You cannot see your actual Facebook password, but you can reset it in minutes
Facebook does not show you your password for security reasons — even Facebook's own staff cannot see it. What you can do is reset it to something new, which takes about two minutes and works whether you remember the old one or not. If you remember your current password and just want to change it to something stronger, you can do that from your settings. If you have forgotten it entirely, Facebook has a recovery process that sends a link to your email or phone.
The method you use depends on whether you can still log in to your account. Both routes are straightforward and do not require you to contact Facebook support.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook stores passwords in a form it cannot read back, so no one — including Facebook staff — can tell you what your password is.
- If you remember your password and want to change it, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Password, and enter your current password before creating a new one.
- If you have forgotten your password, use the "Forgot Password" link on the login screen, which sends a reset link to your email or phone number.
- A strong password for Facebook should be at least 12 characters long and mix uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
- After you reset your password, Facebook logs you out of all other devices, so you will need to log back in on your phone, tablet, or computer.
How to change your password when you remember the current one
Open Facebook and log in normally. Once you are on your home feed, look for the menu icon — it looks like a downward-pointing arrow or three horizontal lines, depending on whether you are on a computer or phone. Tap or click it.
From that menu, select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On a phone, you may need to scroll down to find this option. Look for the section labeled Security and Login on the left side of the screen (on a computer) or scroll down to find it (on a phone). Click or tap Password.
Facebook will ask you to enter your current password again as a security check. Type it in and click Next. Then enter your new password twice — once in the first box and again in the second box to confirm you typed it correctly. Click Change Password. You are done. Facebook will log you out and ask you to log back in with your new password.
How to reset your password if you have forgotten it
Go to Facebook.com and look for the login boxes at the top or center of the page. Below the password box, you will see a link that says Forgotten Password? or Forgot Password? Click it.
Facebook will ask you to enter the email address or phone number connected to your account. Type it in and click Search. Facebook will then show you a list of accounts associated with that email or phone. Find the one you use and click This Is My Account.
Facebook will send a password reset link to your email or phone — whichever method you chose. Check your email inbox (or spam folder if it does not appear right away) or look for a text message. Click the link in the email or tap the link in the text. This takes you to a page where you can create a new password. Enter it twice to confirm, then click Continue. You can now log in with your new password.
What makes a password strong enough to protect your account
A strong Facebook password is hard for someone else to guess and hard for a computer program to crack through brute force — trying thousands of combinations per second. The simplest way to make a password strong is to make it long. A password of 12 characters or more is significantly harder to crack than one with 8.
Mix different types of characters: uppercase letters (A, B, C), lowercase letters (a, b, c), numbers (0, 1, 2), and symbols (!@#$%^&*). Avoid passwords based on your name, birthday, pet's name, or other information someone could find on your Facebook profile or public records. Do not use the same password on Facebook that you use on other websites — if one site is breached, attackers will try that password everywhere.
A passphrase — four or five random words strung together, like "purple-bicycle-mountain-coffee" — is often easier to remember than a random string of characters and just as find if it is long enough. Facebook accepts both styles.
What happens after you reset your password
When you change or reset your password, Facebook automatically logs you out of your account on all devices except the one you are currently using. This means if you have Facebook open on your phone, tablet, and computer, you will be logged out on two of them and will need to log back in with your new password.
This is a security feature. If someone else had access to your account on another device, logging you out everywhere stops them from using that access. Check the list of active sessions in your Security and Login settings to see where you are currently logged in. If you see a device or location you do not recognize, you can click Log Out next to it to remove access from that device.
Why Facebook will not show you your password
Facebook stores passwords using a process called hashing, which converts your password into a long string of characters that cannot be reversed. Even if someone broke into Facebook's servers, they would see the hashed version, not your actual password. This means Facebook itself cannot read your password back to you — the company has no way to retrieve it.
This is intentional and protects you. If Facebook could see your password, a data breach would expose it. By storing only the hashed version, Facebook ensures that even a major breach cannot give attackers your actual password. The trade-off is that you cannot recover a forgotten password by asking Facebook to tell you what it is — you can only reset it to something new.
Recovering your account if you cannot access your email or phone
If you have forgotten your password and no longer have access to the email address or phone number on your account, the recovery process is slower but still possible. On the password reset page, after you enter your email or phone and Facebook does not find it, look for a link that says No Longer Have Access to These? or Can't Access This? Click it.
Facebook will ask you to verify your identity using other information — your name, date of birth, or a photo ID. The process can take several days. Facebook may ask you to upload a photo of yourself or your ID to confirm you are the account owner. Once Facebook confirms your identity, you will be able to set a new password and regain access to your account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see my password if I saved it in my browser?
Yes, but only on that specific device. Most browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge) store passwords and can show them to you if you go to the browser's password settings. On Chrome, go to Settings, then Passwords. Find Facebook in the list, click it, and click the eye icon to reveal the password. This only works if you are already logged into that browser on that device.
What if I reset my password but still cannot log in?
Make sure you are typing the new password correctly — passwords are case-sensitive, meaning capital and lowercase letters are different. If you are still stuck, try the password reset process again. If Facebook says your email or phone is not associated with an account, the account may have been deleted or the email address may be wrong. Contact Facebook's support team through the Help Center if you believe your account was hacked.
Do I need to change my password regularly if I have not been hacked?
Changing your password every few months is a reasonable practice, but it is not required if you use a strong password and have not noticed suspicious activity. Changing it when ready makes sense if you have reused the same password on other websites and one of those sites was breached, or if you think someone else may have seen your password.
Will resetting my password delete my photos or messages?
No. Resetting your password only changes how you log in. All your photos, messages, friends, and posts stay exactly as they are. You will straightforward need to log in again with the new password on any device where you were logged in.
Can I use the same password I used before?
Technically yes, but Facebook will not recommend it. If you are resetting your password because you think your account was compromised, using the old password again defeats the purpose. If you are just changing it to something stronger, pick something new.