You can remove your birthdate entirely or hide it from other people
Facebook lets you delete your birthdate from your profile completely, or keep it in your account but hide it so only you can see it. The steps are the same either way — you go to your profile settings, find the birthdate field, and change who can view it or erase it altogether. Most people choose to hide it rather than delete it, because Facebook uses your birthdate to recover your account if you get locked out.
The process takes about two minutes and works the same way on a phone or computer. You do not need to contact Facebook support or use any outside tools.
Key Takeaways
- You can delete your birthdate entirely from Facebook, or keep it but hide it so only you see it.
- Hiding your birthdate is safer than deleting it, because Facebook uses it to verify your identity if you lose access to your account.
- The privacy setting for your birthdate is in the same place as other personal information on your profile.
- Once you change the setting, the change takes effect when ready — you do not need to wait or confirm anything.
How to hide your birthdate on a computer
Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner of the screen. Select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. On the left side, click Personal information.
Find the line that says Birth date. To the right of it, you will see a circle with three dots or a pencil icon — click that. A menu will appear with privacy options. Click the circle next to Only me to hide your birthdate from everyone except yourself. If you want to delete it entirely instead, click Remove at the bottom of that menu.
After you click Only me or Remove, the change saves automatically. You can close the settings page.
How to hide your birthdate on your phone
Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy, then tap Settings. Tap Personal information.
Find Birth date and tap it. A screen will open showing your birthdate and privacy options below it. Tap the circle next to Only me to hide it from others. If you want to remove it entirely, tap Remove at the bottom.
The change takes effect right away. You can go back to the main menu.
The difference between hiding and deleting your birthdate
Hiding your birthdate means it stays in your Facebook account, but only you can see it. Other people cannot view it on your profile. Facebook can still use it internally — for example, to send you birthday reminders or to verify your identity if you cannot log in. This is the safer choice for most people.
Deleting your birthdate removes it from your account entirely. Facebook will not have it on file anymore. If you lose access to your account later and need to prove who you are to regain access, you will have to use a different method, like a phone number or email address. Deletion is permanent — if you change your mind later, you will have to enter your birthdate again manually.
Why you might want to hide instead of delete
Your birthdate is one of the pieces of information Facebook uses to verify your identity if your account gets hacked or you forget your password. If you delete it, you lose that recovery option. You would have to use your phone number, email address, or trusted contacts instead.
Hiding your birthdate gives you privacy without removing that safety net. Other users cannot see it, but it remains available if you need account recovery help. You can always change the setting back later if you decide you want to delete it after all.
What happens after you change your birthdate privacy
The change takes effect when ready. If your birthdate was visible before and you hide it, people who visit your profile will no longer see it. If you already had it hidden and you delete it, it is gone from your account permanently.
Facebook does not send you a confirmation message or notification. You can check that the change worked by going back to your Personal information settings and looking at the privacy icon next to your birthdate — it should show Only me if hidden, or be blank if deleted.
If you cannot find the birthdate setting
Make sure you are in the Personal information section of your settings, not the Personal details section — they are different pages. On a computer, Personal information is listed on the left sidebar under Settings. On a phone, it appears in the Settings menu after you tap Settings and privacy.
If you still cannot find it, try logging out and logging back in, or try using a different browser or the app instead of the mobile website. Sometimes Facebook caches old versions of the settings page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will people know I hid my birthdate?
No. People will straightforward see that your birthdate is not listed on your profile. They will not get a notification that you hid it, and there is no way for them to tell the difference between a hidden birthdate and one you never entered.
Can I hide my birthdate from some people but not others?
Facebook does not let you hide your birthdate from specific people. You can only choose between showing it to everyone, hiding it from everyone, or deleting it. If you need more control, your only option is to hide it from all users.
What if I deleted my birthdate and now need it for account recovery?
You can add it back by going to Personal information and entering your birthdate again. Then you can hide it if you want privacy. For account recovery, you can also use your phone number, email address, or trusted contacts — you do not have to rely on your birthdate alone.
Does hiding my birthdate affect Facebook birthday reminders?
No. Facebook will still send you a birthday reminder on your actual birthday, and your friends will still see the birthday notification if they have that feature turned on. Hiding your birthdate only affects what other people see on your profile.
Can I hide my birthdate but show my birth month and year?
Facebook does not offer that option. You can hide or delete your entire birthdate, but you cannot show only the month and year while hiding the day. Your only choices are all or nothing.