Where to find the email setting on Facebook

Your email address lives in Facebook's account settings, not in your profile. On a computer, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, then select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On a phone, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) at the bottom right, scroll down to Settings and privacy, then tap Settings.

Once you are in Settings, look for the section labeled Personal information or Account depending on your device. The email field will be listed there. You may see more than one email address if you have added backups over time.

Key Takeaways

  • Your email address is stored in Settings under Personal information or Account, not in your profile section.
  • You can add a new email without removing the old one first, then choose which one is primary.
  • Facebook will send a confirmation link to the new email address before the change takes effect.
  • If you no longer have access to your old email, you may need to use a phone number or trusted contact to verify your identity instead.

Adding a new email address

Click or tap the email field and select Add email or Add another email. Type the new email address into the box that appears. Facebook will not change anything yet — it will only save what you typed.

After you enter the new address, Facebook sends a confirmation message to that email. Open that message and click the link inside it. This step proves you actually own that email address and can receive messages there. Without clicking the link, the new email stays pending and is not active on your account.

Making the new email your primary address

Once the new email is confirmed, it appears in your email list with a status showing it is verified. If you want this to be the main email Facebook uses to contact you, look for a Make primary button or radio button next to it and select it.

Your primary email is the one Facebook sends password reset links to, notifications to, and uses if someone tries to recover your account. You can have multiple confirmed emails on one account, but only one can be primary at a time. Changing the primary email does not delete the old one — it just changes which one Facebook uses first.

Removing an old email address

If you want to delete an email address from your account entirely, find it in the email list and look for a Remove button or trash icon next to it. You can only remove an email if at least one other confirmed email remains on the account. Facebook will not let you delete your last email address.

Removing an email is permanent. If you think you might need it later, consider leaving it on your account but making a different email primary instead. There is no limit to how many confirmed emails you can keep.

What to do if you cannot access your old email

If the email address you want to change is one you no longer have access to — the account was deleted, you forgot the password, or the provider shut it down — you cannot confirm a new email the normal way. Instead, go to Settings, find the email section, and look for an option like No longer have access to this email? or Confirm a different way.

Facebook may ask you to verify your identity using a phone number on file, a photo ID, or a trusted contact you set up earlier. The exact method depends on your account history and what information Facebook has. This process can take several days. If you have a phone number linked to your account, that is usually the fastest route.

Preventing someone else from changing your email

Your email address is one of the main ways someone can take over your account if they get your password. To protect it, turn on two-factor authentication in your Security and login settings. This means Facebook will ask for a code from your phone or an authentication app before allowing anyone to change your email, password, or other account details — even if they have your password.

You can also set up a trusted contact — a friend whose account you trust — who can help you regain access if you are locked out. This does not give them permission to change your email on their own, but it creates a backup way to prove who you are if you need to recover your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my email without confirming the new one first?

No. Facebook requires you to click a confirmation link sent to the new email address before it becomes active on your account. This is a security measure to prevent someone from adding an email they do not own. The new email stays in a pending state until you confirm it.

What happens to my old email after I change it?

It stays on your account unless you remove it. You can have multiple emails linked to Facebook at once. Only one is primary, which is the one Facebook uses to contact you. The others sit in the background and can be used to log in or recover your account.

How long does it take for the new email to work?

The confirmation link usually arrives within a few minutes. Once you click it, the new email is active immediately. If you do not see the confirmation message, check your spam or junk folder, or wait 10 minutes and ask Facebook to resend it.

Can I use the same email for two different Facebook accounts?

No. Each email address can be linked to only one Facebook account. If you try to add an email that is already in use, Facebook will tell you it is already associated with another account. You would need to remove it from the other account first.

What if I forgot which email I used to create my account?

Go to Settings and look at the email list. The email you used to create the account is usually the oldest one or marked as primary. If you are not sure, you can add a new email, confirm it, and make it primary. The old email will still be there, but your account will use the new one going forward.