You can remove your birthdate from Facebook, but the process depends on what you want to do
Facebook lets you delete your birthdate entirely or hide it so only you can see it. The difference matters: if you delete it, the field becomes blank and you cannot use Facebook's birthday reminder feature. If you hide it, your birthdate stays in your account but nobody else sees it — Facebook still knows when your birthday is and will remind your friends.
Most people who want their birthdate off Facebook choose to hide it rather than delete it. This keeps the information in your account for password recovery and age verification, but removes it from your profile and from the birthday notifications your friends receive.
Key Takeaways
- You can hide your birthdate so only you see it, or delete it entirely — hiding is usually the better choice because it keeps the information in your account for security purposes.
- On a computer, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information, then find the birthdate field and change who can see it.
- On a phone, tap the menu icon, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information, and adjust the privacy setting next to your birthdate.
- If you delete your birthdate by mistake, you can add it back by going to the same Personal Information section and entering it again.
How to hide your birthdate on a computer
Open Facebook in a web browser and look for the menu icon — three horizontal lines — in the top right corner. Click it, then scroll down and select Settings and Privacy, then click Settings.
On the left side of the screen, click Personal Information. You will see a section labeled Basic Information with your birthdate listed. Click on the birthdate field. A dropdown menu will appear with privacy options: Public, Friends, Friends except, and Only Me. Select Only Me to hide your birthdate from everyone except yourself.
Click outside the dropdown or press Enter to save the change. Your birthdate is now hidden. Facebook will no longer send birthday reminders to your friends, and your birthdate will not appear on your profile.
How to hide your birthdate on a phone
Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon — three horizontal lines — in the bottom right corner (iPhone) or top right corner (Android). Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy, then tap Settings.
Scroll down to Personal Information and tap it. Find your birthdate in the list and tap it. A menu will appear with privacy options. Tap Only Me to hide your birthdate from everyone except yourself. The change saves automatically.
What happens when you delete your birthdate instead of hiding it
If you want to remove your birthdate completely rather than just hide it, you can delete it from the Personal Information section. Click or tap on your birthdate field, then look for a delete or remove option — this varies depending on whether you are on a computer or phone, but the button is usually near the birthdate itself.
Once you delete your birthdate, the field becomes empty. Facebook will not send birthday reminders to your friends, and your birthdate will not appear anywhere on your profile or in your account. However, you will lose the ability to use your birthdate for account recovery if you forget your password, and Facebook may ask you to add it back if you need to verify your age for certain features.
How to add your birthdate back if you deleted it
Go back to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information. Click or tap on the birthdate field — it will be blank if you deleted it. Type in your birthdate in the format Facebook requests (usually Month/Day/Year) and set the privacy level you want. Click or tap outside the field to save.
If you are having trouble finding the birthdate field or it is not letting you add one back, try logging out of Facebook completely and logging back in. Sometimes the page needs to refresh before the field becomes editable again.
Why Facebook asks for your birthdate in the first place
Facebook requires a birthdate when you create an account to verify you are at least 13 years old — that is the legal minimum age for Facebook use in most countries. The birthdate also helps Facebook prevent fraud and confirm your identity if you lose access to your account.
Your birthdate is separate from your age on your profile. Even if you hide your birthdate, your age may still appear on your profile if you have set it to be public. To hide your age as well, go to Personal Information and change the privacy setting next to your age to Only Me.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my friends still get birthday reminders if I hide my birthdate?
No. When you set your birthdate to Only Me, Facebook stops sending birthday reminders to your friends. They will not see a notification on your birthday, and your birthdate will not appear on their birthday calendar.
Can I hide my birthdate from some people but not others?
Yes. Instead of selecting Only Me, you can choose Friends except to hide your birthdate from specific people while keeping it visible to everyone else. Click the birthdate field, select Friends except, then type the names of the people you want to hide it from.
What if Facebook won't let me change my birthdate privacy settings?
If the privacy dropdown is not appearing, try clearing your browser cache and logging back in. On a phone, try closing the Facebook app completely and reopening it. If the problem continues, try using a different browser or device to access Facebook.
Does hiding my birthdate affect my Facebook account security?
Hiding your birthdate does not make your account less secure. Facebook still has your birthdate on file for account recovery and age verification. Hiding it only removes it from your profile and stops birthday notifications — it does not delete the information from your account.