-day waiting period before you can change them again. If you change your profile picture or cover photo frequently, Facebook may slow down how often you can upload new ones as a spam prevention measure, though this is rare for regular users.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Facebook name more than once every 60 days?

No, Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between name changes for most users. If you are changing your name for a legal reason and have documentation, you can contact Facebook support to request an exception, but this requires proof and takes longer to process than a standard change.

What happens to my old profile picture when I upload a new one?

Your old profile picture stays in your photo albums and remains visible in the history of your profile if someone scrolls back far enough. It does not disappear from your timeline or from posts where you were tagged. You can delete old profile pictures from your albums if you do not want them visible.

Can I hide my email address or phone number from other users?

Yes. In Personal information, next to your email and phone number, you will see a privacy icon. Tap or click it and choose "Only me" to hide that information from everyone except Facebook. You can also set it to "Friends only" if you want only your friends to see it.

Does changing my profile picture show up in my friends' news feeds?

Yes, when you change your profile picture, a notification appears in your friends' news feeds saying you updated your profile photo. The notification includes the new picture. You cannot turn off this notification, but you can control who sees your profile picture itself through privacy settings.

What if I cannot find the Settings option on my phone?

On the Facebook app, tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) at the bottom right, scroll down, and tap "Settings & privacy" then "Settings". On a mobile web browser, tap your profile picture in the top right corner and look for "Settings & privacy" in the dropdown menu. The steps are the same on both.