Change your email in Facebook settings
Open Facebook and go to the menu in the top right corner (the three horizontal lines on mobile, or the down arrow on desktop). Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Personal information. You'll see your email address listed there — click Edit next to it.
Type your new email address into the field that appears. Facebook will send a confirmation link to both your old email and your new email. You must open the link from the new email address to complete the change. Until you confirm, your old email remains active on the account.
If you no longer have access to your old email, you can still change it — but you'll need to verify your identity another way. Facebook may ask you to confirm using a phone number on file, a recovery email you set up previously, or by answering security questions you created when you opened the account.
Key Takeaways
- The email change happens in Settings > Personal information > Email, and requires confirmation from your new email address.
- Facebook sends confirmation links to both your old and new email, so you need access to the new address to finish the change.
- If you can't access your old email, you can verify your identity using a phone number, recovery email, or security questions instead.
- Your old email stays connected to the account until you click the confirmation link from the new email address.
- After you change your email, you can use the new address to log in, but your username and password stay the same.
Why you might need to change your email
People change their Facebook email for several reasons. You may have switched email providers, closed an old email account, or want to use a work email instead of a personal one. Some people change it because they no longer check the old address and miss password reset links or security alerts.
Changing your email also matters if someone else has access to your old account. If a former partner, family member, or anyone else knows your old email password, they could reset your Facebook password and lock you out. Switching to an email only you control closes that door.
What happens to your old email after the change
Once you confirm the new email, your old email address is no longer connected to your Facebook account. You won't receive login codes, password resets, or security alerts at that address anymore — they'll all go to your new email instead.
The old email address becomes available for someone else to use on Facebook. If you still have access to that email account, you can set it up as a recovery email in your Facebook settings so you can use it to regain access if you forget your password. This is different from your main login email — it's a backup way to prove who you are.
If you can't access your new email to confirm
If you entered a new email address but can't open the confirmation link, the change won't go through. Your old email remains your login email. You have a few options: wait and try again if the email is delayed, check your spam folder, or start over and use a different email address you can actually access.
If you typed the new email wrong, go back to Settings > Personal information and try again. Facebook doesn't lock you out after a few attempts, so you can correct it as many times as you need.
Protecting your account while changing email
While you're changing your email, make sure no one else is using your account. If you suspect someone has access, change your password first, before you change your email. Go to Settings > Password and create a strong password that's different from any you've used before.
After you change your email, check your login activity to see if anyone accessed your account from an unfamiliar device or location. In Settings, look for Where you're logged in and log out any sessions you don't recognize. This takes only a few seconds and can catch unauthorized access early.
Using a recovery email as backup
A recovery email is separate from your login email. It's a second email address you can use to regain access to your account if you forget your password or get locked out. You can add one in Settings > Personal information > Recovery email.
This is useful if your main email account gets hacked or you lose access to it. Facebook will send a recovery link to this backup address so you can reset your password and regain control. You don't need a recovery email to use Facebook, but having one takes only a minute to set up and can save you hours of trouble later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the same email for two Facebook accounts?
No. Each email address can be connected to only one Facebook account. If you try to add an email that's already linked to another account, Facebook will show an error. You'll need to use a different email for each account, or remove the email from the other account first.
How long does it take for the email change to go through?
The change is instant once you click the confirmation link in your new email. If you don't confirm within a certain time, the request expires and you'll need to start over. Facebook doesn't publish an exact deadline, but confirming within a few hours is safe.
What if I change my email but then want to change it back?
You can change your email as many times as you want. Just go back to Settings > Personal information > Email and repeat the process. There's no limit to how many times you can do this, and no waiting period between changes.
Will changing my email affect my password or login?
No. Your password stays the same, and you can still log in using your username. After the change, you can log in with either your new email or your username — whichever you prefer. Your password doesn't change unless you change it yourself.
What if I don't have access to either my old or new email?
If you can't access the new email to confirm the change, the old email stays active. You can verify your identity using a phone number on file, a recovery email you set up before, or security questions. Contact Facebook's support through the Settings menu and explain the situation — they can help you regain access.