Facebook shows birthdays in multiple places, and you control how visible yours is
Facebook displays birthdays in three main locations: the birthday calendar (visible to people you've friended), individual profile pages (if you've chosen to show it), and in notifications that Facebook sends to your friends on your birthday. You can find other people's birthdays by opening their profile and looking for the birthday field, or by checking Facebook's birthday calendar feature. The birthday calendar appears in the left sidebar on desktop and in the menu on mobile — it shows upcoming birthdays of people you're connected with, based on what they've shared in their profiles.
What matters more than finding birthdays is understanding what you're sharing about yourself. Facebook defaults to showing your birthday to friends, but you can change that at any time. The visibility setting is separate from whether you enter a birthday at all, so you can have a birthday on file without anyone seeing it.
Key Takeaways
- Facebook stores your birthday in your profile settings and uses it to send birthday notifications to your friends, regardless of your privacy settings.
- You can view other people's birthdays by visiting their profile or using the birthday calendar feature, which shows upcoming birthdays of your friends.
- Your birthday visibility is controlled through your privacy settings — you can show it to friends only, to everyone, or hide it completely.
- Facebook uses birthday data for targeted advertising and account security verification, even if you restrict who can see it.
- Removing your birthday from Facebook entirely requires deleting it from your profile settings; there is no way to prevent Facebook from storing it once you've entered it.
Where to find the birthday calendar on Facebook
On desktop, the birthday calendar appears in the left sidebar of your Facebook home feed. Look for a section labeled "Birthdays" — it lists friends whose birthdays are coming up in the next week or so. Click on any name to go to that person's profile. If you don't see the Birthdays section, scroll down in the left sidebar; Facebook sometimes collapses it if you haven't used it recently.
On mobile (both iPhone and Android), the birthday calendar is in the menu. Tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) at the bottom right of the screen, then scroll down and tap "Birthdays." This shows the same list as the desktop version. You can also see birthdays on individual profiles by opening someone's profile and looking for the birthday field in their "About" section — it appears only if they've chosen to show it to you.
How to check someone's birthday on their profile
Open the person's profile by searching for their name or clicking on their name from a comment, post, or message. Once you're on their profile, look for the "About" section. On desktop, this is usually on the left side of the profile; on mobile, scroll down past their recent posts. The "About" section lists basic information including birthday, if the person has chosen to show it.
If you don't see a birthday listed, it means either they haven't entered one, or they've set their privacy settings to hide it from you. Facebook doesn't tell you which is the case — you straightforward won't see the information. You cannot view someone's birthday if they've hidden it, even if you're friends.
What privacy settings control for your own birthday
Your birthday privacy setting determines who sees the birthday field on your profile. You have three main options: show it to friends only, show it to everyone (public), or hide it completely. To change this, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Click "Personal Information" in the left menu, find "Birthday," and click the audience selector next to it (it usually shows a small icon like a lock or a person).
Important: changing your privacy setting does not prevent Facebook from storing your birthday or using it internally. Facebook keeps your birthday on file for account recovery (you may be asked to confirm it when logging in from a new device) and for sending birthday notifications to your friends. Even if you hide your birthday from everyone, Facebook still has it and still uses it for these purposes.
Why Facebook collects and stores birthday data
Facebook uses birthdays for several reasons beyond the birthday calendar. First, it uses your age to target ads — advertisers can select audiences by age range, and Facebook calculates your age from your birthday. Second, it uses your birthday as a security verification method; if you're locked out of your account, Facebook may ask you to confirm your birthday to prove you're the account owner. Third, it sends birthday notifications to your friends, which encourages them to interact with you on that day.
Facebook also uses birthday data to detect duplicate accounts and to flag accounts that may be fake. If multiple accounts claim the same birthday and other matching information, Facebook's systems may investigate. This is one reason why entering an accurate birthday (rather than a fake one for privacy) is actually safer for your account security.
How to remove or change your birthday on Facebook
To remove your birthday entirely, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Click "Personal Information," find "Birthday," and click the pencil icon to edit it. Delete the date and save. Facebook will remove it from your profile and from the birthday calendar, though the company retains the historical record in its systems.
To change your birthday (if you entered it incorrectly), follow the same steps and enter the correct date. You can change your birthday as many times as you want, but Facebook may limit how often you can change the year if it detects suspicious activity. If you've already changed your birth year multiple times in a short period, Facebook may lock that field temporarily.
What happens when friends see your birthday notification
When your birthday arrives, Facebook sends a notification to your friends reminding them it's your birthday. The notification appears in their notifications tab and sometimes in the birthday calendar. Friends can then post on your timeline, send you a message, or react to your birthday post. Facebook also creates a birthday post on your timeline automatically (you can delete it if you want).
Each time a friend interacts with your birthday — posting a comment, sending a message, or reacting — Facebook records that interaction. This data is used to calculate engagement metrics and to show you which friends are most active in your network. It's also used to refine Facebook's understanding of your social connections for its recommendation algorithms.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see someone's birthday if they've hidden it from me?
No. If someone has set their birthday to private or hidden it from friends, you cannot view it on their profile or through the birthday calendar. There is no way to see hidden birthday information, even if you're close friends or family members.
Does Facebook notify people when I view their birthday?
No. Viewing someone's birthday on their profile or through the birthday calendar does not send them a notification. They won't know you looked at their birthday information.
What if I don't want to share my birthday with anyone on Facebook?
You can hide your birthday completely by setting the privacy level to "Only Me" or by removing it from your profile entirely. If you remove it, Facebook will no longer send birthday notifications to your friends, and your birthday won't appear on the birthday calendar.
Can I change my birthday year without Facebook limiting me?
You can change your birth year, but if you change it multiple times in a short period, Facebook may temporarily lock the field to prevent account takeover attempts. If this happens, wait a few weeks before trying again, or contact Facebook Support to explain the situation.
Does Facebook use my birthday for anything besides the birthday calendar?
Yes. Facebook uses your birthday to calculate your age for ad targeting, to verify your identity during account recovery, and to detect duplicate or fake accounts. Your birthday is also used in Facebook's recommendation systems to help match you with people and content.