What you need to know before changing your Facebook URL

Your Facebook URL is the web address people use to find your profile — it looks like facebook.com/yourname. You can change this URL once every 30 days, and Facebook will redirect the old address to your new one for at least 101 days. After that redirect expires, the old URL becomes available for someone else to claim.

Before you change it, understand that the old URL stops working as a direct link after the redirect period ends. Anyone who bookmarked your old profile link will land on an error page. If you use your Facebook URL in your email signature, on a resume, or linked from a website, you'll need to update those places too.

You can only change your URL if your account is at least 30 days old and you haven't changed it in the past 30 days. Your username must be between 5 and 50 characters, use only letters, numbers, periods, and underscores, and cannot be a Facebook reserved word like "help" or "pages".

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Facebook URL once every 30 days through your profile settings, and the old URL redirects for at least 101 days.
  • Your new username must be 5 to 50 characters long and can only contain letters, numbers, periods, and underscores.
  • If you use your Facebook URL anywhere else online — resumes, websites, email signatures — you'll need to update those links after the redirect period ends.
  • Facebook reserves certain words and won't let you use them as your username, so have a backup option ready if your first choice is taken.

How to change your URL on desktop

Open Facebook in a web browser 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 near your cover photo and click it.

In the left sidebar of the edit screen, click "Username". A box will appear showing your current username and a text field where you can enter a new one. Type your new username and click "Check availability" to see if someone else has already claimed it. If it's available, click "Change Username" to confirm.

Facebook will show you a confirmation message with your new URL. Your old URL will still work and redirect to your new profile for at least 101 days, but after that period ends, the old address will no longer point to your account.

How to change your URL on mobile

Open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap "Settings & Privacy", then tap "Settings".

Scroll to the "Personal Information" section and tap "Username". You'll see your current username with a text field below it. Enter your new username and tap "Check availability". If it's available, tap "Change Username" to save the change.

The process is the same on mobile as on desktop — your old URL will redirect for at least 101 days, then become available for others to use.

What to do if your chosen username is taken

If the username you want shows "not available", someone else has already claimed it. You have two options: wait to see if they abandon it (which can take years), or choose a different username.

Try adding numbers, periods, or underscores to your preferred name. For example, if "john.smith" is taken, you could try "john.smith1" or "john_smith". Facebook allows periods and underscores in usernames, which gives you more combinations to work with.

Remember that you can only change your username once every 30 days, so choose carefully. If you pick something and regret it, you'll have to wait a month before you can change it again.

Updating your Facebook URL in other places

After you change your URL, search for anywhere you've shared the old link. Check your email signature, LinkedIn profile, personal website, resume, or any social media bios that mention your Facebook profile. Update these with your new URL so people can find you without hitting a dead link.

If you've shared your old Facebook URL in comments, posts, or messages, you don't need to hunt them all down — the redirect will keep those links working for at least 101 days. But if you want to be thorough, you can edit old posts to include your new URL instead.

If your old URL appears in search results or on other websites you don't control, those links will stop working after the redirect period ends. There's no way to prevent this, but most people won't notice since they'll find you through a direct search or through other social media.

Common mistakes to avoid

Don't change your URL right before a major event where you're sharing your profile link — like a job search or a project launch. You want your links to be stable during periods when people are actively visiting your profile.

Don't use special characters beyond periods and underscores. Facebook won't accept hyphens, spaces, or symbols like @ or #, even though they might appear in other social media usernames.

Don't assume your old URL will work forever. The 101-day redirect is a minimum, not a may provide of permanence. If you've been using the same URL for years and suddenly change it, old links from years ago may already be broken.

Don't forget that changing your username is different from changing your display name. Your display name (the name that appears on your profile) can be changed anytime, but your username (the URL) has the 30-day waiting period.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Facebook URL more than once a month?

No. Facebook enforces a 30-day waiting period between username changes. If you change your URL today, you cannot change it again until 30 days have passed. Plan your username carefully since you're locked in for a month.

Will my old Facebook URL work after I change it?

Yes, for at least 101 days. Facebook automatically redirects your old URL to your new profile during this period. After 101 days, the old URL becomes available for someone else to claim and will no longer point to your account.

Can I use spaces or hyphens in my Facebook username?

No. Facebook only allows letters, numbers, periods, and underscores in usernames. Spaces and hyphens will be rejected when you try to change your username.

What happens if someone takes my old username after the redirect expires?

Once the 101-day redirect period ends, your old username becomes available in Facebook's system. If someone claims it, they own it and you cannot reclaim it. This is why updating links on your resume and website matters — you won't be able to use that old URL again.

Is my display name the same as my username?

No. Your display name is what appears at the top of your profile and can be changed anytime. Your username is the URL (facebook.com/yourname) and can only be changed once every 30 days. You can have the same display name as someone else, but usernames must be unique.