You can change your birthdate on Facebook, but the platform limits how often you can do it
Facebook lets you update your birthdate in your profile settings, but there are real restrictions. You can change it as many times as you want, but Facebook only lets you change the year of your birth once every 60 days. The month and day can be changed more freely. If you made a mistake when you first created your account, or your birthday information is simply wrong, you can fix it — but you need to know where to look and what Facebook will and won't let you do.
The reason for these limits is that Facebook uses your birthdate to verify your identity and prevent fraud. Changing it too often looks suspicious to their systems, so they built in a waiting period for the year specifically. This matters if you're trying to correct a significant error, because you may have to wait before you can make the change stick.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your birthdate by going to your profile, clicking "Edit profile," and selecting the date fields under "Basic Information."
- Facebook limits you to one change of your birth year every 60 days, though you can change the month and day more often.
- Your birthdate controls what age-restricted content you can see and whether Facebook shows your birthday to friends.
- If you entered a fake birthdate to create your account as a minor, you will need to wait out the 60-day restriction to correct it.
- Changing your birthdate does not affect your account security or login information.
How to change your birthdate step by step
Open Facebook and go to your profile by clicking your name or profile picture in the top right corner. Once you're on your profile page, look for the "Edit profile" button — it's usually near your cover photo on the left side. Click it.
In the Edit Profile window, scroll down to find "Basic Information." Click on the birthdate field. You'll see three separate boxes: one for the month, one for the day, and one for the year. Change whichever parts are wrong. If you're only changing the month or day, Facebook will let you save immediately. If you're changing the year, Facebook will check whether you've changed it in the last 60 days. If you have, you'll see a message telling you to wait.
Click "Save" once you've made your changes. Facebook will update your profile right away — unless you hit the 60-day limit on the year, in which case you'll need to come back later.
What happens if you hit the 60-day limit
If you try to change your birth year and Facebook tells you that you can't, it means you changed it within the last 60 days. The system counts from the date of your last change, not from today. You'll have to wait until that 60-day window closes before you can change the year again.
This is frustrating if you made a mistake, but there's no way around it. Facebook doesn't have a form to request an exception, and support won't override the limit. Your only option is to wait. In the meantime, you can still change the month and day of your birthday if those are wrong.
If you're trying to correct a birthdate you entered wrong years ago, the 60-day limit only applies if you've changed it recently. If your last change was more than 60 days ago, you can change the year freely right now.
Why your birthdate matters on Facebook
Facebook uses your birthdate for several reasons. First, it controls what content you're allowed to see. If you're under 18, you can't see ads for alcohol, gambling, or other age-restricted products. If you're over 18, you can see more content types. Your stated age is what Facebook uses to enforce these rules.
Second, your birthdate determines whether Facebook shows your birthday to your friends. You can control this separately in your privacy settings — you can hide your year, hide the whole date, or show it to everyone. But Facebook needs an actual birthdate on file to make any of this work.
Third, if you ever need to prove your identity to Facebook — for example, if your account is locked or you're trying to recover it — your birthdate is one of the pieces of information they'll ask for. Getting it right matters for account security.
Changing your privacy settings for your birthday
Even after you've updated your birthdate, you can control who sees it. Go back to "Edit profile" and find "Basic Information." Next to your birthdate, you'll see a privacy icon — it usually looks like a globe or a lock. Click it.
You have three main options: show your full birthdate to everyone, show only the month and day (hiding the year), or hide it completely. Many people hide the year because they want friends to know when their birthday is without broadcasting their age. You can change this setting as often as you want — there's no 60-day limit on privacy settings, only on the actual date itself.
What to do if you created your account with a fake birthdate
If you made a Facebook account as a minor and entered a fake birthdate to get around the age requirement, you can correct it now. Go through the steps above to change your birthdate to the real one. If you hit the 60-day limit, you'll have to wait, but you can change it eventually.
Correcting your birthdate won't get your account in trouble. Facebook's age requirement exists to comply with laws like COPPA (the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act in the US), but they don't punish people for fixing incorrect information. They care more about preventing minors from signing up in the first place than about penalizing people who correct old mistakes.
Keep in mind that once you update your birthdate, Facebook may adjust what content and features are available to you based on your real age. If you're now showing as under 18, some features might disappear or change. This is expected behavior.
Troubleshooting common birthdate problems
If you can't find the birthdate field in your profile, make sure you're in "Edit profile" mode, not just viewing your profile. The birthdate lives in "Basic Information," which is sometimes collapsed. You may need to click "Basic Information" to expand it and see the date fields.
If Facebook won't let you save your changes and you're not hitting the 60-day limit, try logging out and logging back in. Sometimes the page needs a refresh. If that doesn't work, try a different browser or clear your browser's cache and cookies.
If you're trying to change your birthdate on the Facebook mobile app, the process is the same: tap your profile picture, tap "Edit profile," scroll to "Basic Information," and tap the birthdate field. The 60-day limit applies on mobile just as it does on the website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my birthdate if I don't remember what I entered originally?
Yes. Go to your profile and look at what's currently listed under "Basic Information." That's what you entered originally. You can change it to the correct date from there. If you're changing the year and hit the 60-day limit, you'll have to wait, but the month and day can be changed immediately.
Does changing my birthdate affect my account security or password?
No. Your birthdate is separate from your login credentials. Changing it won't log you out, change your password, or affect how you sign in. It only changes what information is stored in your profile.
What if Facebook won't let me change my birthdate at all?
If you're hitting the 60-day limit on the year, you'll have to wait. If you're not hitting that limit and the save button still isn't working, try logging out, clearing your browser cache, and logging back in. If the problem persists, try the mobile app or a different browser. Facebook's website sometimes has temporary glitches that a refresh fixes.
Can I hide my birthdate completely from my friends?
Yes. In "Edit profile," click the privacy icon next to your birthdate and select the option to hide it. Your friends won't see your birthday or your age. You can change this setting back anytime — there's no limit on how often you can adjust privacy settings.
What happens if I change my birthdate to make myself younger or older?
Facebook will update your age based on whatever date you enter. If you change it to make yourself younger, you may lose access to age-restricted content. If you change it to make yourself older, you may gain access to content you couldn't see before. The change takes effect immediately, except for the year, which has the 60-day limit.