Where to find birthdays on Facebook
Facebook stores birthday information in two places: on individual profiles and in a dedicated calendar view. The easiest way to see all your friends' birthdays at once is through the Events section, which has a birthday calendar built in. You can also find individual birthdays by visiting someone's profile directly — their birthday appears near the top of their profile page if they've chosen to share it publicly.
Not every birthday you see on Facebook is current. Some people set their birthday years ago and never update it. Others change their privacy settings so only close friends can see it. If a birthday looks wrong, the person may have entered it incorrectly themselves, or they may have hidden it from your view.
Key Takeaways
- The birthday calendar in Facebook Events shows all your friends' upcoming birthdays in one place, updated daily.
- Individual birthdays appear on profile pages under the person's name and basic information, but only if they chose to make it visible to you.
- You can set reminders for specific birthdays so Facebook notifies you on the day.
- Your own birthday visibility is controlled through your privacy settings — you can hide it completely, show it to friends only, or make it public.
Using the birthday calendar in Events
Open Facebook and click the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner on mobile, or the left sidebar on desktop. Scroll down and tap or click "Events." At the top of the Events page, you'll see a section labeled "Birthdays" with upcoming dates listed. This calendar updates automatically and shows birthdays in chronological order.
Click or tap any birthday to see that person's profile and send them a message. Facebook also sends you a notification on the day of a friend's birthday, which appears in your notification center. If you want to be reminded earlier, you can click the three dots next to a birthday and select "Get notified" — Facebook will alert you the day before.
Finding a birthday on someone's profile
Go to the person's profile by searching for their name or clicking their name anywhere on Facebook. Look for the "About" section, which usually appears below their cover photo. Their birthday is listed here along with their location, work history, and other personal details. If you don't see a birthday listed, that person either hasn't entered one or has hidden it from your view.
The birthday section shows only the month and day, not the year — unless the person made their full birth year public. Some people hide their age for privacy reasons while still letting friends know when to send a birthday message.
Changing your own birthday visibility
Your birthday privacy settings control who can see it. Open your profile and click "About." Scroll to the birthday field and look for the privacy icon next to it — it usually shows a globe, a group of people, or a lock. Click that icon to change who can see your birthday. Your options are typically "Public" (everyone), "Friends" (friends only), or "Only Me" (hidden from everyone except Facebook itself).
If you don't want anyone to see your birth year, you can hide just the year while keeping the month and day visible. Click the privacy icon next to your birthday and select the option that shows only the month and day. You can change these settings anytime, and the change takes effect immediately.
What to do if a birthday looks wrong
If you notice a friend's birthday is incorrect, you cannot change it for them — only the person who owns the profile can edit their own birthday. You can send them a message letting them know, or you can ignore the incorrect date and remember their real birthday separately.
If your own birthday is wrong, go to your profile, click "About," find the birthday field, and click "Edit." Change the date to the correct one and save. If you entered the wrong year by accident, you can fix that the same way. Facebook will not send you a birthday notification on the wrong date once you correct it.
Birthday reminders and notifications
Facebook sends automatic notifications on your friends' birthdays, but you can customize when and how you receive them. On the birthday calendar in Events, click the three dots next to any birthday and choose "Get notified" to receive a reminder the day before. You can also turn off birthday notifications entirely in your notification settings if you prefer to remember birthdays on your own.
To adjust notification settings, open your profile menu, go to "Settings and Privacy," then "Settings," then "Notifications." Search for "birthday" and you'll see options to control how Facebook alerts you. You can choose to receive notifications, turn them off completely, or set them to a specific time of day.
Why some birthdays are hidden or missing
A birthday might not appear for several reasons. The person may have set their privacy settings to hide it from you specifically, or from everyone except themselves. They might not have entered a birthday at all when they created their account. Some older accounts were set up before birthday fields were required, so those profiles may be missing the information entirely.
If someone you know well doesn't show a birthday on their profile, the most straightforward approach is to ask them directly. They may have hidden it intentionally, or they may simply never filled in that field. There's no way to see a birthday that someone has chosen to keep private.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I see someone's birth year if they only show the month and day?
No. If someone hides their birth year, you can only see the month and day they were born. Only the person who owns the profile can decide whether to show their full birth date or just the month and day.
What happens if I change my birthday after I've already had it on Facebook?
You can change your birthday anytime. Facebook will not send notifications for the old date anymore. If you change it to a date coming up soon, Facebook will send a notification on the new date. Changing your birthday does not affect past birthday posts or messages people sent you.
Can I hide my birthday from specific people while showing it to others?
Facebook's privacy settings for birthdays are all-or-nothing — you can show it to everyone, to friends only, or to no one. You cannot hide your birthday from one specific person while showing it to another. If you need that level of control, your only option is to hide it from everyone.
Will Facebook notify me if a friend changes their birthday?
No. Facebook does not send notifications when someone updates their birthday. If a friend's birthday changes on the calendar, you'll only notice it if you check the Events section regularly or if they tell you directly.
What if someone's birthday shows as today but I know that's wrong?
They may have entered the wrong date, or they may have set a fake birthday for privacy reasons. You cannot correct it for them. If it matters, send them a message asking about it, or simply remember their real birthday separately and ignore what Facebook shows.