Open Facebook settings and find the birthday field
To change your birthday on Facebook, go to your profile and click the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the top right corner. Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Personal information. You will see a section labeled Basic information — your birthday appears there.
If you have not filled in a birthday yet, you will see a blank field or a prompt to add one. If a birthday is already listed, you can click on it to edit. Facebook shows your birthday field to people based on your privacy settings, so changing it does not automatically make it visible to everyone.
Key Takeaways
- Your birthday is stored in the Personal information section of your Facebook settings, not on your profile page itself.
- You can hide your birthday from all users, show it only to friends, or make it public — these settings are separate from changing the date.
- If you change your birthday, Facebook will not send a new birthday notification to your friends unless you change it to today's date.
- Some third-party apps connected to your Facebook account may have cached your old birthday and will not update automatically.
Edit the date and choose who can see it
Click on your birthday field to open the edit window. You will see three dropdown menus: one for the month, one for the day, and one for the year. Select the correct month, day, and year. Facebook requires you to enter a birth year — you cannot list only a month and day.
Once you have entered the new date, look for the privacy icon next to the birthday field. It usually shows a globe, a group of people, or a lock. Click it to choose who can see your birthday: Public (everyone), Friends (only people on your friends list), or Only me (hidden from all users). After you set the privacy level, click Save or confirm the change.
What happens after you change your birthday
Facebook will update your birthday immediately in your account settings. If you changed it to today's date, Facebook may send birthday notifications to your friends. If you changed it to a different date in the past or future, no notification goes out — your friends will not see an announcement about the change.
Your birthday will appear on your profile only if you set the privacy level to Public or Friends and your profile is set to show basic information. If you set it to Only me, it will not appear anywhere on your profile, though Facebook will still use it internally for age-based ad targeting and account security.
Changing your birthday multiple times
Facebook allows you to change your birthday as many times as you want. There is no limit to how often you can edit it, and no waiting period between changes. However, if you change your birthday very frequently, Facebook may flag your account for unusual activity and ask you to verify your identity.
If you are trying to change your birthday because you made a typo or entered the wrong year when you created your account, you can correct it immediately. If you are trying to change it for other reasons — such as hiding your real age or changing your listed age for dating apps — keep in mind that Facebook stores a record of the change and may use it for security purposes if your account is ever compromised.
Removing your birthday entirely
You cannot completely delete your birthday from Facebook once you have entered one. However, you can hide it from everyone by setting the privacy level to Only me. This keeps the date in your account but makes it invisible on your profile and to other users.
If you want to remove your birthday from Facebook's records entirely, you would need to contact Facebook support through the Help Center. Go to Help (the question mark icon), search for "birthday", and look for the option to report a problem. Explain that you want your birthday removed, though Facebook may not grant this request if the birthday is tied to your account security or age verification.
Birthday visibility and privacy settings
Your birthday privacy setting is separate from your overall profile privacy. Even if your profile is set to Friends only, your birthday can still be set to Public if you choose. Conversely, you can have a public profile but hide your birthday from everyone.
Facebook also uses your birthday for age-gating — if you list yourself as under 18, certain features (like seeing ads for alcohol or gambling) are restricted. If you list yourself as over 18, those restrictions lift. Changing your birthday can therefore affect which features and ads you see, so be aware that the change has functional consequences beyond privacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my friends get notified if I change my birthday?
No, unless you change your birthday to today's date. Facebook only sends birthday notifications when the date matches the current day. If you change your birthday to any other date, your friends will not receive an announcement.
Can I hide my birthday from specific people?
No. Facebook's birthday privacy settings are all-or-nothing: you can show it to everyone, show it to friends only, or hide it from everyone. You cannot hide it from one person while showing it to another. If you need that level of control, set it to Only me or Friends depending on who you trust most.
What if I forgot my real birthday and need to change it back?
If you cannot remember your birth year, you can contact Facebook support through the Help Center. Go to Help, search for "birthday", and select the option to report a problem. Explain that you need to correct your birthday and provide any identity verification Facebook requests.
Does changing my birthday affect my Facebook account security?
Changing your birthday does not weaken your account security. However, Facebook may use your birthday as part of its identity verification process if your account is ever compromised or if you need to recover it. Frequent changes to your birthday might trigger a security review.
Will third-party apps see my new birthday?
Apps connected to your Facebook account may have stored your old birthday in their own systems. Changing it on Facebook does not automatically update those apps. You may need to reconnect the app or update your birthday directly in that app's settings if it matters for that service.