Where to find the email setting and what happens when you change it
Your email address on Facebook is stored in your account settings, not on your profile. To change it, you log into Facebook, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then find Personal Information. The email field is there. Facebook will send a confirmation message to your new email address before the change takes effect — you have to click a link in that message to complete the switch.
When you change your email, Facebook does not notify your friends or contacts. Your old email stops working as a login method once the new one is confirmed. If you forget your password later, Facebook will send the reset link to whichever email address is currently on file.
You can have only one email address active on your account at a time. If you want to keep using an old email for something else, write it down before you change it — Facebook does not show you a list of emails you have used in the past.
Key Takeaways
- Go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information to find the email field.
- Facebook sends a confirmation link to your new email address, and you must click it to finish the change.
- Your old email stops working as a login method once the new email is confirmed.
- If you lose access to the email address on your account, you can use a phone number or trusted contact to regain access.
- The change takes a few minutes to process after you confirm the link.
Step-by-step instructions for changing your email
Open Facebook and log in if you are not already logged in. Click the downward arrow in the top right corner of the page (on a phone, this is the three horizontal lines). Select Settings & Privacy, then click Settings.
On the left side of the screen, you will see a menu. Click Personal Information. You should see a field labeled Email with your current email address. Click on that field or click Edit next to it.
Type your new email address into the box. Facebook will ask you to enter your password to confirm the change — this is a security step. Type your password and click Confirm.
Facebook will send a message to the new email address you entered. Open that email and look for a message from Facebook. Click the link or button in that message that says something like "Confirm your email" or "Verify email address". This link usually works for 24 hours.
Once you click the link, the change is complete. You can now log into Facebook using the new email address. The old email address will no longer work as a login method.
What to do if you do not receive the confirmation email
Check your spam or junk folder first. Confirmation emails from Facebook sometimes end up there by mistake. If you find it, mark it as not spam and click the confirmation link.
If the email is not in your spam folder, wait a few minutes and check again. Facebook sometimes takes a few minutes to send the confirmation message. If you still do not see it after 10 minutes, go back to Facebook Settings, click Personal Information again, and request a new confirmation email.
If you no longer have access to the new email address you entered, you can click "Did not receive a code?" or a similar option on the confirmation screen. Facebook will let you enter a different email address or use a phone number instead. You will need to verify whichever method you choose before the change is complete.
Changing your email on a phone or tablet
The process is the same on a phone or tablet, but the menu looks slightly different. Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner (on iPhone) or top right corner (on Android). Tap Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings.
Scroll down and tap Personal Information. Tap Email and enter your new email address. Facebook will ask for your password. Type it in and tap Confirm.
Check the new email address for a confirmation message from Facebook and click the link in that message. The change will be complete after you confirm.
If you forget which email is on your account
You can see your current email address by going to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information. The email field will show the address that is currently active on your account.
If you cannot log into Facebook and do not remember which email is on the account, Facebook has other ways to help you regain access. You can use a phone number if you added one to your account, or you can ask a trusted contact to help you. Go to the Facebook login page, click "Forgot password?", and follow the steps to recover your account.
What happens to your old email address after you change it
Your old email address is removed from your Facebook account. It no longer works as a way to log in. Facebook does not reuse old email addresses from your account for security reasons — if someone else later signs up with that same email, they cannot use it to access your old Facebook account.
If you want to keep using your old email for other purposes, you can. Changing your Facebook email does not affect your email account itself. You can still receive messages at that address from other services and people.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my email address more than once?
Yes. You can change your email address as many times as you want. Each time you change it, Facebook sends a confirmation link to the new address. You must click that link to complete the change. There is no limit to how often you can do this.
What if someone else has access to my email account?
Change your email address on Facebook right away. If someone else can read your email, they can use the password reset feature to take over your Facebook account. After you change your Facebook email to one only you can access, change the password on your email account as well to prevent further problems.
Do my friends see my email address on my profile?
No. Your email address is private and stored only in your account settings. Your friends cannot see it on your profile unless you choose to share it with them separately. Changing your email does not change what is visible on your profile.
Can I use a phone number instead of an email address?
Facebook requires an email address on your account, but you can also add a phone number in your Personal Information settings. The phone number is an extra way to log in or recover your account, not a replacement for email. You must keep an email address on file.
How long does it take for the email change to go through?
Once you click the confirmation link in the email Facebook sends you, the change is usually complete within a few minutes. You can log in with your new email address right away. If you do not click the confirmation link, the change does not go through and your old email remains active.