Change your email in Facebook settings in three steps
Open Facebook and go to the menu in the top right corner (the three horizontal lines on mobile, or the downward arrow on desktop). Select Settings and privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Personal information. Next to your email address, click Edit, type your new email, and click Save changes. Facebook will send a confirmation link to both your old and new email addresses — you must click the link in the new email to complete the switch.
The entire process takes about five minutes. Your password stays the same, and you can log in with either your old email or your new one for a short period while Facebook processes the change. After you confirm the new email, the old one no longer works for logging in.
If you do not receive the confirmation email in your new inbox, check your spam or junk folder. If it is not there after ten minutes, go back to Facebook settings and try adding the email again — sometimes the confirmation gets delayed.
Key Takeaways
- You change your email through Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Personal information — not through a separate account or security page.
- Facebook sends a confirmation link to your new email address, and you must click it to finish the change; the old email stops working for login once you confirm.
- You can use either your old or new email to log in for a few hours while the system updates, but only the new one works after that.
- If the confirmation email does not arrive, check your spam folder and wait at least ten minutes before trying again.
Why you might need to change your email
You may change your email because you no longer use the old one, you switched email providers, or you want to use a work email instead of a personal one. Some people change their email when they recover a hacked account — using a new email address makes it harder for someone else to regain access.
If you are changing your email because you lost access to the old one, you will need to use a recovery method instead. Facebook can send a code to your phone number or ask you to identify friends in photos. This is a separate process from a normal email change.
What happens to your password and login options
Your Facebook password does not change when you update your email. You log in the same way you always have, except you now use the new email address instead of the old one. If you also have a phone number or username set up on your account, those still work for logging in.
After the change is complete, the old email address no longer logs you in. If someone tries to use it, Facebook will tell them the email is not connected to any account. This is why it is important to make sure you have access to your new email before you confirm the change.
Confirming your new email address
When you enter a new email in settings, Facebook sends two emails: one to your old address and one to your new address. The one to your new address contains a link that says Confirm your email or Verify email. Click that link within 24 hours.
If you click the link on your phone, it may open Facebook automatically and show a confirmation screen. On a computer, you may see a message saying your email is now confirmed. Either way, the change is complete once you see the confirmation.
If you do not confirm within 24 hours, the new email stays pending and your old email remains active. You can try confirming again by checking your email or going back to Facebook settings to resend the confirmation link.
If you no longer have access to your old email
If you cannot access the old email address anymore, you have two options. First, try adding the new email in settings anyway — Facebook may let you confirm it without checking the old address. Second, if that does not work, use your phone number or a trusted contact to recover your account, then change the email from there.
To use a trusted contact, go to Settings, then Personal information, then Account ownership and control. You can add a friend who can help you regain access if you get locked out. This person can receive a code that lets you back in, and then you can change your email normally.
Keeping your account find after changing your email
After you change your email, check your login activity to make sure no one else accessed your account. Go to Settings, then Personal information, then Account ownership and control, then Where you are logged in. You will see a list of devices and locations. If you see anything unfamiliar, click it and select Log out.
You should also update your password if you think your account was compromised. Go to Settings, then Personal information, then Password. Type your current password, then your new password twice. Make your new password something you have not used before and something that includes numbers, letters, and symbols.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my email on Facebook if I forgot my password?
Yes. You can still go to Settings and change your email even if you do not remember your password. Facebook does not ask for your password when you change your email — it only checks that you are logged in. If you are logged out, use your current email to reset your password first, then change the email.
What if I enter the wrong email by mistake?
Go back to Settings, Personal information, and click Edit next to your email. You can change it again before you confirm the new one. If you already confirmed the wrong email, you can change it a second time using the same steps. There is no limit to how many times you can change your email.
Does changing my email affect my Facebook friends or messages?
No. Your friends still see your profile the same way, and your messages stay in your inbox. Only the email address you use to log in changes. Your profile name, photos, and all your activity remain exactly the same.
How long does it take for the email change to go through?
Once you click the confirmation link in your new email, the change is usually complete within a few minutes. You may be able to log in with the new email right away, though it can take up to an hour for the old email to stop working completely.