What changing your location on Facebook actually does
Changing your location on Facebook updates the city or region that appears on your profile and in search results when other people look you up. This is the information that shows under your name on your profile page — not your actual physical address, which Facebook does not display publicly.
When you change this setting, it affects where Facebook thinks you are for things like local event recommendations and ads targeted to your region. It does not change your home address in Facebook's backend systems, and it does not affect your login security or password recovery options, which use the address you provided when you created your account.
You can change this information at any time, and you can set it to be visible to everyone, friends only, or hidden entirely. The steps are the same whether you use Facebook on a computer or phone.
Key Takeaways
- Your location on Facebook is the city or region shown on your profile, separate from your actual home address.
- You can change it from your profile settings in under a minute on either a computer or mobile phone.
- After you change it, you can control who sees this information — everyone, friends only, or nobody.
- Changing your location does not affect your account security, password recovery, or login options.
How to change your location on a computer
Open Facebook in your web browser and click the downward arrow in the top right corner of the page. 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 — click the pencil icon next to it to edit. Find the Current city field and click on it. Delete the old city name and type the new one, then press Enter or click outside the field to save.
If you also want to change your Hometown (the city where you grew up), you can do that in the same section. After you make changes, scroll down and look for the privacy icon next to each field — it usually looks like a globe or a group of people. Click it to choose who can see that information.
How to change your location 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 tap Settings.
Tap Personal information, then tap Basic information. Find Current city and tap on it. Clear the old city name and type the new one, then tap Save or tap outside the field.
Just like on a computer, you can tap the privacy icon next to your location to control who sees it. The process is identical on both iPhone and Android phones.
Controlling who sees your location
After you enter a new location, Facebook shows a small icon next to it — usually a globe, a group of people, or a lock. This icon controls the privacy level. Tap or click it to see your options: Public (everyone can see it), Friends (only your friends can see it), or Only me (it is hidden from everyone except you).
You can set different privacy levels for your current city and your hometown. Many people choose to hide their current city entirely and show only their hometown, or show nothing at all. There is no rule — set it to whatever you are comfortable with.
If you change your mind later, you can always come back and adjust the privacy setting. You can also delete the location entirely by clicking or tapping the field and clearing it completely.
What happens after you change it
The change takes effect immediately. Your profile will show the new location right away, and other people will see it the next time they visit your profile (assuming you have set the privacy to allow them to see it).
Facebook may take a few hours to update location-based ads and recommendations, but your profile itself updates instantly. If you change your location multiple times in a short period, Facebook may flag this as unusual activity, but it will not lock your account — it just means you may see a security check the next time you log in.
If you cannot find the location field
Some accounts have location fields hidden or disabled, usually because of privacy settings or account type restrictions. If you do not see Current city in your basic information section, try refreshing the page or logging out and back in.
If it still does not appear, check whether you are looking in the right place: go to Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Basic information. The field should be there. If your account is very new (less than a few days old), Facebook sometimes delays showing this field until the account is fully set up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does changing my location on Facebook change my home address for account recovery?
No. Your location on your profile is separate from the address you provided when you created your account. Changing your profile location does not affect password recovery, two-factor authentication, or any security settings. Those use the original address you registered with.
Can I set different locations for different people to see?
No. You can only set one current city and one hometown, and you control the privacy level for each one. You cannot show one city to friends and a different city to family. You can only choose to show it to everyone, friends only, or nobody.
Will changing my location affect my Facebook ads or recommendations?
Yes. Facebook uses your location to show you ads and event recommendations for your area. If you change it, you may start seeing ads and events for the new location instead. This usually takes a few hours to update.
What if I do not want to show any location on my profile?
Delete the text from both the Current city and Hometown fields, or set the privacy for both to Only me. Either way, other people will not see any location information on your profile.
Can I change my location on Facebook if I am using a business account?
Business accounts and pages work differently from personal profiles. If you manage a business page, the location field is in the page settings, not your personal profile. Go to your page, click Settings, then look for Address or Location under the General section.