Creating a second Facebook account uses the same signup process as your first one, but with a different email address

Facebook allows you to have more than one account, and the process is straightforward: you sign up again using a different email address, phone number, or both. The platform does not prevent multiple accounts per person, though it does have rules about how you use them. You cannot use a fake name, impersonate someone else, or coordinate inauthentic behavior across accounts — but maintaining separate accounts for different purposes (work, family, hobbies, a business page) is permitted.

The main thing to understand before you start is that each account is independent. Your friends list, messages, photos, and settings on one account do not carry over to the other. If you want the same people to find you on both accounts, you will need to add them separately or make those accounts discoverable in your profile.

Key Takeaways

  • You need a different email address or phone number for each Facebook account you create.
  • Facebook allows multiple accounts per person as long as you use your real name and do not coordinate fake behavior across them.
  • Each account is completely separate — friends, messages, and settings do not transfer between accounts.
  • You can switch between accounts on the same device by logging out and logging back in, or by using the account switcher if you stay logged in.
  • If you forget the password to your second account, you can recover it using the email address or phone number you signed up with.

Step-by-step: signing up for a second account

Open Facebook in your web browser or the Facebook app and scroll to the bottom of the login page. You will see a link that says "Create New Facebook Account" — click it. A popup window will appear asking for your name, email address or phone number, password, birth date, and gender.

Enter your real name in the first and last name fields. Facebook requires you to use the name you go by in everyday life; you cannot use a business name, nickname, or made-up name on a personal account. Type in an email address you have not used for any other Facebook account. If you use Gmail, you can create a new email address quickly, or you can use a phone number instead if you prefer. Create a strong password — at least eight characters, mixing uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.

Select your birth date and gender, then click "Sign Up". Facebook will send a confirmation code to your email or phone. Check your email inbox (or spam folder) for a message from Facebook, or if you used a phone number, you will receive a text. Enter the code into the popup, and your second account is created.

Switching between your two accounts on the same device

Once you have created a second account, you can switch between them without logging out each time. Open the Facebook app or website and look for your profile picture in the top right corner (on desktop) or bottom right corner (on mobile). Tap or click it, and a menu will appear. At the bottom of that menu, you will see "Log Out" — but above it, you should see an option to add another account or switch accounts.

If you see "Add Account", tap it and enter the login details for your second account. Facebook will remember both accounts on that device. From then on, tapping your profile picture will show you both accounts listed, and you can switch between them when ready without entering your password again. If you want to log out of one account completely, tap your profile picture, select the account you want to remove, and choose "Log Out".

On a computer, the process is similar. Click your profile picture in the top right, and you will see options to add another account or switch between accounts you have already logged into. This feature saves time if you check both accounts regularly.

What to do if you want to keep your accounts separate

If you are creating a second account because you want privacy — for example, a work account separate from a personal one — you should not use the account switcher. Instead, log out completely from your first account before logging into the second one. This prevents Facebook from linking the accounts in its systems and reduces the chance that the platform will suggest your contacts from one account to the other.

You can also control who sees each account by adjusting your privacy settings. On each account separately, go to Settings, then Privacy, and choose who can search for you by name and who can see your profile. If you want one account to be harder to find, you can limit who can search for you or make your profile visible only to friends.

Keep in mind that Facebook can detect when two accounts are being used by the same person — through IP address, device information, and behavior patterns. This is not against the rules, but it means the platform knows the accounts are connected even if you keep them separate in your own use.

Recovering access to a second account if you forget the password

If you cannot remember the password to your second account, go to the Facebook login page and click "Forgotten Password?" Enter the email address or phone number you used to sign up for that account. Facebook will send you a link to reset your password — check your email inbox or text messages for it.

Click the link and create a new password. Make sure it is different from your first account's password, especially if you want to keep the accounts separate. If you no longer have access to the email address or phone number you used to sign up, you can use Facebook's account recovery process, which may ask you to identify friends in photos or answer security questions you set up earlier.

Understanding Facebook's rules about multiple accounts

Facebook's terms of service allow you to have more than one account, but with conditions. You cannot use multiple accounts to do things that would violate the rules if you did them on a single account — for example, you cannot use a second account to contact someone who has blocked your first account, or to spread misinformation, or to coordinate fake engagement (like liking your own posts from multiple accounts to make them look more popular).

You also cannot use a second account to impersonate someone else or use a fake name. Each account must represent a real person using their real name. If Facebook detects that you are breaking these rules, it can disable one or both accounts without warning.

If you are creating a second account for a business or organization, Facebook has a separate product called a Page, which is designed for that purpose. A Page is linked to your personal account but appears as a separate entity, and you can manage it with multiple people. This is the official way to maintain a business presence on Facebook without creating a second personal account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use the same phone number for two Facebook accounts?

No. Each Facebook account needs either a unique email address or a unique phone number. If you want two accounts, you must use two different email addresses, two different phone numbers, or one of each. You can change the phone number or email on an existing account, but you cannot share the same contact information across multiple accounts.

Will Facebook tell my friends on one account about my other account?

Facebook does not automatically tell your friends on one account that you have another account. However, the platform may suggest your second account to people who know you, especially if they have your phone number or email address in their contacts. You can reduce this by adjusting your privacy settings to limit who can search for you by name or phone number.

What happens to my second account if I delete my first one?

Your accounts are independent. Deleting your first account does not affect your second account at all. Both accounts remain separate, and you can keep using the second one. If you want to delete both, you will need to delete them separately.

Can I merge two Facebook accounts into one?

No. Facebook does not have a feature to merge accounts. If you want to combine your information, you will need to manually copy photos, posts, and other content from one account to the other, then delete the account you no longer need. This process is manual and time-consuming.

Is it against Facebook's rules to have a second account?

Having a second account is not against the rules. Using that second account to break Facebook's rules — such as impersonating someone, contacting people who blocked you, or spreading false information — is against the rules. As long as you use both accounts honestly and with your real name, you can maintain multiple accounts.