The quickest way to change your Facebook email
Open Facebook on a computer or phone, go to your settings, and update your email in the account section. Facebook lets you change the email tied to your account in about two minutes, and you can do it from anywhere. The new email becomes active right away, though Facebook will send a confirmation message to both your old and new email addresses.
You do not need to log out or create a new account. Your profile, friends, messages, and photos all stay exactly the same — only the email address changes. If you forget your password later, you will use the new email to reset it.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your email on Facebook through Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information — the whole process takes about two minutes.
- Facebook sends a confirmation link to your new email address, and you must click it within a set time for the change to stick.
- Your old email address remains a backup option for account recovery until you remove it completely from your account.
- If you no longer have access to your old email, you can still change to a new one by using a phone number or other recovery method to verify your identity.
Step-by-step: changing your email on a computer
Start by logging into Facebook on a web browser. Click the downward arrow in the top right corner of the page, then select Settings and Privacy, followed by Settings. On the left side, click Personal Information.
Find the Email row and click the pencil icon next to it. Type your new email address into the field that appears. Facebook will ask you to enter your password to confirm the change — this is a security step to make sure someone else is not changing your email without permission. After you enter your password, click Change Email.
Facebook sends a confirmation link to your new email address. Open that email, click the link, and the change is complete. If you do not click the link within a few days, the change will not go through and you will need to start over.
Changing your email on a phone or tablet
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 Settings. Tap Personal Information.
Tap Email and enter your new email address. Facebook will ask for your password. After you enter it, tap Change Email. You will receive a confirmation email at your new address — tap the link in that email to finish the process.
What happens to your old email address
Your old email stays attached to your account as a backup recovery method even after you change it. This means if you forget your password in the future, Facebook can still send a reset link to your old email. You can remove the old email completely if you want, but most people leave it there in case they lose access to the new one.
To remove your old email entirely, go back to Personal Information, find the old email in the list, and click the X next to it. Facebook will ask you to confirm. Once you remove it, you cannot use that email to recover your account anymore, so make sure you have access to your new email before you do this.
If you cannot access your old email anymore
If your old email account is closed or you no longer have the password, you can still change your Facebook email. Go to Personal Information and click the pencil next to your email. Instead of entering a new email right away, look for a link that says something like No longer have access to this email? or Need help?
Facebook will ask you to verify your identity using a phone number, a photo ID, or another method. Once you verify who you are, you can enter your new email address. The confirmation process works the same way — Facebook sends a link to your new email and you click it to complete the change.
Common problems and how to fix them
If you do not receive the confirmation email, check your spam or junk folder first — sometimes the message gets filtered by mistake. If it is not there, go back to Personal Information and try entering the email again. You can request a new confirmation link if the first one expires.
If Facebook says your new email is already in use, that email is tied to another Facebook account. You will need to use a different email address, or if that other account is yours, you can remove the email from that account first and then add it to this one. If you cannot remember the password for the other account, use the password reset tool to regain access.
Keeping your account secure after changing your email
After you change your email, take a moment to check your login activity. Go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Security and Login. You will see a list of devices and locations where you have recently logged in. If you see anything unfamiliar, click Log Out next to that entry to end the session.
You should also review which apps and websites have permission to access your Facebook account. In the same Security and Login section, look for Apps and Websites. Remove any apps you no longer use. This keeps your account safer, especially if you changed your email because you were concerned about unauthorized access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use two email addresses on one Facebook account?
No, Facebook only lets you have one primary email address at a time. You can add a secondary email as a backup recovery method, but you cannot log in with both. If you want to use a different email for login, you have to change your primary email and remove the old one.
Will changing my email affect my Facebook groups or pages?
No. Your groups, pages, friends, and all your content stay the same. Only the email address used to log in and recover your account changes. Anyone who has your profile link can still find you the same way they did before.
How long does it take for the email change to go through?
Once you click the confirmation link in the email Facebook sends you, the change is instant. If you do not click the link within a few days, the change expires and you will need to request a new confirmation email.
What if I change my email by mistake?
You can change it back the same way you changed it the first time. Go to Personal Information, click the pencil next to your email, and enter your old email address. Facebook will send a confirmation link to that old email, and once you click it, you are back to using the original address.
Do I need to update my email on Facebook Messenger too?
No. Messenger uses the same account as Facebook, so when you change your email on Facebook, Messenger updates automatically. You do not need to do anything separate in the Messenger app.