You can change your birthdate in Facebook settings, but Facebook limits how often you can do it

To change your birthdate on Facebook, go to your profile, select the menu icon in the top right, choose Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Click Personal Information on the left side, find Birth Date, and select Edit. You can change the date itself, but Facebook restricts how visible it is to others and how frequently you can alter it. The visibility setting matters more than you might expect — your birthdate can be hidden from your timeline entirely, visible only to you, or shared with friends.

Facebook's restrictions exist because the platform uses birthdate to verify your age and prevent account takeovers. Someone who knows your birthdate has one piece of the puzzle needed to reset your password or impersonate you. This is why Facebook doesn't let you change it constantly, and why you should think carefully about who can see it.

Key Takeaways

  • Your birthdate lives in Personal Information settings, not on your profile itself, so most people won't see it unless you choose to display it.
  • Facebook limits birthdate changes to once every 60 days, so you cannot correct it when ready if you make a mistake.
  • You can hide your birthdate from your timeline entirely while still keeping it on file for account security purposes.
  • If you entered a fake birthdate when you created your account, changing it now may trigger a review of your account age and identity.

Finding the birthdate setting in your account

Open Facebook and tap or click the menu icon — three horizontal lines — in the top right corner of the screen. On mobile, this appears in the bottom right. Select Settings and Privacy, then tap Settings again. On the left side of the screen, you will see a menu. Look for Personal Information and click it. This section holds your birthdate, phone number, email, and other core account details.

Once you are in Personal Information, scroll down until you see Birth Date. It will show the date you entered when you created your account, or the date you last changed it to. Click the Edit button next to it. A box will appear where you can change the month, day, and year. After you enter the new date, click Save Changes at the bottom.

Understanding Facebook's 60-day change limit

Facebook does not let you change your birthdate more than once every 60 days. If you try to change it again before that window closes, you will see a message saying you must wait. This limit exists to prevent account hijacking — someone who gains temporary access to your account cannot repeatedly change your birthdate to lock you out or hide their activity.

If you made a mistake and entered the wrong date, you will have to wait the full 60 days before you can correct it again. There is no way to speed this up or request an exception. Write down the date you made the change so you know when you can change it next. If your account was created with a birthdate you know is wrong, you may want to contact Facebook Support to explain the situation, though they rarely override the 60-day rule.

Controlling who sees your birthdate

Your birthdate does not appear on your profile timeline by default. It lives in your Personal Information section, which only you can see unless you change the privacy setting. To decide who can see it, go back to Birth Date in Personal Information and look for the privacy icon next to it — usually a circle with a person, or a globe symbol.

Click that icon to choose your visibility level. The options are usually Only Me (nobody else sees it), Friends (your friends can see it), or Public (anyone can see it). Most people choose Only Me or Friends. Choosing Public means your birthdate appears on your profile for anyone to find, which increases the risk of someone using it to guess your password or impersonate you. If you are not sure, set it to Only Me — you can always change it later without hitting the 60-day limit, since the limit only applies to changing the date itself, not the privacy setting.

What happens if you entered a fake birthdate when you signed up

If you created your Facebook account with a false birthdate — for example, if you were underage and lied about your age — changing it now may trigger a review. Facebook has systems that flag accounts where the birthdate changes significantly from what was originally entered, especially if the original date would have made you underage when you joined.

If this happens, Facebook may ask you to confirm your identity by uploading a photo of your ID or answering security questions. This is not a punishment; it is Facebook's way of making sure the account belongs to you and that you are now old enough to use the platform. If you are now of legal age and want to correct the record, go ahead and change it. Be honest in any follow-up questions Facebook asks. If your account gets locked during this process, you can contact Facebook Support with your ID to unlock it.

Changing your birthdate on mobile versus desktop

The steps are nearly identical on mobile and desktop, but the menu layout differs slightly. On mobile, open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines in the bottom right corner (not the top right like on desktop). Tap Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Scroll down and tap Personal Information. Find Birth Date and tap Edit, then change the date and tap Save.

On desktop, the three-line menu is in the top right corner. After you click it, the rest of the steps are the same. The privacy icon next to your birthdate works the same way on both versions. If you change your birthdate on mobile, the change appears on desktop when ready, and vice versa — you only have one birthdate across all devices.

Why Facebook asks for your birthdate in the first place

Facebook requires a birthdate for three main reasons: to verify you are old enough to use the platform (you must be at least 13), to help prevent account takeovers, and to show you age-appropriate content and ads. Your birthdate is also used to remind your friends when your birthday is coming up, though you can hide that separately if you want.

The age verification is the most important one. Facebook's terms of service prohibit anyone under 13 from having an account. If you created an account as a minor and are now older, updating your birthdate to the correct one is the right move. If you are still underage, you should not have an account, and Facebook may disable it if they discover this during a review.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hide my birthday from showing up on my friends' calendars?

Yes. Go to Personal Information, find Birth Date, and set the privacy to Only Me. Your friends will no longer see your birthday in their birthday reminders. You can also go to your profile, click About, and toggle off the birthday reminder separately if you want to keep the date on file but stop the notifications.

What if I forgot what birthdate I used when I created my account?

Go to Personal Information and look at the Birth Date field — it will show the date currently on file. If you cannot remember whether that is the real date or one you made up, you can change it now, but be aware that a very large change may trigger an identity review. Write down today's date so you know when the 60-day window closes.

Does changing my birthdate affect my Facebook memories or old posts?

No. Changing your birthdate does not delete or alter any posts, photos, or memories. It only changes the date stored in your account settings. Old posts will still show the date they were posted, not your birthdate.

Can I change my birthdate if my account is locked or disabled?

No. You must unlock or reactivate your account first. If your account is locked due to a birthdate change, Facebook will ask you to confirm your identity with an ID before you can access settings again. Once your account is unlocked, you can then change the birthdate if needed.

Will changing my birthdate change my age on my profile?

Your age does not appear on your profile unless you choose to display your birthdate publicly. If you set your birthdate to Only Me, nobody sees your age. If you set it to Friends or Public, your age will update automatically when you change the birthdate.