Where to find the phone number setting on Facebook
Your phone number on Facebook lives in your personal information settings, not in a separate security section. Open Facebook on any browser or the mobile app, click the menu icon (three horizontal lines on mobile, the downward arrow on desktop), and select Settings and privacy, then Settings.
From there, look for Personal information in the left sidebar. Click it, and you will see a section labeled Contact information. Your current phone number appears here if you have added one before. If this is your first time adding a phone number, the field will be empty.
Facebook also stores phone numbers in your Security and login section if you have used your phone for two-factor authentication. That is a separate entry from your contact phone number, and you may need to update both depending on why you are changing it.
Key Takeaways
- Your phone number is stored in Settings > Personal information > Contact information, separate from security settings.
- You can change your phone number without losing your account, and Facebook does not notify your old contacts that you have done so.
- If you use your phone for two-factor authentication, update that setting separately in Security and login to avoid being locked out.
- Facebook allows you to hide your phone number from other users even after you add it, so your number does not become publicly visible by accident.
Steps to change your contact phone number
Click on the phone number field in your Contact information section. If you already have a number listed, you will see an edit icon (pencil symbol) next to it. Click that icon to open the edit window.
Delete the old number completely and type in your new phone number. Include the country code and area code — for a US number, that means the plus sign, 1, and the full 10-digit number. Facebook will not accept a partial number or a number without the country code.
Click Save or Confirm depending on your device. Facebook does not send a verification code to your new number for a contact phone number change — it saves when ready. If you see a prompt asking you to verify, you are in the two-factor authentication section instead, which requires a different process.
Updating your two-factor authentication phone number
If you use your phone to receive security codes when you log in from a new device, that phone number is stored separately. Go to Settings > Security and login and scroll to Two-factor authentication.
You will see which phone number is currently set up. Click Edit next to it. Facebook will ask you to confirm your identity — you may need to enter your password or use an existing authentication method. Once confirmed, you can remove the old number and add your new one.
Facebook will send a test code to your new number to verify it works. Enter that code into the prompt. Only after you confirm the code will the new number become active for two-factor authentication. This step is important: if you skip it and lose access to your old phone, you may have trouble logging in.
What happens to your old phone number
Facebook removes your old number from your account when ready after you save the new one. The old number is not stored anywhere on your profile and cannot be used to contact you through Facebook anymore.
If someone has your old phone number and tries to use it to find your account through Facebook's phone search, they will not see your profile. The old number is completely disconnected from your account within minutes of the change.
Your old phone number may still be associated with your account in Facebook's internal records for a short period, but this does not affect your privacy or security. You do not need to contact Facebook to remove it.
Controlling who can see your phone number
Adding a phone number to Facebook does not automatically make it visible to other users. By default, your phone number is hidden from your profile and from search. You can verify this in your Personal information section by looking at the privacy icon next to your phone number.
If you want to change who can see it, click the privacy icon (usually a globe or lock symbol) next to your phone number. You can set it to Friends only, Public, or Only me. Most people leave it set to Only me so their number stays private.
This privacy setting is independent of your contact information setting. You can have a phone number on your account that is completely hidden from other users, or you can make it visible to friends. The choice is yours each time you update it.
Troubleshooting common phone number changes
If you see an error message saying your phone number is already in use, it means another Facebook account has that number listed. This can happen if you are recovering an old account or if someone else added your number by mistake. Click Report a problem in the error message and describe the situation. Facebook support can investigate and help you claim the number.
If you cannot find the phone number field at all, you may be looking in the wrong section. Double-check that you are in Settings > Personal information, not Security and login. On mobile, the layout is slightly different — swipe left on the Contact information section to see the edit option.
If you changed your number but still receive notifications or messages at your old number, you may have added it to multiple places. Check both your Contact information section and your Two-factor authentication settings to make sure the old number is removed from both.
When to update your phone number on Facebook
Update your phone number whenever you switch to a new phone or a new carrier, especially if you are giving up your old number. This prevents someone else from getting that number later and using it to access your account or impersonate you.
If you use your phone for two-factor authentication, update that number before you stop using your old phone. If you wait until after you have switched phones, you may not be able to receive the verification code you need to log in.
You do not need to update your phone number if you are straightforward changing devices but keeping the same number. Your account is tied to the number itself, not to the physical phone, so the change is only necessary when the number changes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Facebook tell my contacts that I changed my phone number?
No. Facebook does not notify anyone when you change your phone number. Your friends and contacts will not see a message or notification about the change. If you want people to know your new number, you will need to tell them yourself through a message, call, or text.
Can I have two phone numbers on my Facebook account at the same time?
No. Facebook allows only one contact phone number per account. If you need to keep both numbers active temporarily, you can update it again once you are ready to switch completely. For two-factor authentication, you can set up a backup method like an authentication app, but only one phone number can be the primary method.
What if I do not remember my password and need to change my phone number?
You can still change your phone number without your password if you can log in using another method — like your email address or a saved login on your device. If you cannot log in at all, use Facebook's account recovery tool to regain access first, then update your phone number from your settings.
Does changing my phone number affect my Facebook login on other devices?
No. Changing your contact phone number does not log you out of any devices. You will stay logged in on your phone, tablet, and computer. If you change your two-factor authentication phone number, you may need to re-authenticate on devices you have not used in a while, but you will not be automatically logged out.
Can I delete my phone number from Facebook without adding a new one?
Yes. Go to Settings > Personal information > Contact information, click the edit icon next to your phone number, and delete the number without typing a new one. Click Save. Your account will have no phone number listed. You can add one back anytime.