What you can change and what you cannot

Facebook lets you change your page's web address — the URL that appears in the browser bar — but only under specific conditions. You get one free change, and after that you can change it again only if your page meets certain requirements. The URL is different from your page name; you can change your page name as often as you want, but the URL change has real limits.

Your page must have at least 25 followers before you can claim a custom URL at all. If you have fewer than 25 followers, Facebook will not let you proceed, no matter what else you do. Once you have 25 followers, you can claim one custom URL for free. After you use that free change, you can change it again only if your page has been active for at least 14 days since the last URL change.

The URL you choose must be available — no one else can have claimed it already. Facebook also will not let you use certain words or phrases in your URL, and it will not let you use a URL that looks like someone else's page or impersonates a person or organization. Once you change your URL, the old one stops working within a few hours, though Facebook may keep it inactive for a while.

Key Takeaways

  • Your page must have at least 25 followers before you can change the URL, and you get one free change after that.
  • To change your URL, go to your page settings, click "Edit Page Info," find the URL field, and type the new address you want.
  • The URL you choose must not already be taken and cannot contain spaces, special characters, or words Facebook has blocked.
  • After you change your URL, the old one stops working within a few hours, so update any links you have posted elsewhere.
  • If you change your URL and then want to change it again, you must wait at least 14 days before making another change.

Check your follower count before you start

Open your Facebook page and look at the number shown below your page name. This is your follower count. If the number is below 25, you cannot change your URL yet. You will need to wait until your page reaches 25 followers, or you can ask people to follow your page to reach that threshold faster.

If you already have 25 or more followers, you are ready to move forward. Write down the URL you want to use before you start the process, so you have it ready when you need it. Make sure the URL contains only letters, numbers, periods, and hyphens — no spaces or other symbols.

How to access the URL settings

Go to your Facebook page and look for the three horizontal lines (called a menu icon) in the top right corner of the page header. Click it. A dropdown menu will appear with several options.

Look for the option that says "Settings and Privacy" and click it. Another menu will open. From that menu, click "Settings." You will now be on your page settings page. On the left side, you will see a list of categories. Look for "Edit Page Info" and click it.

Scroll down on this page until you see a field labeled "Web Address" or "URL." This is where you will enter your new page address. The current URL will be shown in this field.

Enter your new URL and save the change

Click in the URL field and delete the current address. Type the new URL you want to use. Remember that you cannot use spaces or most special characters — stick to letters, numbers, hyphens, and periods. Facebook will show you whether the URL is available as you type; if it is taken, you will see a message saying so, and you will need to choose a different one.

Once you have entered a URL that is available, look for a "Save" or "Confirm" button near the field and click it. Facebook will process the change. You may see a confirmation message asking you to verify the change. If so, follow the on-screen instructions to complete it.

The change usually takes effect within a few hours. During that time, the old URL may still work, but after a few hours only the new URL will be active. If you have shared your page URL anywhere — in posts, emails, or on a website — you should update those links to the new address.

What to do if your desired URL is already taken

If the URL you want is already in use by another page, Facebook will not let you claim it. You will see a message saying the URL is unavailable. In this case, you have a few options: choose a different URL, add a number or word to make it unique, or try a slightly different spelling.

Many people add their location, year, or a descriptor to make their URL unique. For example, if "bakery" is taken, you might use "bakery-downtown" or "bakery-2024." Test each option as you type to see which ones are available. Once you find one that works, proceed with saving it.

Waiting period for your next URL change

After you change your URL, you can change it again, but you must wait at least 14 days from the date of your last change. This waiting period applies whether you used your free change or a subsequent one. If you try to change your URL before 14 days have passed, Facebook will show you a message telling you when you can make the next change.

Mark the date of your URL change on a calendar so you know when you are may be able to access to change it again. If you need to change it urgently and the 14-day window has not closed, you will have to wait. There is no way to bypass this waiting period.

Updating links after you change your URL

Once your new URL is active, any old links to your page will no longer work. If you have posted your page URL in comments, on other websites, in email signatures, or anywhere else, you should update those links to point to your new URL. This helps people find your page and prevents broken links.

Check your page posts to see if you have shared the old URL anywhere. Edit those posts to include the new URL instead. If your page URL is listed on a business website or in a directory, update it there as well. The sooner you update these links, the fewer people will encounter a broken address.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Facebook page URL if I have fewer than 25 followers?

No. Your page must have at least 25 followers before Facebook will let you change the URL. Once you reach 25 followers, you can claim a custom URL. If you are below that threshold, focus on growing your followers first.

What happens to my old URL after I change it?

The old URL stops working within a few hours of the change. Facebook may keep it inactive for a while, but it will not redirect to your new page. Update any links you have posted elsewhere to point to your new URL so people can still find your page.

Can I change my URL back to what it was before?

Yes, but you must wait 14 days after your last change. Once the waiting period is over, you can change your URL to anything available, including a previous address. Just follow the same steps in your page settings.

What characters can I use in my Facebook page URL?

You can use letters, numbers, periods, and hyphens. You cannot use spaces, underscores, or most special characters. Keep the URL straightforward and straightforward to remember so people can type it correctly.

Why does Facebook say my desired URL is unavailable?

The URL is either already claimed by another page or it contains words or phrases Facebook has blocked. Try a variation with a number, location, or descriptor added. If the exact URL you want is taken, choose something similar that is still recognizable to your audience.