Change your email in Facebook settings in under five minutes

To change the email Facebook has on file for your account, open Facebook on any device, go to Settings and Privacy, select Settings, then find the Email field under Personal Information. Click Edit next to your current email, type your new email address, and click Save Changes. Facebook will send a confirmation link to your new email — you must click that link within a set time to complete the change, or Facebook reverts to your old email.

The process is the same whether you use Facebook on a phone, tablet, or computer. The confirmation step is the part most people miss: if you don't check your new email inbox and click the link, the change never takes effect, and you'll still be locked to your old address.

Key Takeaways

  • You must confirm your new email by clicking a link Facebook sends to it, or the change will not save.
  • Facebook lets you add a secondary email before removing your primary one, which prevents you from getting locked out.
  • If you no longer have access to your old email, you can use a phone number or security questions to verify your identity instead.
  • Changing your email does not change your Facebook login — you can still sign in with your username or old email until you delete it from your account.

Step-by-step: changing your email on a phone or tablet

Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) at the bottom right of your screen. Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy, then tap Settings. Look for the Personal Information section — this is where your email lives. Tap Email, and you'll see your current email address listed.

Tap the Edit button next to your email. Delete the old email and type your new one in the field that appears. Tap Save Changes. Facebook will when ready send a confirmation email to your new address. Open that email (check your inbox and spam folder), find the message from Facebook, and click the Confirm Email button or link inside it. Once you click that link, your email change is complete.

Step-by-step: changing your email on a computer

Go to facebook.com and sign in. Click the downward arrow at the top right of the page, then click Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, you'll see a menu — click Personal Information. Find the Email row and click Edit to the right of it.

Your current email will appear in a field. Click in the field, select all the text, and type your new email address. Click Save Changes. Facebook sends a confirmation email to your new address within seconds. Go to that email inbox, open the message from Facebook, and click the confirmation link. Your email is now changed.

What to do if you can't access your old email anymore

If your old email account is closed or you've lost access to it, you cannot receive the confirmation link Facebook sends to your new email. Instead, you'll need to verify your identity another way. Go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information, and click Edit next to your email. Facebook will ask you to confirm your identity — you can do this using a phone number on your account or by answering security questions you set up in the past.

If you have a phone number linked to your Facebook account, Facebook will text you a code. Enter that code, and you can proceed with changing your email without needing access to your old one. If you don't have a phone number on file, Facebook will ask you security questions — answer them correctly, and you can change your email the same way.

Adding a backup email before you remove your primary one

The safest way to change your email is to add a new one first, then remove the old one later. This prevents you from accidentally locking yourself out. Go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information. Click Edit next to Email. Instead of replacing your current email, click Add Email below it and type your new address in the field that appears.

Click Save Changes. Facebook sends a confirmation link to your new email — click it to confirm. Now you have two emails on your account. Once both are confirmed, you can go back to Email settings, click Edit, and remove the old email by clicking the X next to it. This way, if something goes wrong during the change, you still have a working email attached to your account.

Why Facebook asks you to confirm your new email

The confirmation step protects your account from someone else changing your email without your permission. If a stranger gains access to your Facebook password, they could try to change your email to lock you out. The confirmation link proves you actually own the new email address — without it, the change doesn't stick. This is why you must click the link Facebook sends; it's not optional, and it's not a delay tactic.

If you don't see the confirmation email, check your spam or junk folder first — it sometimes lands there by mistake. If it's not there, go back to Facebook Settings, click Edit next to your email again, and ask Facebook to resend the confirmation link. You usually get a Resend Confirmation Email button on that screen.

What happens to your login after you change your email

Changing your email does not change how you sign into Facebook. You can still log in using your username, your old email address, or your new email address — all three work until you manually remove the old email from your account. This means you have time to update your login information in any password manager or browser that has saved your Facebook password.

If you want to remove your old email completely so only your new one works for login, go back to Email settings after the change is confirmed, click Edit, and delete the old email. After that, you can only sign in with your username or your new email address.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Facebook give me to click the confirmation link?

Facebook typically gives you 24 to 48 hours to click the confirmation link before it expires. If the link expires, go back to your email settings and ask Facebook to send a new confirmation email. You can do this as many times as needed.

Can I change my email if I'm locked out of my account?

No — you must be signed into Facebook to change your email. If you're locked out, use Facebook's account recovery tool first. You can recover your account using a phone number, a trusted contact, or a photo ID, depending on what you set up before you lost access.

What if I typed my new email wrong?

If you entered the wrong email address and clicked Save Changes, go back to your email settings and edit it again before you confirm. If you already clicked the confirmation link on the wrong email, you'll need to change it again. There's no limit to how many times you can edit your email as long as you haven't confirmed it yet.

Does changing my email affect my Facebook username or profile?

No. Your email is separate from your username, display name, and profile. Changing your email only changes how you sign in and how Facebook contacts you — it doesn't change anything visible on your profile or how other people see you.

Can I use the same email for multiple Facebook accounts?

No. Each email address can only be attached to one Facebook account. If you try to add an email that's already in use on another account, Facebook will reject it and ask you to use a different email.